We missed the chicken. Our arrival in Brandywine was just a few minutes later than usual, but that was enough. Pulling up to the firehouse, the doors were shut.
Wheeling the bikes around, we disappointedly motored the half-block down to the little park. We'd have to find something else for lunch.
Pulling up next to the strange, green sidecar rig, we dismounted and began shrugging out of our gear. Dropping the Aerostich Roadcrafter on the seat of my BMW, I gave the unusual three-wheel hack a sidelong glance as I walked towards the picnic table, next to which our two young guests stood smiling.
Joachim and Annette were a German couple in the midst of a nine-month, round-the-world journey. My buddy Dave had met Joachim-traveling alone at the time-the year before at an overlook up on the Highland Scenic Highway. A quick friendship had developed and a few months later when Joachim offered that he and his girlfriend were embarking upon their big trans-global trip, Dave had suggested that they spend a few weeks at his house in Arlington.
And so it was now, after having spent several months traveling north through South America, as the couple rolled towards the east coast they were meeting us for our annual three-day Labor Day run. They'd be following Dave home at the end.
After the usual introductions and greetings, and a few minutes hearing about their trip so far, we discussed where to get lunch. The little town of Franklin, a dozen miles down the road, seemed to make the most sense.
Mounting back up, John and Dave took the lead, followed by Hannibal, the heavily-loaded sidecar rig of our new friends. Kevin on his Ducati and Jay and I on our BMWs fell in behind them. As our loosely strung gaggle rolled westward I couldn't help but stare at the strange contraption in front of me. The sidecar itself was homemade, based on a frame that Joachim had welded to his own specs. It was attached to an old BMW Airhead.
It also didn't hurt that Annette was quite fetching. The combination of a pretty young woman, the unusual sidecar outfit, and the adventure obvious in their round-the-world trip all combined to create a fascinating and alluring package.
What it didn't prepare me for was what came next, a mile and a half on as we approached the ascent of the mountain between us and Franklin. As the sidecar turned into the first sharp bend, Annette lifted herself from her seat in the car and swung her ass far to the outside of the rig, hanging on but by the slender handle obviously placed there for that purpose.
After absorbing the sight in a moment of stunned amazement, I broke out laughing. It was exactly what you'd expect to see during the sidecar races at the Isle of Man. But seeing it demonstrated by a pretty girl, deep in the mountains of West Virginia, was the very last thing I expected.
Kevin and I glanced at each other. He too was laughing. We just shook our heads.
What we would learn over the next couple of days was that Joachim and Annette both were quite accomplished motorcyclists, with extensive experience riding in Europe. Annette fell in love with Kevin's 900SS and would end up buying her own 916 within a couple of years. In the meantime, it quickly became clear that these young Germans were anything but your run-of-the-mill motorcycle tourists.
Fast forward three weeks and we're back on the road again-this time on a week-long trip to Deals Gap and the mountains of western North Carolina. Joachim and Annette have been joined by Andreas and Karin, another German couple who have flown over to experience the storied roads of Appalachia.
With the sport-riding potential of the area in mind, Hannibal has been left at Dave's home in northern Virginia. The two visiting couples are riding two-up on spare bikes lent by Dave and Jay. Our pace rises accordingly.
The days pass quickly in a blur of terrific roads, good company, fine food, and fascinating scenery. Our German friends are duly impressed.