By By Chris Whitaker / staff writer
June 19, 2002
Andy and Eric Armstrong saw something strange while biking through Germany on Tuesday a road sign warning people to watch for frogs.
That was only one of the sights Andy, 58, and Eric, 15, saw on the 19th day of their European bicycle trip across nine countries. Andy said he and his grandson should enter Austria by the end of today.
Some Germans told Andy that Tuesday was one of the hottest days they had seen in a while. Temperatures were in the upper 80s and the wind was blowing in their faces.
Andy and Eric left Regensburg, Germany, Tuesday and headed for Passau, Germany. They traveled along the Danube River, riding through small towns including one that Andy said made the town of Hickory look big.
Around 11:30 a.m., they stopped to take pictures. Andy wanted to find a computer to send them to his wife and The Meridian Star.
So they stopped at a bank in Pizzmach, Germany, hoping to use a computer. But they were out of luck. The bank president said bank employees were the only ones who could use the computers.
The bank president then called a newspaper writer, Johann Naber, who drove by and took Andy home. Eric stayed with the bikes.
Andy said Johann's sister-in-law lives in Youngstown, Ohio, and her children live in San Francisco. He showed his house to Andy, who said it had a number of religious icons on the walls.
Andy said he signed with his hands to tell Johann that he knew who Jesus was and Johann became ecstatic. When Andy finished using Johann's computer, they returned to the bank.
Before leaving, Johann hugged Andy at least six times.
Andy and Eric got back on their bikes. But instead of riding to Passau, the two spent the night in a town near Deggendorf, Germany, around 85 kilometers from Regensburg.
Andy said a couple on bikes passed them five times on the way. He said they probably stopped and visited the towns like they had been doing on their trip.