Some of you may now me, some of you may have only heard of me, but all of you may have realized by now (if you follow the blog) that I do tend to put semi-important things off until the last minute! Accordingly, I've just now finished a final trip itinerary. Here it is folks! its really long.....
- Sept 1st:
1. Fly to London from New York
2. Arrive London, stay in East End.
3. Sleep
- Sept 2nd:
1. Assemble bike
2. Tower of London
3. Ride around
- Sept 3rd:
1. In London
2. Walk around
- Sept 4th:
1. Leave London
2. Ride to Portsmouth
3. Overnight Portsmouth
- Sept 5th:
1. Ferry to Cherbourg, France
2. Ride to Carentan (30 Miles +/-)
3. Overnight in Carentan
- Sept 6th:
1. Ride Omaha and Utah beaches
2. Ride to Caen
3. Overnight Caen (53 Miles)
- Sept 7th:
1. Ride to Pont-Audemer, France
2. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 8th:
1. Ride to Buchy, France
2. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 9th:
1. Ride to Poix-de-picardie, France
2. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 10th:
1. Ride to Bapaume, France
2. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 11th:
1. Ride to Lille, France
2. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 12th:
1. Ride to Gent, France
2. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 13th:
1. Ride to Mechelen, Holland
2. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 14th:
1. Ride to Lommel, Holland
2. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 15th:
1. Ride to Ospel, Holland
2. Meet Niek
3. Overnight (48 Miles)
- Sept 16th:
1. With Niek and Leuk doing a battlefield tour
2. Stories and research at the Overloon Museum
3. Overnight Ospel
- Sept 17th:
1. Ride to Meijel and back
2. Overnight Ospel
- Sept 18th:
1. Leave Ospel
2. Ride to Leige, Belgium
3. Overnight (50 +/- Miles)
- Sept 19th:
1. Ride to St. Vith via E25 to Manhay
2. Manhay to Vielsalm
3. Vielsalm to St. Vith
4. Overnight St. Vith (50 +/- Miles)
- Sept 20th:
1. Ride to Poteau
2. Ride/Hike battle lines
3. Visit museum.
4. Hopefully meet with someone here
5. Overnight St. Vith
- Sept. 21rst:
1. Ride area to action of the retaking of St. Vith
2. Hike battle area
3. Overnight St. Vith
- Sept 22nd:
1. Ride to Malmedy
2. Back to St. Vith
- Sept 24rth:
2. Ride to Steckenborne, Germany
3. Overnight Steckenborne (35 Miles)
- Sept 25th:
1. Check out Hurtgen Forest area
2. Hike Kall trail a bit
- Sept 26th:
1. Ride to Ippendorf, Germany
2. Overnight Ippendforf (40 Miles)
- Sept 27th:
1. Ride to Ohlenberg, Germany
2. Cross Rhine at Kessenich, Germany
3. Overnight Kessenich (19 Miles)
- Sept 28th:
1. Ride to Mehlen, Germany
2. Overnight Miehlen (55 Miles)
- Sept 29th:
1. Ride to Dillenburg, Germany
2. On the way to Lengewiese, Germany
3. Overnight Dillenburg (59 Miles)
- Sept 30th:
1. Ride to Langewiese, Germany
2. Overnight Langewiese (40 Miles)
- Oct 1rst:
1. Ride to Schmallenberg, Germany
2. Explore Grafshaft loop around Naturpark Rothaargebirge
3. Ride to Oberkirchen, Germany
4. Overnight Oberkirchen (17 Miles)
- Oct 2nd:
1. Ride to Klustenstien, Germany
2. Through Naturpark Homert
3. Overnight Klustentien (38 Miles)
- Oct 3rd:
1. Ride to Bad Wunnenberg, Germany
2. On the way to Kassel, Germany
3. Through Naturpark Arnsberger Wald
4. Overnight Bad Wunnenberg (53 Miles)
- Oct 4th:
1. Ride to Kassel, Germany
2. Through Naturpark Eggegebirge
3. Through Naturpark Habichtswald
4. Overnight Kassel (52 Miles)
- Oct 5th:
1. Rest in Kassel
2. Buy train tickets to Hamburg, Germany
3. Overnight Kassel
- Oct 6th:
1. Train to Hamburg, Germany
2. Overnight Hamburg (192 Miles)
- Oct 7th:
1. Ride to Gudow, Germany
2. Through Naturpark Lauenburgische Seen
3. Overnight Gudow (37 Miles)
- Oct 8th:
1. Ride to Badow, Germany
2. Through Naturpark Lauenburgische Seen
3. Overnight Badow (25 Miles)
- Oct. 9th:
1. Rest if Badow
2. Check it out
3. This is VE Day
4. End of bike trip
5. Overnight Badow
- Oct 10th:
1. Ride back to Gudow, Germany
2. Overnight Gudow (25 Miles)
- Oct 11th:
1. Ride back to Hamburg, Germany
2. Hotel, rest
3. Overnight Hamburg
- Oct 12th-16th:
1. Hotel in Hamburg
2. Get bike boxed up for flight home
3. Chill out
4. Write
5. Fly back home on 16th via London
- Oct 16th:
1. Back in New York City
Yes.... As you can see, I'll be traveling around 800 miles +/- by bike with a short stint by rail from Central Germany to Hamburg. As I've mentioned before in this blog, the pacing of the trip by bike actually closely matches the actual advance or retreat of the 48th AIB during the fall and winter of 1944-45. Once I get to Germany, I feel that a train to Hamburg is justified given that by the time Grandpa got to this point, he was most likely riding a truck or a tank. By the spring of 1945, the advance troops in the Ruhr Pocket were covering so much ground, and taking so many prisoners, that it becomes hard to follow his every footstep without riding at least one train.
Anyway, long winded way of saying that by the time I get to Germany, I'm probably going to want to throw my bike into the Rhine and rent a BMW!
So, yes it is actually happening, I'm actually going in less than a month. I will be updating this blog weekly until my leave date, and daily if I can when I'm on the trip. You viewers out there can tune in for my rants, raves and general opinions as I slowly, very slowly, make my way toward Germany, and hopefully, toward my Grandpa.
Enjoy these kickass pics of ACDC at Giant's Stadium. I have the best fiance in the world!
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