Tuesday 27 August 2013

Day 9 (Patrick) In which we get into a pickle

Today Tillmann leads on a trip of the southern lakes and roads. We pass some lovely buildings but do not have time to take pic's. We go through Bad Tolz where we were the night before and which we go through again on the following Monday and which I fear I may go thorough again on Tuesday. We go alongside a lovely river which would be very good for canoeing down (it is the Isar from Achensee for future reference), then along a lovely toll road to the author Walchansee and we all have a swim in the lake. Not a bad temperature and I for one come out feeling rather refreshed and virtuous. After a stop for iced coffee and yoghurt we go a along the west so of Starnbergersee and stop at museum that Stella has been to. Then a storm hits us. Black clouds, very strong winds and lots of heavy duty rain. I have left my waterproofs at home as it seemed such a nice day. The rain is so bad we can hardly see and the situation is not helped by the fact that every one else is leaving where they are and going homer in their cars. In fact, it is very dangerous conditions. Then disaster strikes. Tillmann does a u turn, I follow. Tillmann asks me if everyone is ok and i say yes as I can see Jony turning behind me and I know (or think I know) that Charlie will follow as J&C have radio contact. in fact it turns out that they do ot have the radios working because of the rain. Tillmann goes off and it is then that I see that Jony has hiss hazard lights on. There is a a problem. I flash my lights and sound my horn to try and get Tillmann to stop but he cannot see or hear because of the conditions (wearing glasses makes the rain even more difficult). I stop expecting J&C to catch up. They don't. I turn round and go back to where I last saw Jony. He is not there and the rain is bucketing down and the traffic is furious. Jony shows up. He saw Charlie go past but not make the u turn and has tried to catch up with him. No dice. I call Tillman and he comes back to where I am. Meanwhile Jony goes off to find Charlie. Unfortunately, the road quickly becomes a motorway and we assume Charlie may have got onto it. Jony goes after him and gets tangles up in Munich. Jony's phone is starting to play up as it does not like getting soaked. We are in a pickle. Tillman & I Make our way to where we agreed dot meet Jony. No Jony. By this time well over an hour has elapsed and the rain has not let up. Tillmann and I are soaked to the skin, evening is coming on and we are getting very cold. We have to go home and get dry and warm, then we can call police if necessary. We do this and at the same time manage to establish that Jony is in the town but he cannot find where Tillmanns house is. W go out in car and find him and guide him back home and while this is happening Charlie arrived at Tillmanns which he has eventually managed to find. The police are stood down. All is well but it has been traumatic and it will be many hours before my leathers are dry!

Lessons learned? Know where the end point address is and the phone number. Ensure you all have each others contact details. Make sure you all keep in sight in tricky situations. It turned out that Charlie had been stopped by red lights (German traffic lights go red very quickly) and so had not been able to see that we had done u turns.

And so to bed!

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