Burg Steinsberg in Sinsheim

Looking back down into Baiertal

Descending into Baiertal

We walked some 8-10 kilometers from Nußloch to Oberhof in Dielheim. We had long looked at taking this walk, since it connected up a number of paths that we had looked at before. It took us some 2.5 hours climbing over the ridge, down into the next valley, then over the next ridge. We took Anke and Ralf with us. Alan and Dorle met us in Oberhof for lunch. We drove home in the Foster's car and our car which we had prepositioned in Oberhof that morning.

Kathryn climbing into Schatthausen

Cats in Baiertal waiting for the cows to be milked.

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We actually cut off the part that goes over Maisbach. Google does not show the trail that runs around the gravel mine and across to Baiertal.

Ralf

Yours Truly

Goldregen - Wildflower or Weed?

Gravel mine in Nußloch for Heidelberg Cement

Anke

Rest of the Team

The first weekend in September we took a drive out to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It had been some 20 years since I had been here with my parents. Now we took our kids here and walked along the city wall. We stopped for lunch in the Burggarten and then walked back. We also stopped to try out snowballs, a baked confectionery. None of us really took to them. We had fun reading who had donated money to keep the walls in shape.

We were also surprised to find that on this weekend, the city was overrun with reenactors. They were from the medieval period as well as from the 30-Years War. Our daughters put up with the trip, but overall they enjoyed themselves. 

The wall surrounds the entire city.

At the Southeastern Corner

A view towards the Burggarten

The view from the Burggarten

Meet Dot.

RATS!

Dot likes to ride on shoulders.

We went to the medieval festival in Speyer. It was held in the Domgarten (cathedral gardens). The festival had a much bigger turnout than we expected. What I knew of the Speyer Domgarten is that it is not that big. So we planned to get there early so we could have a good look at the stalls. We were pleasantly surprised with how much was going on there. This one was put on by a travelling group called Mittelalterich Phantasie Spectaculum. Unfortunately for the participants, Saturday had provided a couple of downpours turning low lying parts of the gardens into mud pits at best and small lakes at worst. The wooden shows that Andrea and I had picked up at Adventon were the best thing for the conditions.

Shea Family in Regalia

A Diadem

The players coming to challenge the reputation of the Lady of the manor. Note the banner of Mordor.

So we spent a good part of the morning shopping. Ursula got herself an ocarina and a diadem. Both girls bought bags, too. I guess you could call us cosplayers at this point. We had ourselves some lunch then Kathryn and I watched the jousting tournament. The tournament would have been much more entertaining if we could have heard the players over the sounds of the medieval bagpipe rock band playing on the next stage. Andrea and Ursula wandered around and watched some other performances on the other side of the park. At that point it was about 2:30 and it was getting crowded. We decided to pack it in and head home. On our way out we were surprised to see traffic backed up all the way to the B39! As the rain began to fall, too, we began to feel sorry for the late arrivals.

At home with a tired kitty.

We went to the Walldorf Flugtage (air show). We rode our bikes to the airport, which is little more than a mown lawn. We watched a few stunt planes and had fun watching a remote control jet.

Jet is banking...

and comes around for a pass.

Up close with the jet.

Someone brought their gyrocopter.