We meet our Rennsteig family

After taking three trains, we arrived in Neuhaus am Rennweg. The trains helped revive our image of Germany as highly efficient; we had two, ten minute layovers, each of which went like clockwork. The trains arrived exactly on time, and we just strolled over to the track the next train was on, which was printed on the tickets, purchased a month ago!

Some of our group had already arrived, the rest came in over the next couple of hours. Those who had arrived settled into the restaurant where we studied German beer while waiting for the others.What a group it is; three generations of Lena’s family. Edward, Lena, one of Lena’s brothers, Max, and her sister, Lilly, made up the youngest generation. Leslie Ruth, Karl, Lena’s parents, Wolfgang and Uli, and Wolfgang’s brother, Volker, made up the middle generation. Uli’s parents, Gunne (age 81), Dieter (83) and Wolfgang’s mother, Marlene (85) made up the oldest generation. They all graciously helped Leslie Ruth and Karl learn about German food and beer.

At dinner, got to know each other. What a wonderful family! Edward had proposed walking the Rennsteig over a year ago. As plans developed, it developed that Uli’s sister Heimi has her 40th birthday this month, the sort of thing this family likes to celebrate. So, we planned the walk the week before the birthday, and 12 of us signed up. How many families could put together a trip like this, with people coming from different parts of Germany and California and Virginia to get together, hike the Rennsteig, and celebrate Heimi’s birthday?