Nürburgring – monster made of asphalt

A shopping trip to Ahrweiler or a tour on the Ahr Valley cycle path - these were the alternatives on our daily program today. The majority of the women - what a question - quickly agreed. Angelika sent out the bus departure times late last night. The men wanted to do something for their fitness and cycled up the Ahr via Altenahr, Ahrbrück, Insul to Schuld and back - a total of 38 kilometers. Respect!

However, these 38 kilometers could have been quite long for some. Heinz-Peter Näschen arrived on time for the departure date - but without the battery for his e-bike. After a few kilometers at the latest, he would have noticed that something was wrong, because the route was not only long, but also had a few climbs, where most - to be honest, almost all - were quite happy about a little bit of support.

The ladies didn't need any help as they slalomed through the many small boutiques and shops in Ahrweiler's old town. Here, too, the damage caused by the flood was still clearly visible. But the town has a fighting spirit: "We Ahr open!" is the motto of Ahrweiler, which is emblazoned on posters on many corners and walls. The bus rides there and back alone, with two changes and four different fares, made the trip an unforgettable experience.

Speaking of unforgettable experiences: The visit to the Nürburgring the day before was fantastic. The monster made of asphalt (Frankfurter Rundschau), the Nordschleife, the Ring or the Green Hell, as Formula 1 legend Jackie Stewart once called the 20.8-kilometer-long and extremely demanding track, has lost none of its flair, fascination and charisma since its birth in 1926. Its myth lives on and can still be felt today, as the tour group was able to see for themselves on a tour of the old part of the Nürburgring, on a walk through the pit lanes and the museum, or on the wide view of the race track from the press center.

What was the highlight? For Rita Becker, there was no question: "The museum with the wax figure of Michael Schumacher. With all his successes, he was just a great man," she says, adding: "It's terrible that he now has to suffer such a difficult fate." Most of the women were thrilled by the bus ride in the 3D cinema around the race track with a few spectacular shortcuts over hill and dale, while the men got their money's worth in the final race on the go-kart track. First and foremost Ricci Ott, who took pole position with the fastest lap time in the practice run and then simply didn't let anyone pass him in the race. Much to the chagrin of Peter Demsar and Jupp Becker, who had to settle for second and third place ahead of the moral winner Uschi Himmel, who was able to leave a number of men behind. Respect also to Maria Roberg, who was lapped a few times by the winner, but we take our hats off to her: she rose to the challenge!