Journey Never Ends

You must be present to win.......

[journeyneverends]

[journeyneverends]

One final note

On a long ride or journey it helps to have a goal in mind. That way when things get tough there is something to keep me going.

The thought of my father in law and all those POW’s walking and riding locked up for 400 miles was good inspiration. Especially when I was cold or I was lost in a strange country.

I wanted to think of a way to memorialize the long march he took as a young man and give it a relevant contemporary meaning for me.

My friend Rich Stromberg and a group of leaders and volunteers run a dynamic non-profit that repurposes solar panels. Figuring this out is not easy.

What could this possibly have to do with the long march or POW camps in World War II you ask?

Two things actually. Food and flying.

When looking through my father in laws note book from the time he was a POW I saw name after name of fellow prisoners, what town they were from and what the name of their favorite restaurant was. So if he ever traveled to that place he would know where to eat.

Freedom was on everyone’s mind but more importantly and immediate was food. Hungry all the time.

When Rich told me about a project where they were going to use repurposed solar panels to power a food bank I thought it would be a fitting opportunity to contribute to the memory of all of those hungry POW’s.

Equitable Solar Solutions have figured out a way to repurpose panels to provide clean free energy. And this is just one example!

On the list is a drone which will help evaluate the panels from the air using infrared. The donations will go to secure a drone with this technology.

If you feel inclined consider a donation to this highly motivated group doing some groundbreaking work to provide a second life for solar panels that help provide power to those in need of energy.

For more information about this great little non profit or to donate please click on the link below, I did.

https://coldharbourinstitute.networkforgood.com/projects/233237-support-ess-for-a-more-just-energy-future

Reuse solar array on the Gunnison  Food pantry 30 kilowatt Array

Other projects

“Equitable Solar Solutions ESS has also been working with Rotary International to build solar USB chargers that are sent to Ukraine to provide power to defense units, displaced people, health clinics and schools when their power grid power has been attacked.

If you would like to get involved in their network of volunteers as they expand to other communities please visit their website. If you know of people or businesses that are upgrading their arrays to new solar equipment, please share how ESS can keep their old equipment out of the landfill.

https://www.equitablesolarsolutions.org/

Thank you all for following the journey

[journeyneverends]

October 6, 2024

Moosburg Germany

Stalag Luft VII-A

The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn’t even think to ask

Jeff Johnson

Dear Little Mosey:

I thought you may find these pictures interesting and some more information on the long march.

Here is how one source described the experience

The march, often referred to as the "Long March" or "Sagan March," took place in severe winter conditions. Approximately 10,000 prisoners were forced to march over 600 kilometers (about 370 miles) to Stalag Luft VII-A in Moosburg, Germany.

The conditions during the march were brutal, with many prisoners suffering from exposure, starvation, and exhaustion. The guards were often indifferent to the suffering of the POWs, and some prisoners were shot for falling behind or attempting to escape.

Here are some pictures of what is was like for your great step grandfather at the end of the long winter forced march.

Here is the road coming into Moosburg now

Conditions at the final camp were not good.

Each guy was issued a tag

Eventually the camp was liberated on April 29, 1945

I was able to see the original buildings

The morning after the end of my journey I noticed a girl with this tattoo. I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Here is a picture of your great step grandfather after he came back from the war. He went to school and got a law degree and went back into the air force with the Office of Special Intelligence ( OSI ). He then joined the JAG corp (Judge Advocate General) He eventually became a Lt. Colonel. Here is his picture.

I heard you have been under the weather. I hope you feel better soon.

Love you little buddy

[journeyneverends]

October 5, 2024

Moosburg Germany

The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.

Nikos Kazantzakis

Riding the last day. As I near the end.

Dear Little Mosey:

The sky is grey and the color of smoke and charcoal. There are rolling hills down to the river that runs through Moosburg. In the distance a sharp white steeple of a distant church points a finger skyward. Dark trees crown some of the distant hills. The road is wet and slick.

The corn stalks are yellow now, the color of straw. It is drizzling rain. I can see my breath at times.

