2020 was a poor CBX year: museums closed, all motorcycle meetings cancelled. So no fun at all.

Although: in July 2020 I went on a motorcycle holiday in the south of France with five German friends. We stayed at Walter's house for two weeks, from where we made daily tours. Really too far (and too fast) for the CBX but I definitely had fun on the Hayabusa. I had a great time overall. ;)

But from July 11 to 19, 2021 I planned another trip: corona restrictions loosened, double vaccinated, museums open, and a CBX meeting in Germany that wasn'tt cancelled.

Against my better judgment I thoroughly cleaned the bike which was not dirty but ... dusty. Something I'd never experienced before. A little love after almost two years of neglect. The engine appreciated it: instant running.

Cleaned up 'against better judgement' because the weather forecasts were exceptionally bad: 'Was wirt das Wetter in den kommenden 7 Tagen? Es donnert, es blitzt, es regnet. Die Unwetter mit Starkregen, Hagel und Sturmböen gehen in dei Verlängerung und lassen erneut die beliten Flüsse über die Ufer treten. Hochwasser statt Hochsommer'.
Translated: 'What will the weather be in the next 7 days? Thunder, lightning, and rain. Thunderstorms with heavy rain, hail and squalls are prolonged and again let the small rivers overflow their banks. Flood instead of high summer''.

How bad it would get, nobody knew at that time: an absolute disaster.

Sunday, July 11: I've never let any weather forecast hold me back. So cheerful (because riding the bike) I left for Duisburg, via the A57, which I like so much as it is the Gateway to Holidays. :)

I arrived dry at the first museum, the for me unknown Lehmbruck Museum at Duisburg.

There was a retrospective of one of the most prominent artists of the twentieth century: Joseph Beuys.

Joseph Beuys (1921-1986) was a very versatile man: critical thinker, orator, teacher, artist, performer, anthroposophist, politician and above all: unconventional innovator and disruptor. No way a few works could show his versatility: this man is a hero.

This sculpture is called 'Tierfrau' ('Animal Woman') from 1949, bronze. Highly stylized and unfinished; the casting seams are still clearly visible and make the sculpture more savage.

His graphic work (here a lithograph) was powerful and quite abstract, despite the apparently directional name 'Blutender Hirsch auf Schädel' ('Bleeding Stag on Skull').

Felt and grease are often part of his work; its origins lie in his war traumas, too long a story to elaborate on now. This work is called 'Ich ernähre mich durch Kraftvergeudung' ('I am Nourished by Waste of Energy'), and consists of a written paper dish on felt.

Understanding Beuys requires more than a visit to an exhibition, it demands study.

Much more accessible is the work of the kinetic artist Jean Tinguely (1925 - 1991). This is 'The small man' from 1981, an enormous machine in which a number of electric motors move just about all parts. In his work he portrays his vision that both life and art are continuously subject to change, movement and instability. His work also has beautiful titles such as 'Under destruction'. Unfortunately you miss the experience in a small picture..

His drawings are also remarkable: clearly dynamic harbingers of his physical work ...

.. that you see here: it rattles, it creaks, it squeaks. And it changes over the years too, with wear and tear, exactly as he intended. Enchanting to watch in operation.

Nice details too, like this feather...

... and the clumsy connections that of course don't last forever. As he intended.

Such welds make me a little sad. But matches his concept.

Access to all museums was via online pre-registration and time slots. Very special (and: very pleasant) to be able to experience the works of art almost alone.

Another special mention: 'White Dark V' by Anish Kapoor. Another interesting experience, albeit a very static one: shades of white disturb your sense of depth, something Kapoor has been playing with all his life. And also something that cannot be captured on photo, unfortunately.

The sculptural work of Wilhelm Lehmbruck, the museum's namesake, did not appeal to me. That happens sometimes. The spaces were beautiful though.

After Duisburg I rode to Essen, to Museum Folkwang. I wanted to see the work of the German photographer and video artist Tobias Zielony (born 1973) there.

Of course I wasn't allowed to leave the motorcycle in that place because yes, that was not allowed. The question 'why not?' really couldn't be answered: it was just not allowed.

In his photo and video work Zielony shows young people and young adults, mostly from the techno, LGBTQIT and skater scene. It didn't really appeal to me. Yes: harsch reality, hopelessness, but it simply didn't catch me.

