Driving, Riding eBikes & Driving Some More

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Driving, Riding eBikes & Driving Some More



March 13, 14 & 15, 2024

After a great breakfast, we’re checking out of Oberstdorf and beginning our journey towards home.

Well, it’s not over yet. However, we’re beginning our trip back towards Frankfurt. So, we make a picnic lunch from all the stuff we haven’t eaten for breakfast and unless we find something better, we’ll eat our picnic lunch.

Also, it a good day to be heading toward Frankfurt, it’s raining and will be raining for the next two days. We set our Google Map to Karlsruhe, and off we go.

Along the way, I’m surfing the internet for attractions. I find this Kloster that was formed by the St Francis order. You know the guys that wear the cool brown robes with a hood and sandals. I’ve always wanted one of those robes.

Ok, this is important, the pictures show these amazing dioramas about the life of JC, you know Jesus Christ. At first glance, it reminded me of momma’s flannel graph stories she told every Wednesday afternoon in Prichard Place as a kid. I had to go out and round up all my friends and either bribed or threatened them to come. The threats always worked best. And thus, is why everyone now wants me to be on their bible trivia team.

We arrive, first we visited the Kapelle. Then we wander around looking for these dioramas.

We ask the receptionist; she clicks the button under her desk and the glass doors open and she point us in that direction. Creepy, so in we go.

Upstairs is this AMAZING collection of dioramas depicting JC life. For the next hour plus, we walked through and read all the plaques describing each scene. It brought back great memories of momma’s flannel graph stories.

After we finished, we climbed back in the car and took off, it’s still raining.

We drove until we couldn’t find any bier garden or restaurant, we wanted to stop at, so we stopped and had our picnic lunch in the car while it rained.

Finally, we arrive at our next apt, located in the German wine region. We unloaded; then headed out to meet Swen and Eva for dinner. We had a wonderful Greek dinner and visited with the cousins till we were both ready for bed.

Tomorrow’s weather is going to be great, no rain, clear skies and high 50’s. We’re going to rent eBikes and tour the vineyards some more. We just love getting lost in the vineyards.

Gute Nacht



We wake up had breakfast and head out to get our eBikes. We used this bike rental before, and it was easy in and out.

Off we go vondering through the vineyards always taking the downhill direction.

We’re headed toward Gimmeldingen to see the Almond tree blossoms. Which is over an hour away according to Google maps. Google maps even has the vineyards mapped; yep... isn’t that cool. We stop in Neustadt an der Wein Strasse for lunch. We sat the center plaza, outside soaking up the up the sun. Can you believe in less the 24 hours we were walking in snow and now were riding bikes and soaking up sun?

After lunch, we continue onto Gimmeldingen to see the Almond tree blossoms. It’s easy to find because EVERYONE is going to see the blossoms. As we approached, more and more people were on the trails, cars everywhere we finally had to stop riding and walk with our bikes. CRAZY!

Well, we were expecting to see Tousands, “that 1000 in German”, of almond trees.

NOPE! There might have been 100 at best, lining the Wein Strasse for a copy of miles. Ok, let me say it this way, for every tree there was 100 people. Wein huts all along the trail and yes, we stopped and partook of the holy water.

Now, don’t take me wrong, the trees were beautiful, at their peak of blooming; think of the cherry trees blossoms in Washington DC.

After having a couple of glasses of holy water “Wien”, we are heading back. Along the way, we stopped to see Swen at his new Sixt dealership. He was so surprised, and his dealership is quite impressive.

After we returned the eBikes, we stopped at Sankt Martin and had a bottle of wine at one of our favorite Wein cellars. We visited this cellar last year in July and enjoyed it, so why not enjoy it again.

We wrapped up our day with a delightful meal outside of Landau with a traditional German meal. No, we didn’t have reservations and were directed to the side door. The meal was awesome, just didn’t get to sit with the pretty people. Their loss!

Back at our apt and were in bed.

Gute Nacht



We’re up and it’s another driving day heading closer to Frankfurt. And yes, it’s raining.... Kirsten is singing, Rain, Rain, go away come again another day, but it didn’t work.

We stopped for a visit in Bitburg, to tour their Bitburger brewery. Of course, they’re the best, largest, uber and all those words promoting their brand. However, Kirsten and I agree the Rothaus brewery tour was far better.

We arrive at our apt and our host greets us and Kirsten and him are long lost friends. We take a nap, the driving in the rain and riding has sapped us both. After an hour nap, we head out and get some groceries for breakfast tomorrow and then find our restaurant where we did make reservations. We walk in and it’s empty, of course. However, by the time our drinks arrive, it’s half full. By the time we order food, its completely full and they are turning away guest. AMAZING!

Ok, the special tonight was a Wild Boar hamburger. My first reaction was NO #@%& WAY, but after looking through the menu, I said why not. It was absolutely delicious, it tasted like a Black & Blue hamburger back home. The two biers were great also.

Back to our apt and into bed Kirsten is planning tomorrow as I dose off.

Gute Nacht



Steve & Kirsten

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