Going to SMARTVILLE - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

2smartArizona · 11-01-2008, 12:41 PM

Going to SMARTVILLE

I love riding motorcycles, and I love world travel. So, when a buddy of mine in Germany invited me over to ride one his new BMW’s I could not resist. I try to get to Europe as often as I can, but it seems to be getting tougher to get away these days, but I could not resist the offer and decided to go for it while I had but a short week off from work. I had a little trouble finding a decent ticket, but eventually found what suited me, and I was able to call my friend and tell him I was going to take him up on his offer of the bike.

At about the same time all this was going on, I noticed Keshyathree on the smart car of America website, and I thought it might be interesting to couple this trip with a trip to smartville to see how these great little cars are made. I contacted Keshyathree and he was nice enough to agree to meet with me, buy me lunch, and take me on a tour of the smartville plant in Hambach, France. We agreed to meet on October 22, 2008 at the Centre de Communication in Smartville. My son ever the skeptic of all things internet told me that my Keshyathree was most likely a prankster from some place southeast of here, but still in America, drinking beer, eating chips and laughing as he sat on his couch at the prank he had just pulled on me, arranging a visit to an automobile factory in France. I never doubted the legitimacy of this guy, but others did.

I flew into Frankfurt, Germany and my buddy Thorsten picked me up at the airport and took me to his family’s home.

Had to take pics of a couple of smarts I saw along the way.

Saw a beautiful split window Beetle along the way too.

Thorsten's family has a great home and bed and breakfast that they run along the Moselle River in a little village called Kinheim-Kindel.

2smartArizona · 11-01-2008, 12:41 PM

I started visiting them in 1994. I had met Thorsten on the radio, talking long distance side band radio, I was at my home in Tucson and he was on one of his many world traveling adventures in Australia. He invited me to come visit him when he returned to Germany, and that summer of 1994, I stopped to visit him for a bit on my way to the Baltic Sea, we became great friends. This is Thorsten...

I travel in Europe often now, as I was an exchange student to France in 1984, and I love my family I lived with there, and I like to visit them as often as I can. I have come to love all things French, and have been fascinated with smart since I first heard of them in the 1990’s.
This was one of the first time I saw smarts back in 2000.

So, I had a great time riding the bikes around with Thorsten.

It was the time of the grape harvest, and the federweissen was flowing.

Fall colors were everywhere and leaves littered the landscape in a way we here in Arizona often can only fantasize about. It was great.

2smartArizona · 11-01-2008, 12:42 PM

But on the day we were to ride down to see Keshyathree, the weather didn’t look so hot, rain was forecast for the region we were heading too, and while we fear no rain, we might not be the most glamorous looking to meet Keshyathree for lunch and a tour. We opted to take his car, and make a couple of shopping stops along the way.

There are many huge windmills along the road to Saarbrucken.

Saw a ForFour on the way into Saarbrucken.

More in a little bit.....

2smartArizona · 11-01-2008, 01:03 PM

Our first stop was Sarrbrucken, where we wanted to go look at a slightly used BMW F800GS that was for sale at the local dealership, but on our way there, I spotted the tower of the local smart dealer. I motioned Thorsten to drive in and we checked the place out.

2smartArizona · 11-01-2008, 01:15 PM

Smart Center Saarbrucken....
An interesting dealership, I took the opportunity to photograph some of the wrapped cars they had there.

2smartArizona · 11-01-2008, 01:18 PM

They has a cross blade in there too, although it was covered up too much to get a good shot of it.

They have Hooters in Germany?

burtandnancy · 11-01-2008, 01:32 PM

Great story - so far. Can't wait for the finish...

SunDiego · 11-01-2008, 02:37 PM

Thanks for sharing your story as well as the pictures!!

**jwight** · 11-01-2008, 02:38 PM

Really nice photos - you are very lucky to have someone local to tour around with. Always better that way IMHO. Somewhere in the future is an SCOA trip to Europe and Hambach if we can all put our minds to it.

**jediknight36** · 11-01-2008, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwight

Really nice photos - you are very lucky to have someone local to tour around with. Always better that way IMHO. Somewhere in the future is an SCOA trip to Europe and Hambach if we can all put our minds to it.

And maybe group rate tickets, hotel, and fuel? Maybe smart would help out? Probably not but one can dream.