# Germany by Tandem-Part 1



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

About a year ago we got a Santana flyer in the mail. I worked for them oh so many years ago and have owned one of their tandems for the better part of 30 years and every so often Bill McCready likes to get in touch. For some reason both Miss M and I were struck by their description of a supported tandem tour down the Danube from the edge of Germany to Budapest.

We signed up. Of course we knew in advance that organized tours like this don't really include enough riding for us and way too much time being tourists.

We came up with a plan.......

Instead of meeting the group in Prague and taking a day long bus ride to the Danube we would fly into Frankfurt and ride for a week or so to meet the tour. 

And that is just what we did.

Our first day in Frankfurt was mostly about getting the bike together, doing a bit of riding and a whole lot of walking and mostly trying to stay awake long enough to avoid the worst of jetlag.

Worked out just fine.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

So after a day in Frankfurt eating, walking and drinking our way out of jetlag (and a good nights sleep) we headed up the Main River to explore Germany.

Well.....explore plus eat and drink a whole bunch more. :thumbsup:

Did we speak the language? Heck no!

Did we have a detailed route? Of course not!

Good maps? Don't be silly!

I sort of had a general idea of mostly following the route of the Main river till it met the Romantic Strasse, following the Romantic Strasse until it hit the Danube then sort of following the Danube to Passau where we would meet the tour.

It worked out.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

After overnighting in Wartzburg we left the Main River and started following the Romantic Strasse south. When we reached Dinkelsbuhl we found out that we weren't the only ones in Germany who like to eat and drink! Even with all the folks in town we didn't have any problem getting a room (or something to eat and drink).

(Those folks may look all regal in their fancy outfits but after a day of eating and drinking to excess they could barely stand up  ).


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

After a nice breakfast (and finding out that the party never stopped) we were on the road again.

About half way through our third day of riding we reached the Danube. For a second there it looked just like the Potomac and the C&O Canal Tow Path.  (But only for a second).


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Even though we were generally following bike routes we aren't big fan of bike trails so we headed cross country on back roads. Made for some climbing but a lot better scenery.

Besides we like to climb.

We tried to find a room by 4pm every day and never had any problem at all even though we didn't have reservations. No one ever gave us a hard time about the tandem either. It just so happened that there were 2 TV channels showing the TdF live every day-cool even if I couldn't understand a word the commenters were saying.

Dinners were great and the breakfast buffets at the inns were fantastic!

We were liking Germany!


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

It only took us 5 days of riding (just less than 100 miles a day) to reach Passau and catch up with our bags. That left us the best part of a day to kill before meeting the tour a few miles upstream so we spent the morning walking around town and just playing tourists.

It was fun and we got a chance to check out our riverboat being loaded.

The tour was meeting the boat in Vilshofen about 20 miles upriver from our hotel in Passau then crusing down river to overnight in Passau. We rode upstream to meet the boat and got there before the tour. We checked into our plush room and were all showered and cleaned up by the time the tour arrived late in the afternoon.

We relaxed and enjoyed crusing back down the river while everyone else was trying to recover from jetlag, their day long bus trip from Prague and getting their bikes put together while being entertained by the worlds worst umpah band. It was chaos.

We had a great time.

Next Report: Cruising the Danube with 70 tandems.


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## filtersweep (Feb 4, 2004)

That's awesome--- love that bike. It helps having a stroker who can take photos as you ride.


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## jupiterrn (Sep 22, 2006)

Wow, looks like you guys had a great trip. I am noticing the high vis jackets in the pictures. Was it cold or rainy or both on those days.


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## Jeff in Texas (Mar 17, 2006)

Mmmmm, bratwurst und bier! Been anticipating your pictures for the past few weeks, looking forward to reading about your experiences.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

jupiterrn said:


> Wow, looks like you guys had a great trip. I am noticing the high vis jackets in the pictures. Was it cold or rainy or both on those days.


From Frankfurt to Passau it was about as cold as it gets that time of year-50's in the morning with a threat of rain all day. We started out each day wearing all of our clothes and we often didn't remove anything till we were in for the evening.

A real plus was (just like all my research suggested) we had a great tailwind the whole way from Frankfurt to Passau! :thumbsup:


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

righteous trip! i'm so hungry and thirsty now....very inspiring thanks for sharing


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

MB1 in Europe..... FINALLY!

