Achtung Baby

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 10:54 am

There are huge numbers of bicycles, scooters and cars here. To a naive, wide-open spaces, Alberta boy, it seems like every square inch not occupied by people or buildings has one of the three parked on it. Bit like I always figured heaven would be, if there is such a place. Heck, they even sell good commuting bicycles in the local grocery store.

There's a noticeable vintage presence: P series, of course, a Rally 200, a smallframe with the funky horn casting like Gill's and three PKs -- which I have to admit look pretty sweet when surrounded by modern stuff (Don't tell Graham I said that).

Emily is in good form and really enjoying the cosmopolitan, European lifestyle. No scooter but she is thinking of getting a bicycle and possibly staying on here if the right offer comes up.

The whole family is completely zonked after enduring long flights in conditions that even dead sardines would find too close for comfort. Best sign off while I still can form coherent sentences.

Cheers

Angelo · Post by **Angelo** » Sat Mar 24, 2012 6:11 pm

Just today I looked at the clock and told my girls its 2.00am in Germany!

Glad to heard that you arrived safely and that Emily is good as well.

Glad to hear that Vintage is still alive and well in Germany, my last time in Italy all I saw was modern scooters.

I love Europe. I'm pretty sure I could retire there with little effort!

Take care and safe travels!

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 2:18 am

We haven't quite mastered European door locks. We crashed at about 8 in the evening (first, jet-lagged day) and at about 10, a whole bunch of smart-dressed, wine-bottle-carrying, young Germans marched in looking for the party. We hadn't actually locked the door -- apparently key lock as well as key unlock -- and they had been buzzed in for a 1st floor party: right floor, wrong door.

I was too groggy to feel much of anything, but they thought it was absolutely hilarious, especially when I popped out of the floor saying "Allo? Allo?" (Our bedroom is subterranean, an anti-loft so to speak).

Maybe Italy is different, but Berlin is pretty crowded for a Canadian. Makes Edmonton seem pretty rural in comparison.

More reports from your European correspondent to follow. I'll try to keep them on-topic scooter-wise but I'll still keep the "hayseeds"-in-the-big-city angle as well.

Gord · Post by **Gord** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:20 pm

Cant wait to see the photos!

Angelo · Post by **Angelo** » Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:07 pm

I must say John that I laughed out loud when I read about the home invasion. I think you better count your blessings that you weren't in Italy when that happend!

I thought you would have learned a few things from the movie Conspiracy Theory! Did the the party goers leave a beer bottle behind!?

I spend most of my time in the country side in Italy, but If you don't like crowds stay away from Rome!

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Mon Mar 26, 2012 12:06 am

Well, we're still not sure exactly what happened but there actually isn't an outside door handle so we now think James was so tired that he went sleep walking, opening the door and leaving it wide open. Hardly surprising then that the German party goers marched right in! We now set the dead lock with a key just to be sure.

We spent yesterday at a bicycle exhibition/trade show. Very cool! The big thing now is electric assist with easily 70% of the displayed bikes featuring it. Silly to my mind but proof that people bicycle here for practical and economic reasons, not for the exercise. Back to the show, there was an eccentric bottom bracket on display that I am going to try and track down before leaving. It might be a tall order as it is yet another small production item by an "eccentric" German machinist.

I saw a PX80, another smallframe and more PKs. You know, the PKs actually look great in pale colours. There's also a number of older scoots i have never even heard of, maybe from East Germany?

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:30 am

I have been waiting to pounce on the first vintage scoot that is actually in motion in Berlin. Lots of almosts as they shot by just out of range but I finally cornered one:

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg26 ... 000775.jpg

It's a Something-or-other "Simpson". From where or how old, I have no idea.

Here's a shot with it stationary:

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg26 ... 000717.jpg

And, for Nick, a nice Rally 200:

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg26 ... 000709.jpg

And, for Gill and, someday, Sabine, a 50 Special:

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg26 ... 000772.jpg

Cheers from Berlin!

nick · Post by **nick** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 12:16 pm

I have to say, I'm quite envious of your voyage to Deutschland! I hope to go there one day myself. Ich verstehe ein bisschen Deutsch! And that in itself is the extent of my German vocabulary.

I LOVE the German market Vespa's. They just got it all right in my opinion.

Hope the trip and country are treating you well!

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 1:52 pm

I have been amazed at the number of modern Vespas in circulation: they're everywhere. When the economy was good here, it must have been very good.

GDOUBLEU · Post by **GDOUBLEU** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 8:40 pm

thanks for the pic john! can't wait until the day when i can just hop on a go...awhile yet, but my 50 is only getting better with age...right?

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:35 am

Absolutely, remember how it looked when it arrived!

Here's another shot of the Rally for Nick:

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg26 ... 000779.jpg

Still hasn't moved...

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:50 pm

I came across a beautiful 1963 smallframe:

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg26 ... 000794.jpg

And as I was taking the first photo, the owner appeared:

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg26 ... 000795.jpg

I got to talk with him just for a second or two:

http://s250.photobucket.com/albums/gg26 ... 000797.jpg

before he headed off. I was poised to get a motion shot but, in my excitement, I had accidentally bumped the on/off switch, Poop!

coyoteran · Post by **coyoteran** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:00 pm

Love the "Helmut." Helmet...Helmut...get it?

T

jbcollier · Post by **jbcollier** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:21 pm

Bad news, I'm back:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7JB68sL ... ure=fvwrel

Angelo · Post by **Angelo** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 8:52 pm

Welcome back John! That's a long way to go for a short time but I'm sure it was appreciated by all. Can't wait to hear the stories. Did you bring the snow?