Here's some info about gasthauses, restaurants, activities, good roads. This report basically follows the route we took. We'll skip the road from Kaiserslautern to our crossing at Baden-Baden up to the Schwartzwaldhochstrasse (Black Forest High Road). Not that the B48 near our house isn't a great road in it's own right - it is, but we have covered it before on previous web pages.
Quick links for this section - more info here than I can possibly give in the report below:
The Schwartzwaldhochstrasse. Jeff and Sandy loved this road. We passengers didn't! It was too crowded with crazed motorcyclists getting that last (too fast) ride in before the weekend was over. We saw a bad accident involving a motorcycle and 2 cars. It was a very sobering experience. Things started to look up when we stopped for lunch in Schapbach at the Landgasthof-Pension Sonne. This is a very nice gasthaus with a beautiful dining room and a lovely outdoor garden eating area. The owner brought us cushions (out of consideration for the way we were travelling?). Here we are enjoying the repast. This nice place is owned by the Familie Lutz. Cost is 48-60 DM for rooms with in-room shower and toilet, discounts for kids. Phone (Germany) 011 49 7839 222.
This is a lovely road in spite of the motorcyclists. I don't know if it has a "route number." It comes south from Bad Rippoldsau through Schapbach, to Hausach, then becomes E531 or Rt. 33. There are several points of interest along the way. Nearby Haslach actually marks the start of some of the best roads along the Black Forest Railway. Hausach has a large basket market in front of the railway station. The Dorotheean Glassworks in Wolfach offer demonstrations of the ancient Black Forest glassblowing craft. There is a showroom selling lovely Christmas ornaments and other goodies. (Not easy to transport on the motorcycle!). If you want to wander around and enjoy the NATURAL sights, Muhlenbach is nearby off Rt. 294. This is a good place for gentle hikes to view the scenery. They offer vacation packages at the Landwassereck Pension, phone 011 49 7832 8196.
E531 or 33 through Gutachtal to Triberg is a "must see" for many. It is a little congested, but still a lot of fun. The train is a good, low stress way to enjoy the blackest forest, quaintest farmhouses, and picturesque villages. There are several museums to Black Forest culture, minerals, and lifestyle here. A favorite is the Vogtsbauernhohe Museum - a living museum ith examples of regional farmhouse architecture, daily living and handcrafting demonstrations. This is also the heart of the cuckoo clock and watch making industry. Virtually ALL the shops offer them for sale. A bit too touristy for us ....
We passed quickly through Triberg, partly because we'd been there before, but mostly because it was crowded wtih tour buses and gawking shoppers. The waterfall here makes for a nice break, though. It's a fairly steep hike - good exercise and nice view. We have eaten a couple of times at the restaurant at the base of the waterfall. Popular with tourists, dependable (fair) food at a so-so price.
We continued past Triberg and the Titisee (lake) to Holzschlag (near Bonndorf) to stop for the night. The nice owner of the Pension Christine welcomed us in for the night and we liked the clean rooms with hand-painted furniture, flowery duvet covers, and in-room showers and toilets. (As you may have realized, in-room facilities are NOT the norm in Europe.) We dined down the hill on good, local fare, and found a music fest in the small village. As usual, fruhstuck (breakfast) was included in the price of the room (36DM per person = $22), and then we were on our way! Contact Inn-keeper Margarethe Zen, 79848 Bonndorf-Holzschlag, Schulstrasse 4, phone 011 49 7653 / 492. We rarely make reservations beforehand at these gasthauses, though. A clean, nice one is usually available, and finding a new one is part of the adventure!
Next stop, the Rhein Falls - largest waterfall in Europe, on the German / Swiss border. 150 m wide, 23 m high, with 700 cubic meters of water rushing over the cliffs per second. What a view!
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