Trains and Bikes: Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Berlin
Rothenburg has a tiny train station, and we are learning that it is not necessary to be too early at the station, so how did we end up there a half hour before our train?? Put it down to a smooth departure and a very short ride. Yes, that says one kilometre today, and I couldn't resist putting it in, although it was only 700 metres, 650 of which were a slight downhill. Keith just coasted down, scooter fashion, but I actually rode the distance, although unclipped, in my street shoes.
Our first connection was a short ride and we just rolled the bikes on and off, but at the station had to do the full down one stairwell and up the other drill. Keith was a huge help with this. I do wonder what people in wheelchairs do in these tiny stations without lifts. Once through the stair exercise we simply rolled on the next train and away we went. Our final transfer before Frankfurt Airport was the same stair drill, and we were both on the train and happily chatting when we met the rule following conductor. So it was bags off the bikes, hang them up, and then relax. The conductor also relaxed when he saw we weren't going to argue, and he was great.
Arrival at the airport station went so smoothly it was astonishing. Frankfurt is a huge airport, and when we arrived by plane it took us a good half hour to find the Sheraton, despite the CN's navigational skills, and the hotel is attached to the airport. This time we literally walked off the train and ran right into the hotel. Not only that, the train station elevators are big, unlike the ones in the airport. Did I mention the train station and airport are also attached? So within ten minutes of getting off the train we had boxes in hand, tools out and were starting disassembly. Wow!
And approximately two hours later we were done. Bikes were boxed, returned to the storage area awaiting our return on the 26th, and we were having a late lunch and coffee in the train station, waiting for our train to Berlin.
I am writing this on the train to Leipzig, which is where the first glitch today has occurred. The train, from what I can figure out, is about 20 minutes late, and since our connection time in Leipzig is a mere 6 minutes you can see the problem. They keep making announcements in German, and I am about to try and find someone who can tell me what may happen. There isn't much I can do about it anyway, so I am enjoying the ride. To be continued!
Oh lovely DB Bahn simply popped us on the next ICE to Berlin and we are currently cruising at 220 km an hour over the ground. We have been in touch with Wolfgang and Anna, and they will be meeting us at the station. How wonderful. I am so excited to be seeing them. Pictures, which are pretty lame today anyway, will probably not be posted until tomorrow as Keith says Wolf and Anna have wine, cheese and beer waiting for us. Aren't we lucky!
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The tiny Rothenburg train station. I am thinking very hard in this picture about where something is!
Happy bicycles before the conductor came along. We were sitting with a German woman who now lives in California. She found him hilarious...our ponies were the only bikes on the train.
Conductor happy, ponies unloaded and properly stored. The conductor was actually great...and I think appreciated our easy going attitude. About a half hour later we had to get the bikes down and load them up again of course.
The process begins. Pedals coming off. This is a bit of a bogus photo as Keith did 99% of the disassembly while I held bikes, passed tools and followed instructions.
