Germany - Day Two

The first photos is Tyler with his host family, Fidel, Tyler, Monika, and Nicklas. The photo on the right is of Claudia and I in Aalen.

Tuesday 6-14-2011
I slept well, in the morning I was commited to keep up my running regimen, knowing my body would appreciate it. Claudia began to tell me a running route I could take, "Turn right at the end of the drive, then another right around a loop...", but I think she could tell I was apprehensive. I wasn't comfortable just hoping I'd find my way home. Memories of getting lost as a child in Amery came to mind. Would not be a great way to start the trip - lost in Germany with absolutely no command of the language! She graciously agreed to bike alongside as I ran at 9. What a beautiful path, rolling hills lush with trees. Small villages in the valleys. The road was narrow, about 10 feet wide, with no markings or shoulder, it felt a bit like an overgrown biking path. We made around a simple loop past a little farm, with a group of goats grazing. I opted for a second loop which took us just outside of the village and back around. It was close to 3 miles and felt good to move the bones. After a shower, we had breakfast of Knuspermusli, a granola or mueslix cereal that Claudia makes herself, with plain yogurt and fresh strawberries from her garden. The yogurt comes in a small jar similiar to a mayonaise jar at home. These slight differences are entertaining to me. It is a delight to experience regular day to day life here. We met the group at the Rathaus, which is the City Hall in Dewangen, and from there drove on to Aalen for a walk about the city. We met with the mayor and he greeted us with warm wishes. A newspaper photographer did her business with us as well. We were to be in the paper the following day-The Americans have arrived from Webster. The students went on a walk to enjoy some puda - a favorite among the youth that is somewhat like a pita. Herman took us to Mike Grosek´s favorite establishment in Aalen for a beverage. I chose Fanta, which is like an orange soda- quite sweet. From there we drove a bit and saw a few sights, with a tour of the city. The streets are narrow, buildings and homes are built within inches of one another. We also visited a coal mine and learned of the strenuous, often dangerous work of the miners. At one point in the tour, the guide lit a candle allowing us to see the conditions workers faced, having to sort through chunks of rock determining by the touch, due to the poor lighting, what type of coal or rock it was. Then she blew out the candle to demonstrate the utter darkness the miners faced if their candles accidentally were extinguished. I held my hand just inches from my face and could not see it. The miners were instructed to wait in the exact spot where they were working if that happened and at the end of shift, when they did not appear, their fellow miners would enter the mine with candles to retrieve them. What a cold, dark, and unnerving wait! An interesting tour, the students enjoyed the hard hats and orange Superhero capes, our safety gear for the trip. We ended our day at a Pizzaria. The biggest pizza ever, about 25 inches in diameter. The students were smiling! This was the first night I learned that the Germans linger over their meals, often visiting for an hour or more at the table, enjoying their time among friends. The students wanted to go to another restaurant to have some time alone. As they left, I must admit, I was a bit anxious, this being the first opportunity for the students to be unsupervised by adults, but I was assured all would be well. Claudia invited the adults to her home for visit. It was a joy- wonderful rose´ wine, of course beer for Herman and Tony, and pretzels, along with much laughter. It was a fine time to get acquainted. As we sat at the table in candlelight, I was feeling quite positive this was going to be a wonderful trip. I felt comfortable and completely welcome in Claudia´s home. We had already shared stories of our families and ups and downs of life. My first full day in Germany was excellent.

