The European Chronicles 2024.18 - The Turn, Odds & Ends, And The Porsche Museum
All Good Things Must...Pause
Well, we're now in our seventh week, and it's time for the turn toward home. But it is only a "pause"; we've already started to think about 2025. 😎. You all know I'm a planner...
That said, we're not quite done yet. Pitztal had a few more "enjoyment opportunities," one of which was to try out an e-bike, new to us both.
We rented these from Intersport, directly across from the hotel. Suspension front and rear, hydraulic disc brakes, electronic shifting, Bosch battery and, most importantly, a TURBO boost setting. 😂
A beautiful path along the river, lots of waterfalls on the way.
I forgot to start the Relive app at the start of the ride, remembered about halfway through...duh.
Relive 'E-bike roaming'
Even has a water wheel.
Back on the trail.
Happy e-bikers!
Directly behind the Vier Jahreszeiten is the Bergrettung, or Mountain Rescue, station, complete with helipad. That evening, we were treated to multiple landings and takeoffs, most likely a training exercise; no one was taken on or offloaded, fortunately. Pretty cool to watch.
Coming
And going
Speaking of cool, one afternoon we had a big t-storm with a quick temperature drop and lots of hail.
Really glad Mia was in the garage.
Odds & Ends...Remember waaaaayy back when we were in Valdobbiadene? One evening we stumbled onto a Lancia Club car show on the piazza.
What to do, what to do? I know, get a spritz and wait for more to arrive. 😂
And speaking of Valdobbiadene, remember Bia?
It seems the Italian post office and Italian customs didn't know what to do with a rock shipment...it spent several weeks going round and round Venice, then back to Valdobbiadene and Alberto at Roggia dei Cedri, who so kindly, once again, worked his magic at the local post office. I can only imagine how that conversation went, and how many colorful stamps had to be put on the box. Although to this day, the Italian tracking code still shows "return to sender," we have it on good authority that Bia has, in fact, arrived in Tucson!
The Turn For Home
We say Auf Wiedersehen to Pitztal and the Vier Jahreszeiten very, very reluctantly.
I think it is fair to say that this is Krisanne's favorite place of the entire trip. I've got no argument with that, although Bemelmans Post has the better riding, Pitztal has the better hiking...but the margins are small.
But Krisanne did KILL her Oboz boots...left for dead at the hotel... 😂
Always bittersweet knowing that the trip will end shortly, but we're heading to Stuttgart to tour the Porsche Museum. I went last year, Krisanne's never been, and with Otto coming, well, what better time?
The quick way...mostly, but first over the Hahntennjoch pass, to avoid the slightly faster, but more crowded and commercial Fernpass to the east. Then the Autobahn...😎. That should buy us the time to tour the museum in the afternoon.
That was the plan...the reality? Slightly different, fairly heavy traffic with some backups at the German border. They were actually doing a border check...perhaps related to the Paris Olympics? Some folks at the hotel mentioned they had experienced the same on the way to Pitztal.
The Hahtennjoch is a beautiful pass...a little bit socked in today.
More of the circles like on the Grossglockner.
Relive 'To Stuttgart!'
But we did make it in time to tour the museum, which was a lot of fun. A short photo dump:
Wanted this ad/poster for our garage wall...sadly, not offered at the museum shop!
Downforce...
Otto's grandfather...
Speaking of, it looks like Otto is waiting his turn to get into Port San Diego...been sitting like this for a few days now...and they kicked our delivery date from 8/2 to 9/22...we'll see.
Actually ok with us, gives me more time to prep and sell Nigel.
Our nice, inexpensive, hotel, around the corner from the museum, with garage parking for Mia.
The next morning, after a very good breakfast at the B&B Hotel, we set out for a non-highway route to Stefan's in Heidelberg. Very, very pretty through farms, vineyards, cute towns, some industry...a beautiful cross section of Germany.
Back in plenty of time to change Mia's oil, wash, wax, stabil in the full tank, and sort thru all "the stuff" to put her into storage.
Everybody's clean now... 😂
I'm putting these here so I know where to find it next year...go downstairs in the new addition, past the scary mannequin, the right hallway, third and fifth bays on the top left...😂
Tomorrow, we're going to explore Heidelberg.
Ciao!
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