Too bad you went to the wrong countries (ducks!)

Great looking pictures as always. How much *more* riding will you have to do now to lose all the added weight?


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## abiciriderback (Jun 8, 2005)

Wow how sweet. I just had my wife, my mother in law who is visiting and her grandson (17 Years old) and his friend 18 years old all gather around the puter has we check out your fantastic pictures and wooing and hawing over your pictures. Makes me want to go back to Europe so bad last time I was there was in 88 for Nice, France Triathlon. 
Hope you post more pictures 

Ray Still


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

philippec said:


> MB1 in Europe..... FINALLY!
> 
> Too bad you went to the wrong countries (ducks!)
> 
> Great looking pictures as always. How much *more* riding will you have to do now to lose all the added weight?



I know it is hard to believe but we both lost a fair amount of weight.

I guess we didn't drink enough because we sure ate a lot!


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

philippec said:


> MB1 in Europe..... FINALLY!
> 
> Too bad you went to the wrong countries (ducks!)



If Miss M likes to light candles in churches, she needs to make a trip to the Pyrenees -- for 10 Euros you can light a candle in Lourdes that is about as tall as Miss M. 

Oh, and BTW, the riding in the Pyrenees isn't too bad either.

It looks like MB1 and Miss M had a great trip. Thanks for the report.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

I saw you reply to a post the other day and knew you were back. Been waiting of the reports to start to show. It was well worth the wait. Looking forard to the rest. What a trip.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

gutfiddle said:


> righteous trip! i'm so hungry and thirsty now....very inspiring thanks for sharing


I'm thinking Florida needs a BierBike!


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## bigpinkt (Jul 20, 2006)

Pork, Beer, and Pastries :thumbsup: Great pictures and report...The shot of all the bike bags is classic

I need a beer

Edit: where did you store your bike box and how did you haul all your stuff? Is it all in those little pannier's?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

bigpinkt said:


> I need a beer :thumbsup:
> 
> Edit: where did you store your bike box and how did you haul all your stuff? Is it all in those little pannier's?


We shipped our luggage and bike box vis UPS from Frankfurt to Passau and toured with just what we could fit into those very small panniers. Worked out great.


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## I am The Edge (Jul 27, 2004)

outstanding!!


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

jerk
im jealous and stuff


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## brad nicholson (Feb 11, 2004)

i lived in germany from 2003-2006. i'm am very jealous of your trip - we want to go back as soon as possible for that very reason!


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

MB1 said:


> I'm thinking Florida needs a BierBike!


most definitely! ya'll still thinkin of gettin a place in Clermont? Mt Dora would be a perfect area for one...


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## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

Wow! 100+ miles/day, tiny panniers, great scenery, food, and beer! I love it.

You folks really have it together. And doing it with only a destination and date in mind, without the local language. I'm impressed.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

gutfiddle said:


> most definitely! ya'll still thinkin of gettin a place in Clermont? Mt Dora would be a perfect area for one...


Now that this trip is over getting a second house somewhere in Lake County is right at the top of our To-Do List.


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

MB1 said:


> Now that this trip is over getting a second house somewhere in Lake County is right at the top of our To-Do List.


awesomeness...there is a house on the top of Sugarloaf Mountain that keeps a cooler full of cold water for cyclists, i know you can top that:thumbsup:

//FloridaFreewheelers has some great bike maps for the area (http://www.floridafreewheelers.com/maps/yalaha.pdf), this loop goes by a really great German bakery (http://www.yalahabakery.com/) sorry to get off on a tangent i just love riding in that area and know you will/do too.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

sometimerider said:


> Wow! 100+ miles/day, tiny panniers, great scenery, food, and beer! I love it.
> 
> You folks really have it together. And doing it with only a destination and date in mind, without the local language. I'm impressed.


Thanks but I'm not so sure......

I think that there is a pretty good case that you could take the same set of data and come up with the conclusion that we are pure crazy.


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

Cool stuff. I love the food pictures. I also love the look of the two boys staring at your bike.

Why buy a house in central Florida. Just take the bike and hit the road in the wintertime. You could wander all over the south.


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## FlynG (Aug 23, 2006)

Thanks for the tour!


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Veddy cool!!!!


Have you gotten the cost of the double-bike down to $.01/mile yet?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

bigrider said:


> ...Why buy a house in central Florida. Just take the bike and hit the road in the wintertime. You could wander all over the south.


