swopie

A good friend and touring buddy told me about this forum, and I am pleased to have joined. You know, it seems that if representatives and senators were like bicycling enthusiasts, all might be right with the world.

I am a business and technology process consultant and project manager, and that occupation enables me to enjoy a fair amount of scheduling freedom I entend to use to enjoy my bicycling hobby.

Seems to me that bikes are like horses. If you can ride one, you can ride 'em all. However, no matter whether your ride is an old plug, a sturdy workhorse, or a racy model, you develop a special affection to it. Its that way with me, anyhow. A few years ago, I bought a used Koga Miyata that has become like a horse I had decades ago. So, I honored the bike by naming it after that horse, Fury. He takes me everwhere I want to go even though he doesn't work like the beautiful woman like the horse did. In all fairness to the bicycle, though, the problem is more likely me than my ride. The bike is still young and very handsome.

The opportunity to do any a tour of any length is a luxury. I like to relax when I ride and I find it difficult to relax when I ride on roads with hundreds of other horses zooming by. So, I like bike paths...especially ones like those I rode on in Europe (Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium) during the summer of 2004. In fact, I liked it so much that I plan on returning this summer. The plan is to ride the Main River in Germany upriver from Frankfurt to Bamberg and then to ride South along the Rhine-Main-Danube canal to the Danube at Kelheim. Then, I will continue East along the Danube toward Vienna. I probably will run out of time before I get to Vienna, so I will go as far as I can and then fly back to the US.

On that trip I will be part of a dynamic group, others joining as their vacations start and leaving as their vacations end. Some part of my first tour in Europe comes to mind every day, and I can't wait to return.

Auf Wiedersehen!
John

* jack *

Grüße von Durham!

East Hill

Hello John, yes, we like to try and get that cycling 'community' going here at Bike Forums, and it seems that the members here are doing quite a good job .

Welcome to BF!

East Hill

cooperwx

Hey swopie. I don't ride nearly as far as you, and find myself surrounded by cars all the time, but we are both cyclists in NC! Welcome to the forums, I'm sure you'll settle in over in the touring section...

VegaVixen

Hi, Swopie! Welcome to BF!

I've been in Ludwigsburg, outside of Stuttgart, a number of times. Stuttgart, too, of course, (train and airport). What's your interest there, besides this summer's trip? I've done some riding in Belgium, and plan to return to finish the "Tour de Belgique" that I never finished when I was a student there 20 years ago ($$$ and time).

Check out the Regional Discussions forums for Southeast and for Europe, and the Long-Distance Cycling forum. And check out Foo. There are some long-distance riders who socialize there: centuries, PBP, etc.

swopie

I went to your website, and it seems you do a new type of cycling, crusade cycling! Love to have you stop by and tell us about your travels, but my business demands I travel often and on little or no notice and that makes planning difficult. If your aim is to pass nearby, though, give me a heads up. If I am in town we can try to meet and we'll try to meet. Good luck with the weather and with your mission!

Regards...

swopie

I grew up in south-central PA where the culture retains a German flavor, and ancestry is partly German. My Many-great-grandfather was named Schwab. He, his wife, and his children came to America in 1720. They were from Leimen, just outside of Heidelberg, and I'd like to visit there some day. That trip to Germany was my first vacation in Europe. I'd been through Europe on business, traveling to other, more exotic places, but I had never stepped foot outside of airports. I was fairly well in-tune with German culture, owing, I guess, to what I had of it while growing up.

From birth, we ate a lot of kraut...the plain sour stuff like they eat around Wiesbaden. We grew up using idioms like was für meaning "what kind of" (except we always said what fer) without knowing where the non-sensical expression's origin. Also, the German sense of humor and general manner of social interaction was also very familiar.

I've spent a lot of time in Asia/Far East/India, and I enjoy the differences; however, Germany was easy to become accustomed to...more familiar than different...very, very comfortable. So, unless I am called there on business, France and the UK can wait. Another trip or two to Germany will come first. Absolutely fantastic bike trails, too!

Thanks for the advice on where I might find kindred BF spirits!

ozarkman

swopie you want to tour germany and I want to tour N. Carolina. My boss is from N.Carolina he just move here and he going to talk to hes parents so they let me park my car in their house. Theyre from around Ashville.
And welcome to the forum I also new here.