The European Chronicles 2021 - Ch. 4
Forest, Black, 1 Stück and into The Allgäu
One of my first jobs was working in a Robert Bosch automotive parts warehouse. Picking, packing and the most fun of all - driving a forklift. Not just any forklift, this was an electric contraption we called The Raymond because that was the company that made it. It was designed for tight turning circles, so you could maneuver between closely spaced isles.
You stood up on The Raymond, left foot pressed down on the dead man's pedal to start it. Left hand on the steering wheel, horizontal, with a spinner knob, which is what you used. Right hand on the "go stick," like a pistol grip - push forward for go, pull back for reverse. Harder you push, faster it went. Forks go up and down with two stacked triggers; they can also move in and out with a rocker button on top of the pistol grip.
Now here's the fun part: the steering is on the rear wheels AND the steering wheel is not reverse geared, i.e., you turn the wheel left and the rear wheels turn left too, so the machine goes right. Got that? Same when you're backing up...it is "Opposite Day" all the time.
The word "ergonomics" was not yet coined when The Raymond was designed. This machine created chaos wherever it went; one guy broke his left ankle because he let his heel hang off the end and hit it with a concrete wall as he spun the machine around.
I was pretty good at it. Perhaps that's why I remember this almost 50 years later. But I'm telling you this because of all the boxes and bags.
There were so many little parts, everything in its own box or bag. And they would all detail the part and end with "1 Stück."
So, Forest, Black. 1 Stück.
The plan today was to ride through this treed monolith to Schramberg and visit the Auto-Und Uhrenwelt Museum. Four levels of cars and clocks. I know, you can't wait, especially after I warmed you up with that wonderful story. 😂
The day you're not seeing is the day I'm there: Montag. Oops.
So I'm gonna cheat and put a few screen grabs here from their virtual tour so we all know what I missed.
Worth a watch, was worth a visit too, but oh, well. It was a nice ride for mediocre pizza!
Even managed to dodge most of the rain, just some light sprinkles.
Sunny when I got back, but it wouldn't last...not even through dinner!
A very relaxed Berner.
Back at the hotel, I took a closer look at the sculpture in my room.
They are Mia wine bottles!
Destiny!
It was a fun ride there and back.
Into The Allgäu
The weather south has cleared a bit, although still changeable throughout any given day for the coming week. Good enough, I'm heading to Füssen in the Allgäu region of Bavaria. You might know the area for Mad King Ludwig's castles, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. They were part of my first Edelweiss tour in 2005.
But my real purpose of locating here is because of that black line: the Austrian border. I'm hoping to do some loop rides through the Alps, while ending in Germany each night. We'll see how that goes; my planning is a little suspect right now. 😂
The ride there was a mix of back roads and about 30 miles of autobahn, which turned into a disaster averted. I jump on at the appointed entrance, after about 10 miles, everything stops...but that magic middle lane appears, like the Red Sea parting. Ahhhhhh...
Road is closed up ahead, all traffic diverts off. The satnav keeps telling me to "turn around when possible" but that won't work. There was a UPS truck a couple of cars ahead of me, and I'm thinking UPS drivers everywhere know all the short cuts, and he probably wants back on the autobahn. Sure enough, we're bombing down multiple goat paths and find our way back to the autobahn past the closure. I'm not sure the driver knew there was an extra package in tow.
Some stunning views, and great twisty roads. This section of L197 and L277 in particular. 197 drops you down a mountain with glass smooth pavement and nicely spaced hairpins; 277 runs along a towering rock wall with one car width cut out tunnels.
Break time!
Yes, the Alps are in the background.
At the hotel, Mia gets tree covered parking.
Directly across from the hotel is a park with a practice ski jump.
The castle down the street, the High Castle of Füssen, which now houses city administrative offices.
Started to pour, but I managed to snag a table and some dinner!
Sunflowers get so sad in the rain...
Cheers!
