My first bike trip - cars, be patient!
For the last ten years I was playing with the idea to make a motorcycle driving license. But whenever I was close to making the decision, I came across an accident with a bike involved and dropped the idea again. During my trip to India I finally decided to get the license. As soon as I returned home I registered at a driving school. Then everything sped up. Suddenly the time of the driving test was set, my vacation registered and a motorcycle bought. It was a very close timing which put me under a lot of pressure to pass the driving test. The day after the test I had to pick up the bike at BMW and the next morning I would start the trip.
But fortunately I passed the test and everything went fine.
I had a guardian angle and was ready to go.
The plan for the day was simple, going south, through the Eifel. I had bought myself a special motorcycle map for my gps which should lead me on small roads remote from any urban areas. But the GPS tried to direct me onto the highway again and again. After I had spent some time in the menu of the GPS I found the problem. I had activated the wrong map. Stupid me. Some more digging through the menu and the right map was on. Here I come, small roads of Germany!
My first goal was the Mosel Valley. Here I wanted to see the castle of Cochem. From there on I drove the Mosel upstream, quite pleased, that the small curvy roads of the Eifel were behind me. It was a very strenuous day for me. For the fist time I had ridden a heavy motorcycle. For the first time I was driving for more than two hours. For the first time I was driving very small, very curvy roads. Some of the serpentines were really challenging and I was close to hit the road in the original meaning of the phrase. But, this I realized when driving along the river shore, the whole day I had a very broad smile in my face. I made a good decision to do the driving license. This was really an excellent way of traveling.
As I was already really tired, I stopped at the next sign for a campsite, Campingpark Zell. Not a great place itself, but the sundown on the other side of the Mosel was just brilliant.
So, I survived the first day without any major incidents and was ready to go for more. I followed the Mosel until Traben Trarbach, where I stopped for a good second breakfast. Wow, it is hot in this bike wear. I soon learned two important rules: Don't step into the sun! Stop only in the shadow. But I wanted to see another castle, one of the biggest ruins in Germany. When I stopped at the parking lot for the trail to Schmidtburg I felt a bit awkward in the heavy motorcycle trousers while every one else was wearing short trousers and T-shirt. I soon realized, that I wouldn't make it to the ruins as they were to far secluded from the parking lot. I had to be content with a good view of it.
However, on the way to the ruins I learned, that I could reach an archeological site of find of a Celtic village with only a few minutes walk. And I was really lucky, as there was some experimental archeology going on. A round duzend volunteers spent the week there and tried to life as close to the knowledge we have of the Celtic living style. Moreover, I walked right away into the Professor leading the project. I bombarded him with questions for the better part of one hour and learned how they exactly reconstructed the village from the findings within just 40 cm of soil.
Shortly before Kaiserslautern I followed the signs to a campsite. The place is very remote and crowded with old women wearing dressing gowns. Is it this or the fact that I am tired, that I don't join the camping site party?
The next day I stop in Spayr to see the famous cathedral. Inside the cathedral you find an enormeous demonstration of the worship of bones. What a strange religion that is?
For the night I decided to take a room in Baden Baden. As it was a warm summers night I go for a stroll through the villas and had found out, that money and good taste don't come together very often. I had dinner in the city centre and learned from the bill, that the glass of beer is 5€. OK, I have seen Baden Baden, but this is reasons enough for me not to come back.
The next day greeted me with sunshine again. Another day with me melting in my waterproof clothes. But the Black forest was waiting for me. I first followed the Black Forest panorama road, but soon I took the turn to a smaller road again. I was alway glad, when I found myself behind a truck. This took the pressure from me, in case a car appeared behind me, occupied with an impatient driver. I was still really slow on the sharp turns. But the Black Forest had a lot of lonely roads in petto for me. This is the most enjoyable pleasure - a small curvy road with no traffic at all.
I needed a shower first, as I was soaked with sweat. In shorts with a cup of coffee on the terrace brought back some feeling of properly civilized life to me. After the days spent solely on the bike or in the tent this was a welcome change. Julias daughter joined us for a pizza in the city centre and we had a very pleasant evening with long good conversation.
The next day I drove through the south part of the Black Forest and to Basel, Switzerland. Another friend to be visited. After a hot day we enjoyed our dinner on the Rhein shore in Basel centre. Again, long and good conversation lasted much into the night. This was now two days of civilization and I was keen on sleeping in my tent again. I found a nice camping site in Konstanz close to the shore of the Bodensee.
The next morning I drove my bike onto a ferry, for the first time. Strange, when I look back, this was really exiting. Today, after the trip through Norway, with around 20 ferries on the way, this seems like the most common thing. But the first time it was something extraordinary for me. The ferry took me from Konstanz to Meersburg and I drove on the northerly shore of the Bodensee from Meersburg to Lindau.
