Konrad and Alexandra (PDF) - Rolf Gross

"Rule number eight," said Alexandra and stopped the car at the roadside, "when the radiator overheats, turn off theengine. Do not open the radiator as long as it steams. Achtung! Serious burns may occur. To open the radiator, cover thecap with a rag!""Where is the old rag?" she demanded.Friedrich sacrificed his kerchief, and Konrad fetched cold water from a nearby brook in his hat. She was in command,and enjoyed herself famously. "You see, we must get a few rags, a pail for water, and a sizable can for petrol!"Eventually Konrad cranked the engine, and they got back on the road."Friedrich, we need a powerful twelve-cylinder Daimler for the four of us. This thing is too puny for the Brenner Pass,"teased Konrad. But Alexandra would not hear of it. "A Daimler will overheat too, and then you will need even more water.I like this modest-looking vehicle!"They stopped in Mittenwald on a meadow at the foot of the towering north face of the Wetterstein. Their spirits were highbut Katharina felt quite exhausted. The two women slept an hour in the fresh mountain air, while Konrad and Friedrichsat apart.Friedrich looked at the sleeping Katharina. "I don’t think Katharina should drive all the way with us to Florence, it will betoo much for her. Mother is right. Maybe she could go by train for a stretch, then meet us at night or drive with us for partof an easy day. What do you think, Konrad?"Konrad was entirely in agreement, but advised to wait until Katharina would come to the same conclusion.Konrad looked at "his" two women. Apparently Friedrich knew nothing of their menage a trois. He was happy that theirfoursome worked so well.Alexandra handed the keys to Friedrich. "Thanks, it’s your turn. I have done my driving for today."Katharina suggested they drive home via Kochel. Friedrich cranked the car back to life, and they soon rolled down thesteep, hairpin turns between Kochel and the Walchensee.Alexandra was the first to notice the hot smell. "What are you doing?" she shouted from the back seat. "Are you drivingon your brakes? For God’s sake, you will lose your brakes and land us in the ditch. "Friedrich admitted embarrassed that he was already losing his brakes. What was he supposed to do? Wait until theycooled off?"Rule number two: When going down a steep hill put the car into second gear, take the foot of the gas, and let the enginedo the braking. This will save the brakes and your life!" Friedrich jerked the car into second. The car jolted dangerously,but they rolled safely down the hill. Friedrich risked a look at Alexandra in the back, laughing, "Alexandra, thanks to theAuto Club you have saved us twice today. What else do you know that I was never taught?""We will discuss that when we get to the next crisis. Do you know how to change a tire? I do, but I will stand aside whenthat happens and let you men do the work under my supervision! It was clearly a good idea to learn how to drive!"They left Munich at six in the morning. Katharina, to everybody’s relief had agreed to to take the train. They would meether in Innsbruck at the hotel at night.Claudia had begged Alexandra to let her have Otto while they were away. Alexandra was delighted by that suggestionand gave Elisabeth a much deserved vacation.On this brilliant spring day, they were dressed as if they were going to drive to Timbuktu: white racing caps, aviator’sgoggles, and beige leather jackets."Watch out Italy, here come the people from Mars!" shouted Friedrich.Friedrich drove, he had chosen the fastest route to Mittenwald. The Automobile Club had furnished Alexandra with routemaps, suggestions of where to find petrol and mechanical help, advice as to road conditions, and a special trip-tique thatwould assure them the free help of the Royal Touring Club of Italy in an emergency.Their first crisis came as they reached the precipitous descent into the Inn Valley behind Ehrwald. Below them lay the cityof Innsbruck, the Brenner rose across the green valley. The view was magnificent, but the road dived vertiginously forseveral kilometers straight down. They were glad that Katharina was not with them, she would have been frightened outof her mind. Alexandra and Friedrich finally decided to put the car into first gear. The engine whined but they grounddown the hill safely.The three reached Innsbruck at noon, and found Katharina asleep in her room. They washed up, had a rest, and spentthe afternoon walking through town: the Golden Dachl, the grave of Emperor Maximilian I surrounded by thirty-six lifesizedbronze statues of his mythical ancestors. Katharina knew a story for each of them. In the afternoon they dawdledeating Linzer Torte in an outdoor café.Friedrich estimated that it would take three or four hours to cross the Brenner Pass and reach Bolzano. They left atdaybreak. Katharina would follow an hour later, and they would pick her up at the station in Bolzano.They slowly wound their way up the mountain through villages and cows grazing on lush green meadows. The silveryband of the Inn and the toy-like houses of Innsbruck lay below them. The ascent to the pass was less steep than theyhad feared, and the road was good. The engine boiled over only once. They tried a new method; whenever thethermometer began to climb Konrad would get a pail of cold water from a brook and throw it at the radiator. This110