I was met for lunch by Stephan Prantl. We rode bikes around Cologne, crossed the Rhine River and had lunch at a quiet cafe across the water from the cathedral. I enjoyed catching up with Stephan (who I haven’t seen since god knows when). I’ve been thinking a lot about how people change over the years and how a lot of their characteristics stay that same. Stephan who was nicknamed Busy P has certainly kept his enthusiastic energy and juggles a lot of cool projects along with having kids. We all grow and stretch through the years but Stephan felt like the same guy I met in 1996 at my first visit to Cologne– still buzzing with energy and excitement. 

After lunch we pedaled around some more and went to Jugendpark where so many years of BMX events had been held. Stephan said he first started visiting the “youth park” back when he was 5 years old having grown up nearby. He was part of bringing the first ramps there. I don’t want to start any rumors but he also hinted about throwing another comp which would be the 40th annual event. Can you believe there’s a BMX event going on 40 years? If that happens I told him I wanted to be part of it. 

The cops stopped me while we were riding. It wasn’t cause we were talking while riding and not paying attention to the train we accidentally rode in front of, it was because I had my phone in my hand (that I wasn’t even looking at). That’s a ticket here but when they realized I was an English speaking tourist they laughed and left me alone. I was surprised the way I bristled near the police expecting it to be a typically awful (easily escalated into guns drawn) USA experience. That shot of adrenaline didn’t wear off until Stephan and I sat down for some ice cream and it was laughed away. 

The next morning Big Ed met me outside the train station. It is no small event that Big Ed woke up at 8:30 am and pedaled across town to visit me as he is not known for his early rising. We talked for a few hours and it was great to catch up with yet another old friend. Ed runs the T-1 social media and of course has deep roots in BMX having been a main photographer at Dig Magazine. Him and I did a cross country road trip together once in my 1993 Acura Intergra, were on Road Fools 1 together, and countless other BMX things through the years. He’s back living in Scotland and also running his collection-of-cool-things Sleeping Giant online store. Give it a gander here: thesleepinggiant.bigcartel.com/

Ed and I hung out on the platform waiting for my train that ended up being delayed. We talked about the endless youth we both felt when riding bikes. After all these years we still enjoy pedaling around. Ed seemed happy and was in Cologne visiting some friends. Glad he had some time to see me. I passed on a hug loaded with love for the big man and boarded my train.

I was feeling tired and decided to skip down the tracks. I’d had a day relaxing in Cologne but my legs were telling me that they didn’t want to pedal very far. I expected the train to be relaxing, and the first part wasn’t too bad, but after a transfer I was wishing I had been out on my bike no matter what my legs said. I’m not sure what is going this weekend but the train was mobbed with people. I’ve been on rush hour trains in Japan and NYC but this was the most crowded train I have ever been on. And it was so uncomfortably hot. I stood near my bike which was buried under 5 others. I was propped up by people squeezing me from all sides. My shirt was sticky with sweat, some of which was mine and some from the people squished next to me. There was no AC, the sun was blasting in the windows and people were generally annoyed at one another. After an hour of being a human sardine we finally hit the main station and I was able to push and drag my bike out through the crowds of people. I was in Frankfurt for the night.

Frankfurt was packed with people too. It felt like a city wide street festival but I explored for a while and didn’t see anything in particular going on. Just people everywhere walking around, drinking in cafes and shopping all over the place. I had about 3 hours of energy to wonder and wander around town before my anti-social tendencies kicked in. I then went back to my hotel for some cool air and sun blocking window shades. My room was sweltering hot in what seems to be normal European fashion but luckily I mentioned this to the front desk because they quickly switched me to a room with working AC. Comfortable in the dark I let the echoing noise from the busy world drain out of my head until I fell asleep.