From basketball courts to bike paths, alumni and Dal Tigers pals pedal together through Germany
Anna Stammberger (BPE’83), Olympian, Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame member and former Dal Tigers basketball coach, and Dr. Marion Brown (BA’88, BSW’90, MSW’97), Dal Tigers basketball alumna and Associate Professor in Dal’s School of Social Work embarked on a cycling tour of the Mosel and Rhine River valleys in Germany in May 2022. (They were joined by Sue Caldwell Ehler (BScPT’87), Donnie Ehler and Cathy Holtmann.) In Marion and Anna’s own words, they describe how the trip came to be and the highlights.
Anna Stammberger: It all started when a group of very loyal Basketball Tiger alum visited my last home game at Dalplex in March of 2021 to celebrate my retirement. Because of Covid restrictions at that time, I could invite only nine guests to my place afterwards for a small reception. One of the topics of conversation was what I would be doing with my time during retirement, and I promptly responded “Well, I’ll now have time to do some bike tours in Germany” (which is a very cycling-friendly country), to which their immediate response was, “We’re coming!”
Marion Brown: In Anna’s characteristically inclusive and enthusiastic way, she invited us all along to get to know cycling in Germany. She planned the route, our accommodations, the sights we needed to see; she set a fine pace to keep us moving and stopping at all the right times, and she spoke the German we needed to order the right food and wine and catch the right trains.
Anna: I kept the idea alive all fall by sending various bike routes and options with enticing pictures of what they could see and do on a Rhine and Mosel River tour, which I believe really sparked their interest and desire to make the “Tour ’22” a reality.
Marion: The route and stops Anna planned were perfect — from medieval towns to Roman times, we cycled along the rivers and went up into the vineyards, hiked to a couple of vistas, and breathed in all that fresh country air.
Anna: Originally, we had a group of about six Dal alum with some partners interested and then in February of ’22 the final number flying into Frankfurt from the east coast was four — two Dal Tiger alum, Marion Brown and Sue Caldwell Ehler (BSCPT’87); one Acadia alum, Donnie Ehler; and one University of Winnipeg alum, Cathy Holtmann.
The intention of the bike tour was to spend quality time together, enjoying cycling-friendly Germany and touring some older villages and cities of southwest Germany while being active outside. We accomplished all those objectives and as my grandmother was known to say on occasion, “A good time was had by all.”
Some highlights of the seven days:
- The admirable and enjoyable company. As we were all U Sports basketball alum and all currently living on East Coast we had lots in common, reliving past basketball experiences and stories.
- The “green pill’ effect — being outside in nature for most of the day and then sharing a meal together outside after accomplishing our kilometer goal for that day. So satisfying!
- The beautiful scenery as we were guided south first along the majestic Rhine and then the serpent-like Mosel River. The twisting and turning of the Mosel was both challenging and amazing at the same time.
- Cycling through the vineyards with grapes growing vines on the steep hillsides as far as we could see.
- Touring, mostly by walking, through the medieval towns of Cochem, Bernkastel-Kues, and the Roman city of Trier was educational and fascinating. To see structures that were built in 300 AD, was an experience to say the least.
- Entering the Roman Amphitheater in Trier built in 142 AD and hearing members of our group test the excellent acoustics by singing Maritime songs was entertainment at its very best.
Anna: I always enjoy sharing the German culture and sights with Maritimers, especially my Dal friends and teammates, and this was one of those wonderful occasions where we all appreciated the time we could be together and were all very much in the moment.
Marion: It was an excellent week of health for the body, mind, and spirit. We are so very grateful to Anna for making it happen!