Germany - Day One

Going to Germany has been in the back of my mind since the Friendship Exchange started some years ago. I had been hoping it was something Tyler wanted to do so I could tag along for the ride. And what a ride it has been. We left Webster with a bit of nervous butterflies, hoping the trip would be a success and the students would all be sensible. We had several conversations in the months prior informing the kids of the expectations and standards set. I was keeping my fingers crossed that I was not being naive about what would actually transpire once we were in Germany. As I sit now in Claudia's office, having already spent 7 days here, without a doubt this trip has been truly successful. The kids have been wonderful, respectful, appreciative. They are using their manners and it is "gutt" (good). Claudia and the other parents are nothing short of amazing hosts. They have filled our days with adventure, laughter, friendship, and the most stunning scenery. While my words will not come close to describing our days here, I will do my best to tell my story.
Sunday 6-13-2011
Our flight to Minneapolis was uneventful and brief. We had just the right amount of time in Minneapolis to find our gate and wait to board. Our next leg of the journey took us across the Atlantic to Amsterdam. Eight hours in flight was a long time in a not so roomy seat. We boarded about 10 PM and we all tried to sleep. Not so much. The stewardesses started moving down the aisle about 2 AM with a chicken dish. The kids thought they were mashed potatoes, but it was a scoop of thick bread stuffing. I dozed here and there, awaking once to see land. Each seat in the plane was equipped with a GPS map which was displayed on a screen. At that moment, we were flying over Ireland. It was at that moment, that it hit me. I was going to Europe! Excitement like a child. Gazing at the clouds from above is a site one never tires of. I was content just watching the landscape pass by. Then again about 6 AM, they arrived with an egg biscuit. The jet lag already seemed to be taking effect. It would take a bit to adjust to the time change. Arriving in Amsterdam, we had nearly 2 hours to rest and people watch. Some tried to nap where they could - on the floor, in the chair, anywhere to catch a doze. The last portion of the flight was short taking us into Stuttgart Germany. To our delight every single piece of baggage appeared on the carousel so all was good. We no more than stepped out into the lobby when Herman the German appeared with an entourage of fellow countrymen. Each person took the time to shake hands and say "Hullo" - Hello- to each one of us. This personal greeting upon arrival I would soon discover is engrained in the culture. We moved outdoors and in the parking lot Herman explained it was tradition to serve beverages and pretzels right then and there. Christine and I each received a small bottle of champagne. We had our first taste of the bubbly water. Soon we were all dispersed into vehicles and on our way to the famous Dewangen, about an hour away. We were all a bit dazed with a case of official jet lag, but we all knew our adventure was beginning. We went to the Hiking Club to meet with another delegation from the Friendship Club. For some reason, I knew which woman was Claudia right away. We visited a bit. I chatted with Mayor Margit. My lack of German seemed not too big of a problem as most of the people speak some English. We did not stay long, as we all needed a real bed, having been traveling for 16 plus hours. At Claudia's, I was shown my room and promptly went to bed. Claudia's home was a modern beautiful home with lots of natural wood and lighting. I took but a few notes in my travel journal and tried hard to fall asleep quickly.

Tour de Kota - Last Day - Final Thoughts

Well, here I am in the comforts of home, having slept in my own bed last night, I am feeling pretty darn good. Yesterday's final ride was a thriller. We had light wind, smooth pavement, and we were cooking! I woke up in Beede Hall on Friday morning still grinning that I had spent the night at USD. I met Robin, Joe's wife, and we enjoyed the Lion's pancake breakfast. She is a sweetheart. I hope to get a chance to ride with her sometime. I donned my Froggtogg suit as the skies looked threatening, but there was not more than a few sprinkles, which didn't come until we had crossed the finish line in Sioux Falls. Our first 15 miles jaunt was fine, had to shed the rain suit though, too warm. I had a great spoonful of scrambled eggs and a cinnamon roll at the church by Hub City. The next 15 miles went well, the intensity of the hills was pretty mild compared to the past few days. Next stop was Centerville, and they went all out for the riders. Main street was lined with vendors and we enjoyed the festive atmosphere. We picked up a fellow rider, Barry, a pediatrician from Sioux Falls, somewhere between Centerville and Davis, where we were doing a bit of drafting to deal with the breeze. He joined us and ended up riding the rest of the day with us. One more example of the Tour friendships that develop. When we came to the Davis stop, David questioned whether we needed to ride the half mile into town. The first question was, "How far until the next stop?" With only 8 miles to Chancellor, we opted to go on a stick of Trident. Joe questioned whether he could pedal and chew at the same time, but all four of us managed just fine. This stretch was the smoothest ever and we continued to push on at an impressive pace. In Chancellor, we sat in the Fire Hall, and had a Walking Taco - with a twist - they called it a Standing Taco - just on a plate rather than in a bag of chips. Knowing we had but one stop remaining in Tea, 13 miles down the road and then a final run of 10 into Sioux Falls, my confidence was mounting. I was going to make it! The traffic picked up as we entered Tea, and we just took a brief break at the Tea City Hall. We were cautioned about the heavier traffic we'd encounter going through Sioux Falls and it was a rather daunting. Coming in on 85th street it was a downhill stretch, we were zipping right along. Turning onto Western Avenue, up and over I229, we were just buzzing with the traffic - wild. The adrenalin kicked in, and pedaling became more effortless. What a rush! We crossed 41st Street on West Avenue and then the traffic tapered off for us as we made our final approach to USF. They had rootbeer floats, beverages, bananas, and a small crowd of well wishers. Barry was hoping for a sticker or at least a gold star. Joe was disappointed because there was not a big cheer as we crossed the line, but I assured him, with a pat on my heart, "All the cheering I need is right in here!" Tour de Kota was mine! High fives, smiles, sighs, and hugs were contagious. What an incredible week. I did not consider quitting anywhere along the way, I just knew I'd finish - though some of those tough days, it wasn't very pretty, and I was mighty glad to make it to the each stop. Each day's final destination was an accomplishment, all culminating to Friday afternoon. I am so grateful to David and Joe for keeping me going. They are two super gentlemen. It was a pleasure to spend the week riding with them. I'm already making notes for what I'll need to do next year, so it appears that I'm in for TdK #8. The beautiful rolling hills, farms, prairie landscape, and even the river crossings were part of the week's enjoyment. Being out in the SD air is refreshing and inspiring. Mostly, though, it was the commaradre with fellow riders that impressed me the most. I am totally pleased with my first Tour de Kota experience. The time commitment of the training in May was tough, but I'm glad I put in every mile I did, I know it paid off. I can't say I'm anxious right now to get back on the bike, but give me a little time and I'll probably get the inkling to crank out 60-70 miles...

