September 15, 2001 ("Meanderings...." Chapter 1)
Hi, Everyone!
The "big trip" has finally started. We left Los Angeles on Saturday, September
8th and arrived in Zurich, Switzerland on September 9th. Spent our first night
in Wehr, Germany.
On September 10th, all the Model A drivers were bused to the port terminal
(Basel, Germany) to pick up the cars we had shipped last July. Meanwhile, the
non-drivers had a day free for shopping. However, we had only one hour in which
to "do" the bank, the post office, post cards, a Steiff bear for Kendra, and to
locate a German-language anniversary card for Jay. (I knew it
said "I love you" but I couldn't understand the rest. Took a chance and bought
it anyway. Luckily, our tour guide translated it for me and it was an
appropriate message!) Dinner on the 10th was supposed to be in a beer hall with
dancing and music, but a storm had blown off the roof of that building, so we
had music in a town meeting hall. No beer. No dancing. But fun music...
September 11th (guess what day THAT was -- but we didn't hear any news until
after the day trip.) It was our first actual day of touring. We decided to go in
Gordon and Kendra's back seat --Kendra called it the "honeymoon suite" in honor
of our anniversary. The plan was a day driving through the Black Forest,
stopping in Hausach for coffee and homemade Schwarzwalder Kirohtorte which the
famous Black Forest pie. However, before Freiburg, Gordon's car,
"Heidi", overheated -- thought it may have been a blown head gasket, but Gordon
tightened the head bolts and that solved that problem. We got lost leaving
Freiburg and lost the Boardmans... Started to run poorly. Alternator acted up,
but we kept going and just left the car running when we stopped. Too late for
Black Forrest cake in Hausach, but reported having lost the Boardmans. Continued
on to Triberg. Jay & I bought a cuckoo clock for an anniversary present to each
other while Gordon kept his car running...
People stop and stare. Their chins drop. They smile. Even the cows and the cats
stare at us.
We kept driving until Heidi's battery just plain died. Werner and Manfred came
to tow us back to Wehr. Found out about the tragedy, but couldn't get through to
home by phone or e-mail. Guys put in a new alternator and applied a trickle
charge to the battery for Heidi.
September 12th -- Minnie pouted this morning because we ignored her yesterday.
She wouldn't start!. Got a push -- Kendra helped push and fell flat on her face
when Minnie took off! Minnie led Heidi when we got started but Heidi died two
miles from the hotel. We went back to get help, then returned to the breakdown
site. They got towed back by Willie and we followed back to Wehr. The decision
was for them to get towed to Bregenz and we drove on by ourselves. Lunch in
Hallou -- small town with great people and GOOD food. We traveled to the Boden
See/Lake Constanz. Just before the boarder check near Bregenz, we stopped for
gas. One of the Model
A's in line for the border witnessed a motorcycle accident. When we started to
pass, there weren't any medical personnel yet, so we stopped and Jay played EMT.
When the emergency doc came, he continued to use Jay for assistance, and he
talked me into holding the IV bag. Finally, helicopter arrived to medivac the biker
out, and we left. Overnighted in Bregenz, Austria.
Sept. 13th -- Drove from Bregenz, Austria, to Oberammergau, Germany. Minnie led
4 other cars -- took 10 miles to get out of the city!! Must have crossed the
German-Austrian border at least five times! Often not sure what country we were
in! Sue's car's transmission locked up in Langen. Probably 20 Model A's gathered
while the guys removed the transmission and fixed it
-- right on the street. Gordon and Jay made popcorn for the A'ers and the
townspeople. Nice party! Then, on to Fischen for lunch. Drove along Plansee (a
long, skinny, beautiful lake). Took turn off to drive by Linderhof Castle on our
way to Oberammergau. 2 cars stopped to visit the
Castle, but Minnie and 2 others continued on to Oberammergau.
Sept. 13 and 14 -- Cute town! We're on foot and shopping our hearts out. Hope
Minnie won't be too lonely...
"Talk" to you soon,
Pat & Jay Burbank
