Google, this is why we love to hate you

Excited to start our adventure, we headed to Nuremberg to pick up Big R. As luck would have it, he had a preplanned staff ride that became mandatory. It all worked out pretty smoothly though, with the minor exception that the train was delayed by nearly an hour.

We picked up Big R and we were on our way. I had chosen a park and ride (P&R) for us to park the car in Munich to avoid the hassle of Munich downtown driving and high costs associated with parking in the city.

I pulled up directions to the P&R according to google and had it ready on my phone. Because I was nervous all day that something would go wrong, I spent some time looking at the map so I was familiar with the directions.

I suppose it didn't really matter how familiar I was with google's best rendition of how to get to our destination because it had a whole adventure in mind for us that would have been nearly impossible to see on the map.

Apparently google thinks the best way to the train station is to drive behind the tracks... on a series of farm roads, bike paths, and parallel to a German military reservation. You think I'm kidding? I wish Big R could have taken a picture of my face - then you would believe me no question.

So, we get off the autobahn and follow the directions around a few turns. Big R astutely observes that it's taking us to a road that doesn't exist. Oh, we're in Germany, so maybe we should just follow the directions anyhow. Dude, we were in Munich, so we really should have known better. I think we were just in such misbelief that google could take us on such a ridiculous route.

We kept waiting to hit a real road...and waiting...and waiting. Instead we passed angry joggers and bikers with a look of shock on their faces saying the only logical thing, "what the hell?!?!??" (in German though, of course). All the while my hands are sweating so badly I can hardly hold the steering wheel.

Low and behold we get to the station. The back side of the station. We are literally on the wrong side of the tracks - trapped - where we were clearly the only vehicle on the bike path BECAUSE CARS DO NOT BELONG THERE!!!

I'm freaking out, so Big R kicks me out of the driver's seat. We tried relentlessly to find a way through to a street continuing to piss off folks who clearly just wanted to enjoy their after work jog on the trail.

After some begging, Big R agreed to head back the way we came. All the possible connections were blocked because they were entrances to the military reserve. I finally found a farm road that was a shorter route back to a real road.

Big R is racing and my heart is in my throat. What we thought was a connection to the road was instead a bike entrance with poles blocking vehicle traffic. Yep. We were not having a good night. Where did this karma come from?!?!?

I studied the poles while Big R tried not to cry. It dawned on me they might come out of the ground, so I flew out of the car and yanked one as hard as I could out if the ground. YES! Finally it worked! We got out of there just before the residents looked out the window. I would have called the cops, wouldn't you?

Turns out the P&R I was leading us to was associated with the big stadium. You know, the one where they hold soccer matches, and where they had the freaking World Cup!!!!??? Yeah, pretty much one of the easiest places in Munich to find.

Needless to say, once we got to a road, we had no trouble finding it. The car was parked and we were on our way to the train station.

Bigones...

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