22/08/2023

The HIVE Tour - Episode 59 - Goodbye Netherlands, hello (again) Germany

Last day here in the Dutch South and in some sort of irony the weather feels like summer for the first time but I'm not gonna be here long enough to enjoy it as I have my bike loaded ready to leave. My dear diabetic companion ill stay home of course and as far as I can tell he doesn't bother that much about my departure, despite the great times we shared:

There's a good reason for that and it has to do with the fact that the home owners are back. Otherwise I wouldn't leave him right? Extra lovely people as they both are, they treated me with some top Italian wine last night. Which has a pretty interesting name:

In Greek that's only one letter away from "brothel" and I guess in Italian it's not that far either. Who cares about the name as far as it tastes superb. Would you ever decide not to date a hot girl just because she's got a funny name?

I begin my ride in humid but warm conditions and I missed so much the latter that I don't care that much about the former. I always care about beauty though and I instantly stop to the view of this wonderful windmill at Asten:

This beauty deserves a much closer look but I have hundreds of km ahead to do. Impressed to find out that it used to host injured ones during WWII back in 1944. Not as nicely impressed by the fuel prices in the German autobahn 2 hours later though:

If you read bands complaining about touring costs now you can easier understand why. Obviously joking, you're not given fuel for free so you already know it's not that cheap.

Here's my iron horse fully loaded and full of fuel and if no one wants to drop their bike anyway, this moment is definitely the one you really don't want to try and lift it:


Some tire pressure check never hurt anybody:

More than happy to see that both front and rear have no leaks at all. Speaking of tires, I really feel the need to praise them. See the wear they have and how much life is left on them after nearly 20.000km:


Even better, their grip is still impressive like day one. Seriously I wonder how manufacturers can manage this (this pair is from Bridgestone). I asked the tire shop when I installed this (since I had the same pair before and I was beyond satisfied) and I was told that the use of silicon is what gives them impressive grip and longevity. Wow. Don't confuse this with silicone though.

An hour and a half later is time for a break which means one more autobahn parking, on the 61 this one:


Bench and table are welcome and needed now:

The view could be worse:

It would all be OK except this fucking truck running its engine:

I have a walk around to make my body remember how it is to walk after many riding hours and I wonder...do these things still work?


Funny to read this sign reminding me that (not so funny) 2014 was a year when awareness was raised about the African Swine Fever:


450km later, lots of autobahn traffic jams later and bits of rain I arrive at my destination after a warm humid ride which you can watch here in 4K:



So where am I now? In Obersulm North of Stuttgart. I am welcomed by a super kind host and my AirBnB looks actually a little better than in the pictures. Very convenient and comfy but what makes the difference is that for the first time in my travelling career I rent a place which has a turntable!

And it's actually same make and close model to mine!

I start wondering "does he have any vinyl record to play here?" and seconds later I find a whole collection next to the bed:


Things get even funnier as I find out that this collection contains "Love at the Greek" from Neil Diamond:


But is as diverse as it gets since it also has a "Metal Killers" collection too:


Things go Greek again as Mikis Theodorakis is also in here:

To celebrate my first vinyl audio experience on the go I pick a Yardbirds compilation:

On the far left is the top guitar master and recently gone Jeff Beck.

Time to let the music do the talking:

Enjoy these ancient notes and see you soon in my next one!

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