[s-cars] Re; Out for das Fest/What to see in Germany?

Tom Green trgreen at comcast.net
Wed Jul 16 11:18:48 PDT 2008 

  Why burst his bubble so soon, Peter?
He, He, I'm in stitches just thinking of all the yellow plates  
(Dutch) clogging the A3 autobahn with vehicles that can barely do the  
80 kph minimum impeding the big rigs on the right or risking bodily  
harm in the left lane.  Most take the Queen's holidays and add a week  
to either side, so much of the Netherlands
shuts down for August and hits the road.  Germany is not that bad.  
Now that PK has dropped the gauntlet to drive the ring, I don't think  
Dave can resist that kind of challenge.  So, perhaps the lure of high  
speed driving on public roads will be satisfied there.  Autobahn  
construction is Germany's answer to France's socialism, I guess,  
since it is everywhere in the summer.  Just remember to obey those  
speed limits and know where those speed cameras are for those
increasingly frequent areas where the road has speed limits.  The  
motorcycle police are pretty adept at controlling things in urban  
areas.  I was thinking of
the road east to Berlin, where there are still open areas where even  
the 130 kph recommended maximum isn't posted except at a few  
congested exits.       The rental car contract probably voids your  
insurance, though, and has a black box to tell on you.  :-)

The train is the best choice for Koln to Stuttgart leg, at pretty  
much anytime, I agree, and a car isn't needed there or in most cities- 
indeed, it is a nuisance
to park many places.  It's easier to find your way with public  
transportation even with GPS available, and the trains are frequent  
and comfortable.

My days of cheap flights and NATO subsidized fuel coupons are past  
history, along with the 87 cent = 1 euro exchange rate, (sigh),  so  
some of the fine
points of train travel are somewhat new to me.  I like it, though,  
and wish I had done more a lot sooner.

Tom


On Jul 16, 2008, at 11:52 AM, Peter Schulz wrote:

> Dave & Tom
>
> Two years ago in Germany, I put about 1800 km on a rental car in 10  
> days...
>
> Flew overnight into Frankfurt, got little to no sleep and then  
> drove to Duesseldorf ( North of Koeln), days later back to  
> Frankfurt and then off to Munich...
>
> Construction is ongoing and everywhere on the Autobahn, and you  
> will be mixing alot of vacation traffic which will allow for brake  
> testing.
> I did have sections where I was able to get the car up to 180 kph  
> ( 1.6 tdi), but for the most part cruised around 110kph...
>
> It took about 3.5 hours from Frankfurt to Munich, but again, August  
> is vacation month in Europe, it could take MUCH longer.
>
> You might want to consider taking the ICE high speed train which  
> will take considerably less time point to point.
>
> -Peter
>
>
> At 11:16 AM 7/16/2008 -0400, Tom Green wrote:
>> Here is one comprehensive site for the ring, very British in flavor,
>> but everything you wanted to know.  http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/
>>
>> Check out the prices for an uneventful trip and then the costs for
>> damaging the armco.  :-)   Makes a trip with Sabine sound like a
>> bargain.   Keith Maddock was the real ring hoare from the list, lived
>> in Koblenz for a year or two-- has a few thousand miles on the
>> nordschlife--and owns at least part of a ring car.  http://
>> keith.maddock.com/
>>
>> The factory tours are available for each vehicle, but you may have to
>> do a virtual tour on the web for part of them if you can only invest
>> a couple of days,
>> otherwise it would all be spent on the autobahn or train.  The
>> Frankfurt-Hahn airport is close to Koln and has the low cost airlines
>> for european travel, but
>> I have no experience with them.  I just know the autobahn around
>> Frankfurt will be clogged with traffic and somewhat impede a speedy
>> dash to Stuttgart and
>> on to Munich and back through Ingolstadt in a couple of days.  Looks
>> like some serious time management and prioritizing will be required
>> for this trip, i.e., night train and daytime tour.  But then, you
>> miss out on driving the autobahn--there are still some areas without
>> speed limits--even if you do have to drive a
>> diesel.  You'll need reservations for almost everything except the
>> autobahn.
>>
>> If you are after cheese, head the other direction, toward Denmark for
>> dairy country.  :-)
>>
>> enjoy,
>>
>> Tom
>>
>> On Jul 16, 2008, at 8:13 AM, Dave Kase wrote:
>>
>> > Thanks Tom.  I was checking out the Nurburgring website last night
>> > but getting frustrated trying to translate it.
>> > David Kase
>> > VP of Operations
>> > PDQ Industries
>> > 717-656-4281
>> > 717-656-8749 (f)
>> > www.pdqlocks.com
>> >
>> >
>> > Tom Green wrote:
>> >>
>> >> The cathedral in Cologne survived WW2 and is a most impressive
>> >> structure to see first hand.  A trip down the Rhine or along the
>> >> Rhine
>> >> road is the place to see castles.  These are ancient structures  
>> and
>> >> most impressive from the river rather than up close.
>> >>
>> >> But why spend your time looking.  You'll be close to Nurburgring--
>> >> take a ride on it--ring taxi if you can't drive it.
>> >>
>> >> http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/taxi.html
>> >>
>> >> Tom
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>> Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:46:23 -0400
>> >>> From: Dave Kase <davekase at pdqlocks.com>
>> >>> Subject: [s-cars] Out for das Fest/What to see in Germany?
>> >>> To: S-Cars <s-car-list at audifans.com>
>> >>> Message-ID: <487D0C9F.2040709 at pdqlocks.com>
>> >>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>> >>>
>> >>> I am (almost) officially out for this year's fest (just breaks  
>> your
>> >>> heart - don't it?) as I am headed to Germany for the first  
>> time on
>> >>> August 23rd.  I will be in the Cologne area for business and will
>> >>> have a
>> >>> couple extra days to see the sights.
>> >>>
>> >>> I know several of you have been to Germany - what do I want to
>> >>> see/do?
>> >>> Does Audi have a tour of the factory?  BMW?  I know Porsche does
>> >>> and I
>> >>> plan to do that.  Any suggestions?
>> >>>
>> >>> TIA,
>> >>> Kase
>> >>> cheeseman cometh home...
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> _______________________________________________
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>> >>
>>
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>
> -Peter Schulz
> Chelmsford Ma, USA
> http://www.naaclub.org/
>
> 1995.5 S6 Avant Emerald/Ecru
> 1995.5 S6 Avant Silver/Platinum
> 1991 200 20v Q Avant Titan Grey (for sale)
> 1991 90 20v Q Red
> 1991 CQ silver  (eS2 recipient)

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