Tour De Kota - Day Four

A chilly morning in Freeman - about 48, but calm winds. David and I had biscuits and gravy to start our day. We met Connie and Genevieve, sisters in their fifties I'd guess. More friendly riders. The ride today was a bit chilly, the winds were from the east and we were headed southeast into Vermillion, so we had to deal with it now and then. Several more climbs today, but they're becoming more manageable. I don't freak out as they approach, I just take them in stride. Today we had several sets of rises though. We'd get to the top of one, have a little flat run, then the incline again. Our first stop was Turkey Ridge, at the bottom of one our first huge hills. Next it was into Irene for a great breakfast sandwich and Wakonda, where we didn't stay long on account of apower outage. We were making decent time, and feeling sure about the day. A few sprinkles started to fall as we approached our last stop at the corner of Frog Creek Road and Bluff Road. I decided I'd try out Denise's Froggtogg rain gear. By the time we reached Vermillion and the Dakota Dome was in site, the rain was pretty steady. David and I both opted for a dorm room. I was elated when I ended up on second floor of Beede Hall - which was home my freshman year in 1981. What a hoot! I spent the afternoon in the library, blogging this very posting. It has been a downpour for over hour, and there is no let up in site. I am so grateful I am not tenting it tonight. I feel for the folks who have to hunker down in their tents. Ugh- no fun at all. 64 miles in today with 254 for the week, and 73 more to go on Friday, which will prove interesting as we have to go through quite a rise in elevation, plus a NW wind will greet us as we head that same direction into Sioux Falls by way of Centerville and Tea.

