Another Great Day on the Bikes

We spent the day on our bikes again yesterday, and it was great. The weather was just perfect--starting to get cooler, but sunny and definitely not too cool. We biked to Rudolstadt, which is about 30 miles south of Jena. About 8 miles in, we stopped at a beer-garden so that I could use the restroom. Trouble is, it was such a lovely scene...a few kids kicking a soccer ball around, families eating, drinking and chatting, and wonderful owners. So we had to stay for a while and have a beer and some fries. (Really, we just had to!) David was happy to get down and run around, and he did so while eating some of the lunch I'd packed for him.

Then he did a quick check on the bikes, to make sure all was in order.

Then we headed back onto the trail, not exactly strengthened by the beer, I'll be honest, but happy nonetheless. Now, I know most of you check the blog for David pictures--and who can blame you, he's a cutie!--but I have to include some shots from the ride. It was just so beautiful, I have to share! (If you can, click on the photos to enlarge them. They really lose something at this size.)

Our next real stop was at a bench along a pretty stretch of railroad tracks. (Which is where most of the above photos were taken. It's hard to bike and take photos at the same time :)

Once again, David munched and played.

This time, though, he also felt compelled to check the route. You can never be too careful!

And, of course, another equipment check. He really is a very diligent little boy.

After all that hard work, he needed a break...

Fortunately, he was fully restored by the time we got to Rudolstadt! As we approached the village, we saw a sight of the sort that never ceases to amuse me. There in the hills sat a beautiful palace, just gorgeous in the sun. There next to the palace sat a monstrosity--a flashing, blaring, blinking carnival. They just never show those things in the Europe guide books. So I figure it's my job to show you all!

Now, I'll admit, it doesn't look so bad from so far away. Up close, though, I promise you...it's not just a pretty little ferris wheel. It was every bit as awful as what you'd find back home, and every bit as loud. And look how pretty the palace is!


Anyway, when we got to Rudolstadt, we decided to skip the carnival.

(OK, so I was tempted by the roller-coaster...it was very big, and looked very cool! This was no Go Go Gator coaster. But then I remembered...if they can break it down, pack it up and drive off with it, it's probably not the safest coaster in town.)

Instead of hitting the carnival, we poked around the town a bit and grabbed (delicious) doener kebaps for dinner.

Then we all sat down for a nice, shared ice-cream sundae! (David had a bit of a fit because he was not allowed to hold the spoon, but we worked it out eventually. One second-spoon and one very messy baby later.)

David even got to sit in his own chair for a while!
Not for long, though. He was off and running in no time, playing one of his new favorite games: pick something tiny off the ground and give it to Mom.

After ice-cream, I followed the plan and hopped a train back to Jena. Michael, on the other hand, is crazy. After biking just over 30 miles UP hill and INTO the wind, he thought it would be fun to skip the train and just bike home.

Even if it had sounded like fun to me, I couldn't have done it. Seriously, 30 miles into the wind and up hill turns out to be quite a bit more difficult than 50 miles on Michigan roads. I now know this.

In any case, we met up back home in a couple of hours. After putting David to bed, we joined a small group of friends in the yard for some grilling and, believe it or not, an outdoor movie! My friend has a projector, and we watched Amelie against the hinterhaus. It was very cool.

All in all a wonderful day!