The way the pictures were presented didn't appeal to me either: photo prints were often superimposed so that they could no longer be judged on their individual quality. Very arty but not good.

I was happy dive into the giant print 'Untitled, XV' by Andreas Gursky (1955). I've shown work by him before in my reports because you can really drown in it: it is gigantic (237 x 506 cm) and incredibly detailed. Stunning.

The campsite that I visited was of a slightly lesser quality. I was the only tent there on a swampy field. It's a sad setting but I can still enjoy it. And it didn't rain, which was nice.

The restaurant 'Trattoria da Giulia' was fine, with a proud Italian chef.

And the beer in the evening sun tasted very good.

My colleague Allard Koers adviced me the book 'Wittgenstein's mistress', written by David Markson. Defenitely not an easy read. We are both fans of Russian film director Tarkovsky's films, and that showed.

I always take a tour around the campsites, looking for desolation, and I found this post-apocalyptic camper.

The mobile home opposite my tent had these wonderful 'light objects'. Lighted watering cans, what beauty. ;)

Monday, July 12: My allergic reaction, which I'd suffered two days before, was not doing well. I always react quite strongly to insects (see also 'Mosquito tour', 2015), and also to the oak processionary caterpillars that had attacked me shortly before departure. Very itchy but: don't scratch because then you'll have an infection and possible blood poisoning, and go home. As I had to in 2015.

Because hygiene can sometimes be hard to find on the road. At the toilets along the German highways, not even ten face masks could prevent my lungs from collapsing.

A nice and (still!) dry ride through the beautiful, familiar Eifel.

It started to rain as I arrived at the motorbike campsite Vetus Tempus. I visited Rob and Mia for the first time two years ago, and I really liked it.

Tourism is only slowly restarting, and motorbike campsites are also suffering. There was no one else so I had the whole meadow to myself. I put the tent up ...

... and took time to read my book; it eventually stopped raining.

When the sun actually broke through, I drove to Aldi to do some shopping. Beautiful winding road towards Prüm, 10 kilometers away; driving without a roll of luggage on the handlebars is quite a different experience.

I'd brought the cooking set for a purpose.

Zuckererbsen (sweet pods) from Zimbabwe. With Tortellini spinach ricotta; that hád to taste good.

And it did, with a nice piece of meat and a local beer.

After dinner it started to rain again. I spent a nice evening accompanied by host and hostess. It rained through the night...

... and actually it didn't stop for quite a long time..

Tuesday July 13: after a good breakfast with Rob and Mia (bottom left and top right) I hit the road again.

It rained incessantly and big time. I had to drive in the track of trucks, and at the right distance: too close had the effect of a car wash, too far away the track was flooded again. Quite a challenge.

Especially when the outer two air filters became saturated with water and the engine started to sputter. You don't want that, certainly not in such a situation. Fortunately the engine kept running.

It gradually became clear that the extreme rain in the Netherlands, Belgium and especially Germany led to heavy flooding and even mudslides.

I arrived soaked at St. Wendel but was warmly welcomed by (left to right) host Marco, Dani, hostess Manuela and Hans.

To me a motorcycle holiday means sleeping in a tent and not in a guest room, so I put my tent in their garden. They thought that was quite strange, but that's just one of many things they think is strange about me. ;)

View from the tent ...

... and view from the house.

I had brought the ingredients for the Bavarian divine drink 'Goaßmaß' but turned out to be the only one who liked it. Ingredients: dark beer, cola and cherry liqueur. Actually, it's not very tasty either, but it was the standard drink at the motorcycle meeting in Grossostheim, where we got to know each other. Manuela stuck to whiskey and coke.

Not 'coke' as in 'cocaine' but as in 'Coca Cola'. :)

'Übermutti' ('Supermommy') is her nickname for a reason: my processionary caterpillar allergy was immediately treated with a cortisone ointment. And that helped.

Wednesday 14 July: Marco had made a delicious breakfast ...

... with the indispensable Saarland sausage specialty named 'Lyoner'.

It rained non-stop that day. I couldn't find anything worth seeing in the immediate vicinity, so I made it a nice chill day: a little shopping with Marco, a bit of reading, listening to techno, basically everything that relaxes the mind.

In the afternoon we drove to the spot where Manne died exactly two years ago. It was a weird feeling to be at that spot again.