Tour de Kota - Day Three

The wind came up in the night and shifted, so our cool down began. The Tour routine has sunk in. Breakfast of egg bake and chocolate milk. Joe rode with us today as we headed to Freeman. We sailed into Ethan with a tail wind- riders were grinning from ear to ear. A delightful breakfast spread at the Legion Hall- monster size caramel rolls! The wind did pick up as morning went on, and we rode with quite a side wind. We formed a bit of a wind break for one another as we rode three abreast when possible. Riders will work together much like a flock of geese, taking the lead in a head wind, providing a draft for riders behind, then falling back, leaving the space open for the next front man. Joe quoted a probable ten percent savings on the wind factor-well worth the effort. Today was the hill climbing day as we went in and out of several river valleys. The Blessed Mary had lots of my attention today. These were real thigh burners, but I made each one pedaling rather than walking. There were three more stops on the route, one at Milltown, which I expected to be a small town, was actually just a farmhouse. These kind folks had opened their garage door, grilled brats, and had a tank filled with ice, Gatorade, water bottles and a few watermelons. I feasted on a hard boiled egg and banana. Protein fix! Pulling into Freeman, the wind just did not let up. We were setting up at the Freeman Academy campus. My tent made me quite nervous and the poles bowed with the gusts. I was dreading the worst possible case scenerio of the tent collapsing. Eee-gads! I prayed for the winds to subside, which they did by dusk. I did make an inquiry about staying at the dorms at USD the last night-rain is in the forecast and I think I may have pushed my luck with this twenty year old tent long enough! They had oddles of food vendors and lots of hospitality in Freeman. I enjoyed a spaghetti supper with Denise, who happened to come into the dining area right behind me-God's hand again. I also found Father Jim Zimmer, who I had met last year when he came through Webster on the Tour. He stopped at our Christ the King food stand and introduced himself since he was staying at the rectory with Father Dave. I had spotted him in Madision, but hadn't had a chance to visit with him. We had a great chat. He's an avid biker and had his niece on her maiden TdK voyage. I took up the chance to watch the performance, "Greater Tuna", hosted by Freeman's Community Theater. Lots of goofball humor! The temps cooled off tonight and it felt cozy to actually climb into the sleeping bag. Camp was quiet when the play was over, time for bed. The day is done....80 miles.

Tour de Kota - Day Two

I rolled out of my tent at 3:45 - Yikas! It actually felt good to get up and out, the night was long and much too hot to sleep. As planned, we were biking by 5, the predawn light was rather sparse but no suprises on the road. I did learn of a biker who adorns select roadkill with Mardis Gras beads- just for kicks! Lots of characters among the TdK crew. I think I lathered on my first coating of sunscreen about six. Several stops this day and we needed fresh water, energy food, and more sunscreen at each. The winds kept up pretty steady all day as forecasted, often we were straight into it! At times we rode in a cross wind, better than head on, but still a strain. As we came to Canova, the fourth stop of the day, we were feeling it. Since we had started so early, this stop was not ready for us, which was a pity, as they had advertised pie. Bummer. We had to be content with granola bars. We headed off again. Each tree claim provided a reprieve, there was an exact line that we crossed where the grasses were suddenly idle. The wind is the main factor each day. The Epiphany stop had plenty of goodies and a welcome respite from the elements. The day continued to challenge us, but I must say, not once did I consider the sag wagon. I could do this. The last stop was the site of the former Plano school, which was just a little spot on the side of the road. Everyone there was laid out in the shade. An apple, water, and the standby granola bar was going to have to tide me over until Mitchell. As we approached the James River valley, I was faced with my first gut busting hill. I did have a brief moment of doubt as this hill was intimidating, but instinctively, as I geared down and started my ascent, I started in with the Hail Mary's. The rhythm of that prayer gave me the momentum I needed. There was one more long steady gradient into town, then past the Corn Palace, and the finish line at Hitchcock Park finally appeared. We found a shady spot, set up tents, and hopped on the shuttle to enjoy a well deserved shower. Joe pulled into camp, he had ridden with Casey, a Sioux Falls friend, and they both agreed that today was a beast! A comment was made that of all the Tours ridden, today's ride ranked among the hardest five overall. I conquered it- Yes! We opted for vendor food for supper, a chicken wrap and mango smoothie- ice cold brain freeze! I tried to nap a bit, but no luck. Denise, my next new acquaintance was trying to do the same on a picnic bench. A conversation began, she is a young twenty-something from Oregon who rode the bus to SD with her bike to ride the Tour. She worked in the field of Environmental Science, and I knew she and David would enjoy visiting. The band performing on stage was way too close to our site, but we toughed it out. LeAnn Suhr came along and introduced us to several riders from Aberdeen. We also touched base with Christine, who we spent the evening with in Madison. There seems to be a, "We're all in this together" mentality. As everyone comments about the day's ride, we can connect with one another - a bond is formed. Today was a gratifying day-73 miles. Good news for Wednesday, cooler temps and the wind should be in our favor. I found myself wondering if I could actually pull the rest of the week off. I had two days in the history books, but three to go. As Joe puts it, "Just think round and round!" My mantra - "One mile at a time..."

