“Sorry I didn't get to see you guys at the Rhein Halle,” I told Con and Nen.
“You've said that like five times,” Con replied with a roll of her eyes.
“Yeah well I am.”
“So you keep saying, is that Schnitzel ready to go in?”

Oh the life of a rock star!

 
“So when does the singing one perform again?” Nen asked once we had the store organised.
“Dunno, we've not discussed it yet.”
“So there will be a next time then?” Con posed.
I shrugged, “i guess.”

To be honest I really enjoyed Thursday night, oh I know I was nervous beforehand but once I got over that it was great fun. Thing is, do I want to do it more seriously? Will that make it less fun and what about racing and college and well, everything else?

 
November is definitely low season for tourists, there're a few about still but the Ahrtal is hardly a top destination even in the summer months so with the cooler, shorter days, well you get the idea.

“You think this is what its going to be like all winter?” Nen queried, our last customer left ten minutes ago and we were all propping up the counters.
“Hope not, its hardly worth opening,” Con doomfully observed.
“What we need is something to pull people in.”
“Like what Brain of Deutschland?” Con asked.
“I dunno.”
“Well you're a lot of help.”
“Some sort of event?” I proposed.
“Like a sale, get ten percent off today or something?” Nen suggested.
“Not that sort of event,” I told the assembled masses, “we did well when the RTF was here.”
“Nobody does that sort of thing this time of year plus it'd take weeks to organise,” Connie pointed out.
“True,” I sighed, “some sort of food thing?”
“Würst eating,” Nena suggested.
“Sounds a bit lame,” Con noted.
Not put off, Nen had another go, “got it, a BlauHase concert! That'd be sure to drag them in.”
“You on something?”
“Well I think thats a brill idea,” Con put in.
“I think you've both been on the funny mushrooms.”

Our conversation was however cut short, there might not be many customers about so we can't afford to let any pass by, Nen pretty much pounced on Hen and the guys when they pulled up.

“Penny for 'em?” Mum offered finding me staring into space in the kitchen.
“Eh? Oh its nothing.”
“Must be something,” she pointed out, “you were miles away all through dinner.”
“Its the cabin.”
“Thought it might be, whats up?”
“Down really, trade that is, no tourists to speak of, it'll probably get worse before it gets better.”
“Thinking of shutting?”
“Its an option, for the weekends at least, Con says its not been bad during the week.”
“But?”
“Lots of buts,” I admitted, “plus side we don't pay out wages if we close, down side no one gets paid if we're shut.”
“You don't need to work Gab, your allowance should keep you in mascara.”
“Wasn't so much me I was thinking about, I know Nen and Kristin sort of rely on their wages.”
“You aren't running a charity Gab.”
“I know that but I sort of feel we have some responsibility though.”
“Thats all very nice kiddo but if there's no business...”
I sighed, “even so.”
“What does Connie think, its her business too.”
“Not really sure.”
“Have you got any ideas how to improve things then?”
“Top idea at the moment is a BlauHase concert,” I told her.
“Not such a bad idea.”
“Yeah, I can hear that conversation, hi Stefan, you guys doing anything the weekend, the kiosk needs a boost, thought you could do a concert. Seriously Mum, its not exactly a realistic idea is it?”
“Maybe not as you paint it but I can see it working for everyone.”
“Go on, I'm all ears.”
“Well,” she paused, clearly working something through the grey matter, “lets just say there was a charity that needed funds, and a band were up for helping with that and the kiosk offered itself as a venue?”
“Still listening.”
“So the charity gets exposure and maybe some income, the band get exposure and some kudos and the venue gets kudos and some extra income.”
“But we'd need licences and stuff wouldn't we?”
“Possibly, maybe more than one gig, different bands, not every week of course but perhaps alternate weeks,” Mum went on.

I rolled the vision orbs, talk about another planet!

 
Any further discourse was put on hold by Mand yelling from the lounge.

“Your ad's on again Gab!”

I was like greased lightning, there was probably one of those dust trains like on the cartoons as I headed for the family room. Okay, I know i've seen it but its still sort of exciting to be on the telly.

 
Sunday arrived far too soon, well when Dad suggested team Bond go for a ride before I go to work it sounded like a good idea, I hadn't thought he meant getting up in the dark. Well not dark exactly but the bottom of the valley is certainly not seeing the sun yet, when I looked outside everything was cloaked in greyness. With a sigh I pulled on my cycling kit, supplementing the shorts with a pair of three quarter tights – well summer has long since departed.

We don't often get a chance for a family breakfast, everyone is out at different times in the week and there's usually something going on at the weekends. It was therefore a bit of a surprise to get to the kitchen to find it laid for a full on German breakfast. Brötchen, cheese, meat, a rack of toast and pots of yoghurt. Its not exactly a fry up but its a bit healthier.