Eleven of us were present: members of the Motorradfreunde Ottweiler, Manne's widow and his daughter, who is also a member of the club.

A wreath was laid at the edge of the forest ...

... and Manuela put one at the edge of the road.

With a candle. A sad gathering, and curiously the only half hour it didn't rain that day.

We concluded the commemoration with a group photo. Shared sorrow is half sorrow.

Apparently an enlarged version of this photo had been shown at Manne's funeral.

Manne's daughter and widow wanted to see the CBX live, and of course they could. With a smile.

Afterwards we had a relaxed evening, with hilarious anecdotes and booze. A good way to deal with mourning.

Thursday 15 July I rode the longest distance: 285 km. After another great St. Wendel breakfast I went to Frankfurt. It rained for about half the ride but not nearly as hard as the days before.

I visited the Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt, a contemporary art museum. This time for a retrospective exhibition of the artist duo Gilbert and George.

Gilbert and George look like quintessentially stiff, boring English officials. But nothing could be further from the truth, and not just because Gilbert is born Italian. Like Beuys, they are performers from the very beginning and have labeled their lives as works of art. Theme: life and death, good and evil.

Photo: Daniel Hambury

I also had to register in advance for this exhibition; exactly 1.45 pm I was expected. Pünktlich. ;)

And again I had the entire exhibition to myself. Awesome.

Gilbert and George have always been controversial, offensive and 'in your face'; nowadays we call that 'engaged', and that's all hot in contemporary art.

The work is very colorful and huge, like stained glass windows ...

... and their themes are very outspoken politically and socially.

Impressive was the number of works, the size and the fierceness of content and color. You could call them 'consistent', but I didn't find their art surprising nor innovative, considering they've been working with the same themes for half a century.

Then I rode about 80 km north to the Spitzer Stein campsite in Grünberg ...

... where again I turned out to be the only tent on the entire campsite.

I took the time to prepared a nice meal, even though it was drizzling. Sometimes you just have to ignore the weather for a bit.

The skies were beautiful; actually it was better to look up than in front of you ...

... because then you saw sadness. Which I love.

And decay. Wonderful, this crumbled frog with an dropped eye at the bottom right, looking at us.

'BMW PARKING ONLY'. I'm okay with that.

Friday July 16: it had rained quite a bit at night but the day started with hesitant sunlight.

I discovered a shitting slug under the tank that looked away in shame. And rightly so.

On the way to the CBX meeting, it turned out that a natural disaster was taking place nearby. It's really weird that I got so little of that.

Upon entering the town of Höxter, the trip counter jumped to '0.00': I rode exactly 1,000 kilometers.

I had to check on my own website to see that the last time I'd visited a CBX meeting was in 2009. Then at the Nürburgring, which was also hit hard these days.

It was nice and busy: many CBX's but also Kawasaki's Z1300's ...

... and this beautiful, rare and valuable Benelli Sei 900.

Willi a.k.a. Hammer of Justice a.k.a. Erklärbär arrived in the afternoon. He was in a good mood.

And a few hours later Erwin arrived, in style on his CBX. And in a good mood too.

We had a great time that evening. And a good part of the night.

Saturday 17 July.

Not long after, I was awakened by the local donkey making really strange noises.

After breakfast we took a walk along the motorbikes and saw this beautifully café racer CBX with stainless steel 6-in-6 exhaust.

Funny anecdote at my CBX: 'Geiles Bike! Was hast du in deiner Hose?' ('Nice bike!' What's in your pants?'). I replied that this was a very direct question. ;)

Around noon Patrick Meise did a photoshoot of the present bikes.

Photo: Patrick Meise

Short night's sleep? Can't tell! ;)

Photo: Patrick Meise

I was handed a leaflet from a 'motorcycle depot', 40 kilometers away. With a small photo of the Confederate B120 Wraith, a fantastic bike that I'd never seen in real life. And I hád to see it, no doubt about it.

It was the first warm day since I left. After a nice winding ride we drank an alcohol-free beer.

The TomTom Rider 500 had not yet recovered from the heavy moisture on the road. Hardly readable due to the condensation. No promotion for such an expensive device.

The PS.Depot Motorrad is housed in a beautiful former carpet factory in Einbeck.

Upon entering, we were immediately welcomed by a CBX type Z. I rode the same one (only in red) for five years in the nineties.