Tour De Kota - Day One

So there I was camped out at SDSU. The lawn of Hansen Hall was filled with tents and bikers. I set up, tried to get my gear organized, and ended up visiting with Rhonda, a gal who was set up next to me. She shared a bit about her experience and tried to reassure me that I'd be okay. I chatted a bit with David Trefz, a biking veteran from Webster who agreed to show this novice the ropes, and his riding partner, Joe. We made plans to wake up at 5, take down tents, grab breakfast and head to Madsion. It was hard to sleep that first night, but I must have dozed here and there. The day was right on schedule. By 6:00 AM, I had finished my yogurt and was thinking, I should have a little something more, and a lady walked by waving a banana, looking for any takers for the extra half. Perfect! Some say coincidence, I call it God's hand. I just kept getting these "good vibes" about the week. It was the second time that morning that a fellow biker seemed eager to visit and connect. I had met Carrie in the bathroom earlier. I was beginning to see the commaradre among many in the biking world. It wasn't long, and we were off. Our first run was only about 7 miles down the road to Volga and I was feeling pretty competent. The pace felt comfortable, I was able to keep up with David and Joe. They each gave me pointers as we chatted along. Two more short stops and we pedaled onto the campus of DSU by 10:00. It was good to have such a short ride, the temps shot up into the nineties. The winds were calm, but the heat was mighty. We set up camp and took the shuttle downtown for lunch. Blueberry pomegranate ice tea and a yummy wrap. A fellow WHS grad, Kevin Rydberg came up to our table to introduce himself, he recognized me, and we visited just a bit. He was taken aback to realize it was Mr. Trefz right beside me. He said he didn't recognize him without his trademark beard! Another curious encounter for the trip. That afternoon, I opted for a little AC in the dorm. I lounged, watched a little tv, and snoozed a bit. Then back out to my tent to start journaling. Dreadfully hot - upper 90's and humid as all get out. I struck up a delightful conversation with Christine, a tenting neighbor. She is from Sioux Falls and we seemed to click and have lots to visit about. We met Dave and Joe for supper and had a pleasant evening. Just before turning in, I ran into LeAnn Suhr, a fellow biker from Webster, she was planning to bike the next day. Dave and I put an advance on our wake-up call, trying to beat the heat and the high winds forcasted. We decided to rise at 4 AM and try to be biking by 5 - o'dark thirty! It was a tough night for sleep, I think it was still in the 80's at ten o'clock. Day one and 42 miles under my belt!

Tour De Kota ~ The Beginining

In January, I registered for the Tour de Kota with one click. That was the only easy segment of my TdK experience. With the purchase of my road bike, I basically sealed the deal that this bike ride through SD would be in my future. The Tour traveled through Webster last year, and I helped our kids earn money for D-Camp by peddling peanut butter cookies and Chex Mix. As I watched the bikers mingle, seeing folks of all ages, shapes, and sizes, I kept saying to myself, "If these people can do this, I should be able to do this." I bought my bike in August and rode a bit in the fall. It took but one 40 mile training ride for my respect for this sport to grow immensely. It can be brutal!

With a wet and chilly April, I didn't really get out biking until May. I found myself having to squeeze rides in between school, track meets, and family. I grew increasinlgy nervous about putting in the recommended 400 training miles. Having to make up snow days that last week of May really threw a wrench into my training schedule. Though, by the time it was all said and done, I logged 525 miles. I started using the phrase, "cautiously optimistic" about the Tour. I knew I lacked the longs rides and hills, but I felt that my running regimine would pay off. I've been at 3.5 miles per day either outside or on the treadmill since fall. Knowing that the longest ride on the Tour was 77 miles, I took a personal day in May to take a 78 mile ride to Groton and back. The kids were just finishing breakfast before heading off to school and I headed west about 7:30. I was sitting at Dairy Queen at 10, with my banana bread and water. What a shame to be at DQ with no money- note to self - need a cash stash in the bike pack. I rested for about 15 minutes, then climbed back on the saddle and was home about 1:00 with 66 miles under my belt. I had some eggs and since it was a calm day, I headed out to Rush Lake to get in an extra 11 miles. I figured that last mile was for the Lord as I prayed daily for fair weather and calm winds the week of the Tour. I trained almost daily for the next three weeks. Each day either running in the morning or biking about 10 miles, then biking 20+ after school. On the weekends, I tried to get in a few longer rides of 40-50. Soon it was time to pack for the Tour.