At the station

For most of us the journey to America starts at Baiersbronn. On a clear and cold autumn morning we meet at the railway station. The press is there as well: a few days later the local newspaper  Schwarzwaelder Bote, Black Forest Messenger will report our departure.

Schwarzwaelder Bote: We are famous!

Swabian food, for the last time...

Dieter the baker has brought along two bags full of pretzels, fresh from the oven. They are all gone by the time we arrive at the airport. The young conductress gladly takes one as well. To her it brings back childhood memories: she was born at Obertal.

Where do all the Finkbeiners come from?

Name-tag

The ticket shows that we are a group. In addition we wear the name-tags, round and in the German colors, that Guenter has sent us. Fellow-passengers and personnel become interested and ask questions. We tell them about our venture - friendly and with a little bit of pride.

Northwest Airlines, Flight No. 53, Frankfurt-Detroit

We've finally made it to the Northwest Airlines counters. (There are distances to overcome at Frankfort airport...) At the end of a long line we have to answer questions like: Who has packed the bag? WoWhere has the luggage been since? How comfortable: in the plane, a DC 10, we are all placed in the two-seaters along the windows, and not in the rows of five in the center. How uncomfortable: there is not much leg-room between the rows. take off with a delay. One reason: the flight is overbooked, and it takes a bit of time to find some volunteers who agree to stay one more night in Frankfort - at the expense of the air-company.

Arrival in Detroit

We arrive on time although we took off half an hour late. A flight-time of nine hours allows to make up for 30 minutes. No problem at the customs: those who neglected to complete the green entry card and the white customs declaration on the plane, have to do so now. The bus only leaves with everybody aboard. Hartmut Doering, our tour guide, and Steve Mathews, our bus-driver, take care of that.

From Detroit to Grand Rapids

It's raining when we leave. But it's much too warm for the season, as people keep telling us in the days to come.

Breakdown - The flat tire

Our bus is called "Trailblazer" - soon to be changed by Guenter to "Tire-platzer" (platzen = blow out, burst). A flat tire on late Saturday night: Hartmut and Steve look grave. But a phone-call brings help pretty soon, and half an hour later we are on the road again. Although everybody was tired and longed for bed, noone started complaining: our group passed the first test with flying colors.

Arrival in Grand Rapids

In front of our hotel, the "Econo Lodge", a welcome committee have held out until this late hour.

Main entrance to the motel

Some of us recognize Gary Finkbeiner, who already took part in the First International Finkbeiner Reunion at Baiersbronn, June 1995. He hands out the special August issue of the "Finkbeiner Family Newsletter", which he brings out every six months - the counterpart to Guenter's "Finkbeiner Information", which appears every three months. Charlotte, Gary's mother, distributes chocolate.