On to Germany 08/05/2010
Out of Austria on to the Autobahn. We left Mattighofen in the rain which didn’t help my homesick mood. We rolled like we do, heading to Karin and Holgers house (the friends we made on the ferry) a couple of hundred miles down the Autobahn. The Germans do many things well, one of them is build roads. The Autobahn basically a series of interstates that are smooth and well maintained. There is no speed limit, we were regularly passed by cars doing speeds I estimate closed to 120 mph. At 80 mph we stayed in the slow lane and only pulled out to pass trucks. But you had to be careful when passing because cars could sneak up on you at 140 mph. Germany is very green, with tall beautiful forests. Lush fields with rows and rows of health looking crops. We have had rain everyday, mostly in the evening. Small towns dot the countryside, each looking very much the same at the others. We tried calling Karin but still have no luck dialing a damn telephone. With the gps leading the way, we ended up at an Ice cream shop in the town of Ruppichteroth. We tried the phone again (What’s up with all these numbers). I had a piece of paper with Karin’s address and phone number. As we were leaving to ride to the next town, to find a hotel, I asked a woman it she knew Karin. I showed her the paper with the address. She said she didn’t but would be happy to call. She pulled out a cell phone and dial the 97 digit phone number and started rattling off German. I couldn’t understand until she said “Joe from Texas”. She handed me her phone and I spoke with Karin. She told us to come on over. We arrived and Karin was finishing up in the garden. We took the grand tour of the house, and she told us her husband (Holger) was on a motorcycle trip and had just checked into a hotel 200 miles away (rats). We took the gear up to the 3rd floor and then sat out back for refreshments. Holger called and said he wanted to see us and that he was coming home. Karin works in an office and Holger is a (best I could figure) sanitation supervisor. They live in a smaller village, just outside of the small village. They have a beautiful 3 story house the took 2 year to renovate (which they did themselves). Both are avid motorcyclist and have toured all over Europe. Karin took us to dinner at what she would call “A typical German village restaurant”. She ordered our dinner and it was fantastic. Holger rode to the restaurant to meet us. We finished, headed back home and sat up most of the night listening to Jim and Holger play guitars. Holger played in a heavy metal band in the and should his reunion dvd. It was just plain fun. The next morning Karin made a wonderful breakfast or assorted breads, cheeses and cold cuts. With Holger as our tour guide, the four of us drove to an old castle, which still had a working village inside. We strolled around taking pictures, laughing and joking. Karin and Holger both spoke excellent English and it was fun to hold a conversation, with someone other than Jim (no offence Jim). While at the castle it rained, like Austrian rain. We spent another night with them play guess the childhood nursery rhymes, (Rumplestilskin, Sleeping beauty, etc.). They made us BBQ for dinner and of course more than we could eat. The next day was a Monday, Karin took off a half day to help us at the post office. We mailed some things home and she was a huge help. We have discovered the language barrier is exhausting. Not that we can’t get food or pay for gas, but everyday activities take a lot more effort. From the grocery store check out to trying to find a hardware store. Not being able to read, write, speak, or even recognize stores make it tiresome. Karin went with us to the grocery store then the post office and just like that, packages sent. The credit card machine would not take our cards and we had to fill out the labels (which were in German) but with her help, easy. It would have warn us out. After recommending her favor motorcycle clothing store, Karin showed us the way to the town of Bonn. We followed her van down the Autobahn when it began to rain. She pulled off at her exit and waved us on. I later told Jim it was just the rain on my face and that my eyes were not tearing up. He told me he just had a little dust in his eyes. Again we met wonderful, interesting people. People that we would run around with a home. I tell my students to “Surround yourself with talented people” . Ha, I found some halfway around the world. Thanks Karin and Holger we had a great time, come see us soon. After a wet ride to town, Jim and I found a great motorcycle store. We spent the next hour picking out new riding pants. We each tried on 5 or 6 pairs of pants, each with removable liners (waterproof). Pants on pants off. Liner in liner out. We bought our new pants put them on and headed out the door. I guess I will tell you this story before Jim does, that way perhaps I can save a little dignity. Earplugs are used by motorcyclist when traveling at speeds of over 60mph. The wind noise under the helmet can be loud and cause hearing loss. Normally I use a soft, disposable, foam plugs that you squish up and slightly inset in to the ear canal. The foam expands and blocks the wind. Day 60ish and I am out of ear plugs. We have not be able to find any in Europe (Wal-Mart’s back home have 12 different kinds at each store). While at the store I bought a set of soft, small, rubber plugs. Jim and I started the ritual of getting ready, body armor zipped, clipped, glasses off, jacket on, key in ignition, earplugs in. This is when the issue started. I wet my ear plugs so they slide in easy (anyone figure out where this is going?) . I inserted my left ear plug and perhaps I have be blessed with excessively large ear canals but “Bam, GONE”. The stupid plug slide so far in my ear canal I could not reach it to get it out! Now you would think I would be too embarrassed to asked Jim for help, knowing I might have to live with ridicule for the rest of my life. Nope "I want it out and I want it out NOW". “JIM, I LOST MY EAR PLUG”. “Where” he calmly asked. Boarder line beginning to really freak out “IN MY EAR!”. I think he might have started to laugh, but I was too busy envisioning an ambulance ride to a German hospital to have a stupid ear plug surgically removed. It was just far enough I couldn’t reach it and was afraid if I messed with it, I would push it into my brain. Only one thing to do, Jim had to operated. I went to my bike and retrieve the proper earplug extracting tool, needle nose pliers. Between his giggles of laughter, he reached right in and expertly extracted the obstruction. I think he might have done this before. It was only when the plug was removed that I might have become embarrass, on second thought I am just happy to have the dumb thing removed. Still needingooking for earplugs, we fired the bikes and headed to north up the towards the port town of Lubeck. Lubeck is the largest port in Germany and is located on the Baltic Sea. From here we would catch a ferry to Sweden. CommentsÖÖ. 08/06/2010 7:32pm
If you are still looking for earplugs try nex apotek(pharmacy in swedish). They should have some disposable plugs. joe 08/08/2010 12:23am
got'em at the apotek, thanks! Mom 08/09/2010 10:29am
It sounds like you and Jim are having a really good time and meeting a lot of nice people. Perhaps Karin & Holger will come to Texas to visit you sometime in the future. That would be fun for you. Two things: Tripp just informed me, after hearing this blog, that the ear canal, in fact, does not connect directly to the brain. He thought you should know that in the case of another lost ear plug. Says he learned this on Animal Planet. joe 08/09/2010 8:52pm
Why did Jeddie put a June bug in his ear? Just to see if it would fit? Leave a Reply | Joe ParkerThe original, one and only, Joey Joe Joe Joeker Mo'Joe!  ArchivesFebruary 2011 Categories |
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