More than 800 (!) motorcycles were displayed, divided over three floors, from the very first to youngtimers. Extremely long bikes ...

... and bikes with bizarre fairings.

No idea why this hideous BMW C1 was present. Although: also exceptional. ;)

They themselves called it 'depot' and not 'museum', and rightly so. They stood row upon row upon row.

Look at the very futuristic streamline of this DKW Hummel type 115. In the Netherlands this bike was also called 'Sputnik', and had no less than 4 hp.

In terms of styling, it is gently reminiscent of the 2014 BMW K1600 'Nurbs' from Krugger Motorcycles. Although this one has an inline six-cylinder, and forty times as much horsepower. And unfortunately this is just a picture from the internet; this bike is not to be seen live at the PS.Depot.

Back to the old days, at the beginning of last century: you sometimes had to look very carefully at how the engine and transmission funtioned. A lot of technical ingenuity, even then.

Seen from the other side, with fuel tank on the handlebars and exhaust in line with the front fork. Very nice.

Also classic: this BMW. Beautiful line, with the tank placed within the frame.

All bikes were in top condition, restored and maintained by a team of volunteers.

Look how this drive belt is manufactured.

But then I came to the floor 'youngtimers', motorcycles from the last fifty years. To come face to face with the Confederate Wraith B120 from 2008.

Words are not enough. What a fantastic design. With a 2 liter V2 engine (120 cubic inch, hence the name), 'only' 125 hp but with a torque of no less than 176.3 Nm.

Seen from the other side.

The frame, fork and wheels are made of carbon fibre, single-sided suspension, oil in the frame, fuel tank at the bottom, and only 176 kilograms dry weight.

Big deal. just look at how uncompromisingly this bike is designed.

Up to the saddle.

Well, nothing compares to this. Although of course the Suzuki RE-5 with Wankel engine gets an honorable mention.

And so does the two-stroke three-cylinder Suzuki's from the seventies.

And (very!) of course: the Münch 4 TTS-E from 1974 with the legendary 100 hp. Built by the no less legendary Friedel Münch.

Still: just had to go back for a while. ;)

So beautiful.

Visited three museums. But this is the most beautiful thing I've seen.

I'll end with the Egli Vincent, which should be mentioned as well.

"Was it worth it? Yeah sure it was worth it!"

Okay, an inside joke. Just forget it. ;)

Back at the meeting, Willi did another round of explanations at the CBX, just like he did at Wheels and Stones two years ago.

It is striking how the average age of the CBX rider (and of the motorcyclist in general) is increasing. Not one twenty-something in sight, not even one thirty-something. Six-cylinder bikes are expensive bikes, but nevertheless I found it quite disturbing: what will the scene look like in ten years from now if it does not rejuvenate?

In the evening there was live music, beer and fire pits; you don't need more.

Sunday, July 18: end of meeting, and each went his way. Erwin greets Willi (bottom right).

I planned to ride to Essen to camp there for another night. The TomTom didn't feel like it.

Due to an WhatsApp from my good friend and motorcycle journalist Sabine Welte I changed course: not via Dortmund but southwards towards Schalksmühle.

We've known each other for almost 20 years, and the welcome was warm and familiar.

The CBX was allowed to be parked in the - partly flooded - garage. Schalksmühle is very close to the flooded area.

I declined the offer to sleep in the house and pitched the tent in the small garden. Collie Lissy (= female version of Lassy) thought it was all quite exciting.

In the evening we walked around the village and saw the devastation that water had caused shortly before.

The entire bank was full of trees, roof panels, household goods, and waste. And the pungent smell of fuel oil that had been washed away from many cellars. And that in a forest where the sun is shining and the birds are chirping, a bizarre contrast.

In the evening we talked for hours About Life, together with Sabine's friend Michi.

Monday 19 July: slept well, had a good breakfast. With very good company.

Unfortunately I was not allowed to take Lissy with me. Next time I will come by car. ;)

The last trip, leaving for home.

I drove past the badly hit village of Hagen and realized once more that it was good to get home in one piece.

Where nothing was flooded, but the Waal, opposite our house, was very high and filled with driftwood.

Before jumping into the shower myself, I gave the CBX some TLC.

It were special 1,478 kilometers. With good friends, and escaping the flood disaster with more luck than wisdom. After corona the motto once more is: Carpe Diem.