So Miss M's sisters can come and visit of course!

Plus we have been going down there for a couple of weeks every year for the last 5 years. Now we will be able to go down for a couple of months at a time.

Getting ready for retirement.


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## carter1 (Aug 5, 2004)

Like everyone else, I've been looking forward to this report-it doesn't disappoint. Seeing all that pork was a bonus. I'm looking forward to part II.
c


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

I may have just the house. My stepmother may be selling her house in the "Villages." It's a retirement community so it has that vibe. You guys woudl definately be some of the most active. But there are lots of cool amenities. It'e centrally located in Lake County. It's a small house, 2 bedroom, 2 bath. garage and nicely landscaped backyard. Kitchen was newly redone and upgraded. All shopping with in easy biking distance.

Great report!! Clever way to get more miles than a tour provided. Looking forward to the next one. What weeks were you there? We were in Burgundy July 5th-14th in case you missed my report.


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## danred7 (Jun 24, 2008)

I'm suddenly in the mood for a Spaten Optimator.


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## Sledgehammer03 (Mar 7, 2006)

Looks like 1 h3ll of a trip. I love the zero plans (where are we going to stay).

I think your trip was much more scenic than my next 1 will be, driving across middle America (with 4 y.o.'s) to go to a wedding in Michigan.

If I leave now, I could probably ride there :thumbsup:


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## kai-ming (Oct 3, 2002)

MB1 said:


> We tried to find a room by 4pm every day and never had any problem at all even though we didn't have reservations...


That is the way a bike tour I like. Great stuff.
Where are the pictures of the plush room? Part 2, I suppose ?


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

Looks fantastic! I can hardly wait for the the rest of the story.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

MB1 said:


> So Miss M's sisters can come and visit of course!
> 
> Plus we have been going down there for a couple of weeks every year for the last 5 years. Now we will be able to go down for a couple of months at a time.
> 
> Getting ready for retirement.


And I thought that you were buying a place in Florida so that all of us cold weather RBR commuters in the Northeast would have a place to take a break in January or February.


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## 10ae1203 (Jan 14, 2007)

Did you get a ride on the bier bike?

I looked up that website, www.bierbike.de, but it was all german.

Hooray beer.


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## qwertzy (May 25, 2005)

*What no BOB?*

Or tent, stove, sleeping bags mats etc...  
I think we should have taken a page out of your book when we did our trans-europe (ok trans-north of france  ) trip.
View attachment 135316


We didn't end up using any of it and stayed in B&Bs the whole time but the trip was in march so there was a risk of everything being closed.
Your trip looks like it was amazing fun. Looking forward to part II


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

MarkS said:


> And I thought that you were buying a place in Florida so that all of us cold weather RBR commuters in the Northeast would have a place to take a break in January or February.


Miss M would likely welcome you with open arms if you bring some first rate beer and sausages (and are willing to ride 100 miles a day on your 'Dog).


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

kai-ming said:


> That is the way a bike tour I like. Great stuff.
> Where are the pictures of the plush room? Part 2, I suppose ?


You know, I brought back about 600 pix even some from inside the room but none of the room.

I guess we didn't think it was all that important compared to every thing else we were doing.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

MB1 said:


> Miss M would likely welcome you with open arms if you bring some first rate beer and sausages (and are willing to ride 100 miles a day on your 'Dog).



You really should not say something like that unless you really mean it.  When I was leaving for France this year and I was about to give my assistant my itinerary and contact info, she said: "I have the telephone number for 'your place in Paris.' " I guess it would be news to a certain RBRer and his family that what they think is their house is my place in Paris.


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Wonderful MB1! Wonderful.


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

MB1 said:


> Miss M would likely welcome you with open arms if you bring some first rate beer and sausages (and are willing to ride 100 miles a day on your 'Dog).


Would the Miss M hotel require a 100 mile a day minimum?  

One question, when you travel with the tandem do you carry any locks with you?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Chain said:


> .....when you travel with the tandem do you carry any locks with you?


For this trip we carried a Kryptonite lock with us, came in real handy when we wanted to play tourist.


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

MB1 said:


> For this trip we carried a Kryptonite lock with us, came in real handy when we wanted to play tourist.


Cable or U-lock? I'm guessing cable to get the wheels secured.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

F-ing awesome. I'm glad I finally made my way in here to see this.


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