It seems that the “trainer” from “famous” price winning Tennessee Walking Horses has finally been caught on hidden camera.
I do not hope that this kind of practices have spread among other showhorse owners, but I’m afraid it has.
I really hope that one day the judges are good and smart enough to not tolerate any ‘chemical’ or ‘mechanical modifications’ at all anymore when it comes to shows, races, jumping, dressage or any other horse “sports”. Even if you are a “not knowing witness”; please spread the word and stop this madness.
Despite all the weather forecasts, this year’s 1st of May weather was absolutely marvellous!
We grabbed our “669″ bus from our front door to be brought all the way down south to Heppenheim. The busdriver had a nasty habit of almost driving over some cyclists, but refused to honk when there were people walking on the streets.
Already in Zwingenberg, the main starting point for the people walking in south direction, it was heaving with people walking all over the main street.
Half an hour later we were at our destination, where I decided to skip the first station with a steep climb towards Burg Starkenburg to visit the Schloßberg station.
However, Jr then took the steep climb on the stairs to the second station, Steinkopf, instead.
From here a beautiful view towards the south-west, with Mannheim in Baden-Württemberg in the south and Rheinland-Pfalz in the west.
Leaving Burg Starkenburg in the south,
we continued our trip towards the Hemsberg in the north.
Just half an hour later we reached our second station; “Paulus”
We made a quick stop to eat something and enjoyed the view in the meanwhile
After the break we walked down through Bensheim-Zell, to cross the Gronauer Strasse.
Amazingly quiet was it at Restaurant Mühlstein; although it looked really cosy there.
We crossed the road and went up again, towards the “Bensheimer Streichling”
Which we reached within a few minutes actually. In the background you can see Burg Starkenburg above Heppenheim and the Hemsberg left/in front of it.
We crossed Bensheim (crowded as ever) and left the Pfarrkirche St. Georg behind us.
Next station is the “Kirchberg“, with one of the steepest climbs in the whole trip.
Here is where we met most of the people that started from the north side (Zwingenberg).
Luckily the roads are wide, and the view stays nice over the green-multicolored wineyards
After the hot trip uphill the road dives into the cool forest.
The path of bottles was easily to be followed to the next stop
The fields of food, music and play were crowded
And so was the waiting line for the ladies toilets
A band was playing some rock music (“mom, that man that sings is an old man!” ;) and people were dancing.
But in the Grillhutte it was hard work
From the Kirchberg it was a steady walk to the next station, Fürstenlager.
And Jr. decided again to take the shortcut ;)
Most of the people we knew were found around this place, probably because there was so much shadow.
The Parkhotel Herrenhaus in the background already visible in the Auerbacher Fürstenlager,
but we went down the “hot front side” of the hill where we met some more friends, all going in opposite direction.
The last meters of “quiet” road (very narrow though), before..
.. we entered the crowded roads of Auerbach.
The Feuerwehr had setup their area again, and the ice wagon was very busy too.
Still to be followed: the signs with the wineglass.. or just the empty bottles
.. or just that kind of people :)
From the Poststuben up right towards the Melibokus.
Still visible through the blossoming chesnut trees is Schloss Auerbach
The road continued via the backstreets of Auerbach towards the next station, Höllberg.
Small tip: If you are feeling tired and thirsty, eat strawberries. It gave us an enormous boost to continue our way
Another tip: Try to sweat as much as you drink, because you do not want to end up in one of these
Don’t be surprised if you see any ‘Scottish’ or ‘Irish’ guys – anything to stay cool I presume.
At the next station, the Auerbacher Höllberg, I was so lucky they still had my favourite wine: The Rotling from Weingut & Weinschänke Rebenhof.
Being one of the last stations, it was very quiet, it was quite warm as well though.
For the geeks: KML File
For the not so geeks: Paste this line in http://maps.google.com http://nerdette.org/2012winewalk.kml and you get something like:
In a few days, on the first of May every year, the Wine walk in the German Bergstrasse will take place. It is a public event for young and old to walk through the grapefields from Heppenheim in the south to Zwingenberg in the north, and have a sip of grapejuice on the way.
