Carry On Down the Rhine

It's a fact that public holidays in Germany do not fall on the same days as those of England (or even Scotland which is different too).  I work in England - Mrs Nikos works in Germany ergo I had a lonely day in Wiesbaden for the May Day Bank holiday.

Mrs N on Spock - the springtime in the Taunus on a Saturday pose - note the hi viz cycle clips.

The B42 at Rudesheim was subject to an Bomben Umleitung

Bank holiday in England but business as usual on Rheinstrasse. Spock needed to be run in more before the first oil change - I called Greg and we decided to go for a pootle on the condition that I navigated this time.I enjoy the water so elected a Rhine trip with the destination of Kaub.  The diversion proved to be a bonus.

Wiesbaden - Ready for the "off".

First stop - Greg's workshop to view the restoration of his "Lady"

Greg  is possibly admiring Spock

Triumph Trident and Spock

The Bomben Umleitung took us on the Wispertal, a wonderully scenic route whch descends towards the Rhine at Lorch. On a weekend this road is somewhat frenzied with bikers but on a Monday very pleasant to ride - --> this is the sort of thing but speeded up somewhat -  some stock footage

It's Monday and Bennos Truck Stop - as a Biker Treff  it is mercifully very quiet.

Old Man River - she just keeps padlin' along.

The round tables with cushioned seating are reserved exclusively for regulars at Bennos Truck Stop. I recall Arlo Guthrie - "You can get anything you want at Bennos Truck Stop except decent coffee"

The mounted Police arrived and made good use of the cushions. 

Back ar Schierstein Hafen we enjoy traditional eggs with Grüne Soße and decent cappucinno.

The Plane Spotty Cyclist

I don't mind living near an airport.  In fact as a youth I spent most of my time outside on the school playing fields (compulsory games four times per week) gazing into the sky over South East London watching first generation  jets stacking over Biggin Hill and then lining up to land at Heathrow.

And now, in later life seated impotently on my Aldi gel saddle cover, I explored the country lanes of Cheshire headed in the general direction of Manchester Airport.

That sunny morning Mrs Nikos heads to Germany following her guest appearance in ScooterBobs epilogue--->HERE

Later that day, it turns out that I rode 16 miles

One of many "crash gates" to allow the Airport fire service to exit the airport controlled area should the worst happen in Nether Knutsford.

To complement my Aldi gel saddle cover I now sport an Aldi LED helmet

The proverbial wind sock

Nothing beats England on a sunny spring day with the cumulo nimbus clouds strutting their stuff across the Cheshire Plain

Moving on from the crash gate a super vantage point is reached with a nice view of the airport shopping complex spoilt only by aircraft operations.

I appear to be following the Runway 2 Trail complete with Bats

A flymaybe Faster than road or rail buzzes me

A little further along the trail I discover the River Bollin

Quite a cathedral this, passing under the second runway

The scale of this culvert is quite unexpected.

On my way to Frankfurt a few days later, I survey the runway in the direction of the River Bollin from my usual Termianl 1 vantage point with the usual weather front.

Sunday Music and Eclectic Dancing

Sing along but please don't try the dancing at home:

Ιλισσός

Πώς τον λεν, πώς τον λεν
τον ποταμό;
Ιλισσό, Ιλισσό.
Να σου πω το μικρό μου μυστικό.
Σ’ αγαπώ, σ’ αγαπώ.
Τα μωρά φωνάζουν τη μαμά τους,
μα εγώ είμαι έρμο κι ορφανό.
Τα πουλιά πετούν με τα φτερά τους,
μα εγώ πετώ μες στο χορό.
Πώς τον λεν, πώς τον λεν
τον ποταμό;
Ιλισσό, Ιλισσό.
Να σου πω το μικρό μου μυστικό.
Σ’ αγαπώ, σ’ αγαπώ.
Κάθε κοπέλα θέλει
να `χει φίλο τον όμορφο Τέλη
και να βγαίνει μαζί του τα βράδια,
να `χει χάδια, να `χει χάδια.
Όμως καθ’ ένας γνωρίζει
πως ο Τέλης πολύ συνηθίζει
κάθε βράδυ κορίτσι ν’ αλλάζει,
δε με νοιάζει, δε με νοιάζει.
Πώς τον λεν, πώς τον λεν
τον ποταμό;
Ιλισσό, Ιλισσό.
Να σου πω το μικρό μου μυστικό.
Σ’ αγαπώ, σ’ αγαπώ.
Τα μωρά φωνάζουν τη μαμά τους,
μα εγώ είμαι έρμο κι ορφανό.
Τα πουλιά πετούν με τα φτερά τους,
μα εγώ πετώ μες στο χορό.
Πώς τον λεν, πώς τον λεν
τον ποταμό;
Ιλισσό, Ιλισσό.
Να σου πω το μικρό μου μυστικό.
Σ’ αγαπώ, σ’ αγαπώ.