Good-bye to Klixbull, Germany - Thursday July 21, 2010

Good-bye to Klixbull, Germany - Thursday July 21, 2010


We waved good-bye to Wera and Hans as we drove out their driveway and in front of their house then headed south. They are such a nice family so it was difficult to leave.
Last night I had picked the city of Gottingen as being about 1/2 way to Munich where we could spend the night. There were a number of major highways intersecting at that location and we have learned that it is easier to find a Motel near the autobahns. We stopped several times for rest on the autobahn - there is no time to relax on these autobahns - the traffic is very intense at times, especially around major cities.
Around noon the GPS traffic alarm went off - a loud ding-ding-ding, then instructions on the screen asking if I wanted her to find an alternate route since there was a major traffic back-up ahead. having never heard that before, I did not respond and we kept going at our normal speed - after all the traffic was moving along fine. About 1/2 an hour later - same alarm and this time I responded with "Yes". She even indicated on the screen how much time we could save with this detour. Soon she directed us off on a secondary road and we followed the autobahn for about 20 km and could see the traffic moving slowly. Her detour brought us back onto the autobahn and soon we were sitting still then would move a very little distance and stop again. It continued this way for an hour or so and then the first sign of any cause was a flashing light indicating for us to squeeze 3 lanes into 2. We thought - all this for construction. Then shortly when we were single lane we saw the cause of all this back-up. There had been an accident probably in the night and a major fire that set the woods and guardrails and who knows what else on fire. The road crew were working to repair the road and the guardrails. It must have been bad - the fire in the woods continued for a 1/2 km or more. Once we cleared that area it was smooth sailing on to Gottingen.
That is one feature of the new TomTom GPS that I think I might like. I still prefer my old Garman but somebody dripped it.
On the GPS we saw there was a Clarion Hotel just off the autobahn so checked it out and this is where we will spend the night. Supper was at a Burger King several blocks west.
Tomorrow the plan is to drive on to near Munich and get a motel there. We have Saturday and Sunday around Munich then before we catch our plane home.
Since we were traveling today we did not take pictures but have included some from the previous day near Dagebull, Germany just 20 km west of "home"
The rail line seems to extend out into the sea and we were not sure if they were taking the rock out to build up the track or shoreline further or perhaps they are mining this rock out there and shipping it inland. It did have black shiny places that looked a lot like coal.
The slanted barn roof is actually solar panels on the roof. The German government are offering major incentives for farmers and businesses so they are everywhere. It must be financially beneficial because some farmers are taking whole fields to install solar panel fields at ground level but on an angle to maximize the sun's rays I presume.