Autumn tour of the SAAB - Friends of Thuringia on September 13, 2020

Saab life can be so beautiful! What a crazy 2020. An unprecedented situation worldwide, the corona pandemic had us fully under control. It has completely changed all of our lives, at work, in the family and of course in our free time.

Many planned leisure activities and vacation dreams burst like soap bubbles. Our planned spring trip of the SAAB - Friends of Thuringia fell victim to the necessary restrictions.

Everyone was all the more enthusiastic when, after our last regulars' table, of course under the open sky, on June 20, 2020, we finally came up with the idea of ​​preparing and carrying out an autumn tour despite everything. Without a doubt we agreed on September 13th and the approval was great.

After we had carried out our autumn tour 2018 in heavy rain and 2 degrees and the winter jackets were popular in autumn 2019, fantastic weather with 25 degrees and bright sunshine awaited us this year. So ideal convertible weather!

So the “CV-Fraktion” was represented with 7 vehicles, supplemented with 7 sedans and sports suits.

We met at 9.30 a.m. in Gernewitz near Stadtroda at the straw atelier of the agricultural cooperative "To Wöllmisse".

The joy of reunion was great. Everyone, that was 26 Saab friends, had survived the last few months well.

After the obligatory "good morning coffee" and first discussions, our SAAB convoy started punctually at 11.00 am on a wonderful and winding route in a wonderful landscape.

Through a wooded area away from busy main roads, we went via Trockenborn, Wolfersdorf and Neustadt towards Schleiz to the Plothener ponds.

All 14 vehicles found a parking space and now it was time to “hike” for half an hour. Packed with folding chairs, tables and well-filled picnic baskets, we went to the “stilt house” right on the lake.

Here we made ourselves comfortable, outdoors of course.

The buffet was set up and since everyone had brought plenty of tasty treats, it was more plentiful than ever. It felt like three times the number of Saab enthusiasts could have been fed. And that literally…

Everything was prepared with a lot of love and commitment and the large selection, especially several types of Swedish Köttbullar, tempted one or the other to “strike” more than usual.

Drinks brought from the farm shop of the agricultural cooperative from the starting point in Gernewitz were happily accepted.

They talked shop in a relaxed atmosphere or talked about how everyone had "survived" the last few months.

Well strengthened, it was back on the track at 13.30 p.m., an ascent and descent with countless curves towards Ziegenrück, a place between the Bleilochtalsperre and the Höhenwarte-Talsperre on the Saale.

The idea of ​​visiting Ziegenrück was not only brought to us on this sunny Sunday, SAAB - Friends of Thuringia, and so parking spaces and open-air restaurants were more than full.

So it meant pursuing individual interests. Some of our SAAB friends visited the run-of-river power plant Museums and technical monument for the use of hydropower. Others took the opportunity to go on a pedal boat on the Saale, to go for a walk or to sit comfortably with coffee and ice cream in the terrace coffee on the Saale.

A small highlight of our stopover for us was the chance meeting with a group of classic car friends, who at the same time allowed themselves and their automotive treasures a break here. Vehicles from the 30s and 40s from FORD, CHEVROLET, DKW and HORCH, restored and cared for with great care, could be admired.

With the HORCH, an absolute “Nobel Cabrio” and proof of Saxon automotive engineering, some of our SAAB CV drivers probably started pondering asking for a swap, of course with value compensation (for whose benefit always)!

Of course we all got back into our Swedish “oldtimers” to continue our autumn drive.

After taking a photo together, we went past Ranis Castle around 16.00 p.m., through Pößneck and the beautiful Orlatal and Kahla towards Jena-Göschwitz to the A4 motorway.

For the majority of our SAAB friends it was again a tour in a previously unknown or already forgotten, but worth seeing area of ​​our beautiful Thuringia and a suggestion for further trips.

Everyone started their individual journey home.

Unfortunately, a beautiful day came to an end far too quickly.

Now we are all looking forward to spring 2021, the planned two-day tour and the joint meeting with the SAAB friends!

But that's another story and won't be revealed yet - just this much - the date has already been set!

Text and pictures: Wolfgang Förster, SAAB - Friends of Thuringia