“Morning kiddo,” Mum greeted me, “get started, the eggs won't be long.”
“'kay, what's the occasion?” I enquired pulling a chair out.
“Just thought it'd be nice, thought we'd go over to Linz, do a loop round to the next ferry then back over the top, we can leave you at the kiosk.”
“We got time for that?” I queried helping myself to coffee.
“I reckon so.”

The egg timer started beeping, by the time they were rescued from the water Dad and Mand had joined us.

“I've put you some lights on,” Dad mentioned taking his seat.
“Lights?”
“Only Bobby dodgers but they're better than nothing, its quite misty out there.”
“Should be clearer down by the Rhein,” Mum mentioned, “its just a bit of inversion.”
“What's that?” Mand asked.
“You get it when its cooler in the valley than higher up,” Mum explained, “eggs everyone?”

We set off into the 'inversion', LED's flashing, a little over half an hour later. At half seven on a November Sunday morning there's hardly anyone about, a few people doing the bakery run but not much traffic at least. It was a steady ride down past Ahrweiler before turning off the bypass to take the lane down to Sinzig. The fog was much thinner down here, just as Mum predicted and we picked up the pace a little on the road down to the Kripp ferry.

“Nearly had you there kiddo.”
“I had to hop that pot hole,” I complained as we pulled up at the top of the ramp.
“Looks like we beat the fahre,” Mand observed, “first one's at eight on Sunday's”

We dismounted, parked the bikes and sat ourselves on the wall to catch the bit of weak sunshine forcing otself through the straggles of mist along the river. It was nice to just sit there, after the last few weeks some time to relax is welcome to say the least. I guess fame has its price, lack of 'me' time being the main casualty, well for me anyhow.

“'s coming,” Mand told us.

The gentle throb of the ferry's engines drifted across the river from the Linz bank before it appeared wraithlike in mid stream. I guess we aren't quite the only early starters today, half a dozen cars came off and whilst we were waiting about the same number had gathered on our shore. We rode down the slipway and onto the 'Linz', parking the bikes against the gunwhale near the now front.

I don't know what it is but I always find travelling on these river ferries fascinating. Maybe its their ability to transport you to forbidden roads, there are surprisingly few bridges across the Rhein. Or possibly its the forced unhurried break from those same roads, whatever it is, it always seems to be over too quickly.

“Don't think we need the lights now,” Mum noted as we prepared to disembark.
“Yeah,” I agreed, “which way're we going?”
“Thought we'd go up to the top, we can run down to Hönningen then for the ferry back.”
“Joy,” Mand allowed.

The ramp ground up the slip, the conductor opened the chain and we pushed off up the concrete slope. Instead of taking the sort of bypass past the old town we went straight under the railway arch and up through the narrow, cobbles of the main street. Well I guess its not such a grind even if its steeper, it certainly gets the lungs working a bit even if you're with your Mum!

We slipped out onto the main road at the top and resumed the two plus one formation that three riders inevitably produces. It might be uphill but we were soon ticking along a little shy of twenty kph, not exactly dawdling and restricting the conversation somewhat. Mum pointed us up the Roßbach, a bit steeper but a few K shorter than the usual route up to the top.

“Thought, huh, we were doing steady, huh,” I got out.
“Making up a bit of time,” Mum suggested, annoyingly without breaking her breathing, “you okay Mand?”

The grunt from behind us suggested alright wasn't quite the description, thankfully Mum took the hint and eased the pace off a bit. The Westerwald isn't quite as full of trees as the Schwarzwald down in Baden but there are still quite a lot and we were soon tapping through the forest that blankets much of the upper slopes. The bad news is that the surface deteriorated somewhat, according to Dad its the drip off the trees does it, can't see how but you can't deny the evidence.

 
Eventually we reached the top road and turned right before Mum indicated Mand should come through. Huh, leave me to do all the work! Manda rotated and we were soon recovered enough to bowl along in the high twenties through alternating areas of shade and sunshine.

“Glad that's over.”
“For now,” I opined, mindful of what awaits us back across the Rhein.
“You going to do any cross this year?”
“Don't think I'll be able to, you know with the Kiosk and stuff.”
“I guess.”
“You doing the track league again?”
“Think so, Roni was talking about doing it.”
“Its good for bike skills,” Mum piped up from behind.
“So's cross,” I suggested.
“If you like getting muddy,” Mand mentioned.

I blew her a raspberry.

 
Maybe my life is getting too full if I'm starting to miss out on stuff? Not sure how I can address that, pull back from the kiosk or sacrifice the cross racing, I don't want to do either, at the moment its the 'extra' cycling that's gonna take the hit. I guess if we closed the hut for the winter I could do the cross instead but I don't want to use it as a stick.

“Right!” Mum called as we approached the Hönningen road.
“Got it,” I called back.

Compared to the climb up, the road we were on to return to the river was much nicer, fairly straight, well after a couple of tight turns at the top, better surfaced and it quickly became a friendly race to the bottom. There really is quite a thrill when you are descending at close on sixty K, the only things between us and disaster two tiny strips of rubber and our riding skills. Yeah, if I had to cut back on stuff, the last thing on the list would be giving this up.

At these speeds, pedalling no longer really adds anything other than a degree of balance control. We even overtook a couple of cars as we approached the town, the speed trap flashing up seventy three – oops, its a fifty limit! I just edged Mand for the name board before we all threw out the anchors, a bit of brake squealing and our forward motion was slowed to a more acceptable level.

Mum took the lead through the town, at approaching nine the place was just waking up, we snaked through the main street in single file before turning down to the Rheineck ferry. This one tends to be a bit busier than the Linz crossing, even on a Sunday there are two ferries running. We'd just missed one but the next was already heading into the slip as we joined the already queuing traffic.

“That was a blast,” Mand stated before taking a pull on her bidon.
“Still beat you,” I crowed.
“I had to brake for that car.”
“Excuses, excuses.”
“Anyone want some flapjack?” Mum offered.

Come on Mum, get real! We'd no sooner claimed the food before they started loading the ferry, there's no hanging about on these things. I gripped my flapjack between my teeth to board our transport, okay, not a good look but better than trying to ride with one hand over the ramp!

Back on the 'right', well actually left I guess, side of the river, we crossed into Rheineck to start the long climb up into the Eifel, I did manage to get myself at the back this time. The sun was out but there was little heat in it, just as well given the more open nature of the countryside this side of the river. We tapped along at a decent pace, Mum and Mand were chatting away quite happily, I was quite happy just sat behind in their wake.

Well I was until I saw the time.

“Sugar!”
“What's up kiddo?” Mum asked over her shoulder.
“I'm supposed to be at the kiosk in like ten minutes.”
“Not happening,” Mand pointed out.
“Obviously.”

Well you couldn't cover the twenty K from Waldorf to Altenahr in a car in that time.

“You want to crack on then Gab, I'll ring your Dad and get him to meet you up there.”

Well, its not what i'd like but at least I won't be quite as late.

“Can you let Con know as well?”
“I'll ring her,” Mand offered.
“Cheers, 'kay, see you later.”

 
I took a swig of water and with a quick wave, accelerated away from the others – well I suppose they were pulling up to ring Dad. The shortest route is up and over the top, past Staffel then drop down to Ahrbrück, there's flatter routes but they aren't any quicker as they are much longer. To be truthful, I wasn't really going much quicker than we were as a trio, on the other hand, when the gradient does start to bite I can keep the pressure on.

Whilst I started out watching the seconds and metres ticking by, my thoughts started to drift, drift to yesterdays conversations regarding the kiosk. What do I really think, should we close for the winter or try to strong arm through. There's so many things to consider, the staff, the customers, the costs – its certainly not an easy thing to decide on.

So lost in my thoughts was I that I was caught unawares by the steep ramp above Vingt, I ended up almost crawling up the steepest bit. Nearly twenty past, Gott, at this rate it'll be eleven before I get to the Kabin, at least there's not too much more climbing. It felt like forever but eventually I was past the Beilstein turn and starting to descend, its not quite all downhill just mostly.

Its not the fastest descent, what with the villages and turns but I put my mind to the job and tried to run as clean a line as possible. I hit some high numbers at times – nothing like earlier but still on the edge for the road. Swinging onto the main road in Ahrbrück I checked the time, ten forty five, well its not far now.

 
Almost four kilometres, seven minutes, not too shabby I guess. Of course I was now a perspiring mess, I hung over my handlebars to get my breath.

“That was quick,” Dad offered spotting me, thought you were at Waldorf?”
“Was, huh, came over, huh, the top.”
“Think your mother's coming Adenau way.”

I managed a nod before clambering off my steed.

“Your kit's inside, go sort yourself out, i've got this.”

I wonder what 'kit' he's brought up? Con and Kris had the kiosk under control of course so after a quick hi I grabbed my bag and went into the storeroom to get changed.

 
“Thats better,” I allowed tying my apron on as I joined the others.
“Your Dad's gone, said he'll pick you up later,” Con told me.
“'kay, coffee?”

Well you have to service the inner woman right? And somehow Dad had picked some quite serviceable togs, plain undies, pedal pushers and a T shirt – maybe not exactly what i'd have worn but not daft at least.

 
© Maddy Bell 25.02.2019