I am close now to the end of the long march. I wonder what it will be like to come to the end. Long journeys can have a certain feeling when they are finished. I know I will see what is left of the barracks soon. Stalag Luft VII-A had 76,000 prisoners when it was liberated.

I don’t really know where to begin try to tell you what I was thinking about.

I do know that about 100,000,000 military people were in the Great War. About 80,000,000 civilians and soldiers died. Countless others were displaced or left with nothing.

When I would try to talk to your great step grandfather about courage he would always say, “the other guy had it worse” or “I was just doing my job”. He would also say that, “I was a small cog in a very big wheel”.

All the same I wondered what it was like to go from plowing a field with horses in a small Ohio village to commanding one of the most sophisticated and deadly flying machines of the time.

Just the flight from the United States to Italy via Africa was a major undertaking in those days.From being a farmer to a captain and an officer at 21 years old.

My 900 mile bike journey could not compare. I doubt it would be possible to understand what it was like either being a bomber pilot in the 15th Air-force or a POW. Perhaps that’s why those guys didn’t want to talk about it too much, people just couldn’t imagine much less understand. Or maybe they didn’t want to think about it.

I do know that when he returned from the long march he took a complete summer to paint a huge barn. I saw it. It would be a big job for even a big paint crew. Brush stroke by brush stroke.

One man a paint brush and a very tall ladder. Now I can guess that he was processing some of things that he saw and experienced. Friends he had lost. Parts of himself that were left behind in those distant lands.

Before every mission the pilots would put all of their belongings on their beds. This way if they didn’t make it back their friends could send them to the families. Your great grandfather would have done this 29 times.

The journey for me has been a time of reflection. The total mileage was about 900 and I touched Croatia, Bosnia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Austria, Poland and Germany.

In my small way it was a way I could honor an old friend that I still miss.

So long for now little buddy.

PS

I’ll send some more interesting pictures.

[journeyneverends]

10/04/2024

Regensburg, Germany

While wandering down the path of wonder, I briefly escape the world of separation and enter the world of unity.

Hermann Hesse

Dear Little Mosey

We are almost to the end of our journey. The bike I named “Curiouser” and I. Once again our path crossed the mighty Danube on the way south.

With any luck I should arrive late this afternoon at Stalag Luft VII-A, about 60 miles away.

There is rain in the forecast which may be only fitting for the closing chapter of this journey.

I’ll report in from there.

Love you little buddy

PS

Here is a picture of the big church coming into town

[journeyneverends]

October 2, 2024

Weiden in der Oberpfalz

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.

Melody Beattie

Dear little buddy:

Hope you are doing good. Today is a rest day. I realized I had been riding for seven days. The weather was cold and rainy so it was a good day to pause and reflect and give my body a rest.

If I don’t encounter trouble I have about three days of riding left. With any luck the weather will hold up but I found that even if it rains I can still be comfortable. I just need to find a way to dry my clothes each night.

I have had some good friends on this trip. The best is gratitude. As I wrote to my friend Jimmy it is often easy to slip into a negative state of mind. But thinking about how lucky I am is a fact. Judging things as good or bad can create problems for me if I’m not careful.

So I try to think about all of the things I’m grateful for during some part of the day.

I’m sure you like pictures so here are some from the last few days as I entered Bavaria Germany.

There was a big field of yellow flowers

I came across this market in the square in Chemnitz Germany. It made me very happy.

Love you little buddy and thanks again for picking me to be your grandfather.

[journeyneverends]

[journeyneverends]

09/30/2024

Plauen German

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool.

Richard Feynman

Dear little Mosey:

Thought i would start with one of my favorite quotes. I am at the part of my journey where it would be easy to stop and get on a train. This happens when it gets really hard.

I had never heard of the Elster or Ore mountains until yesterday. They are not big but boy do they have some steep parts. Luckily my mind and body are starting to get into shape.

Here is what my day looked like yesterday.

I have been making it a point to speak with German people about what it was like. At first I felt funny about it but as this couple said it’s good to talk about it. One thing is for sure that no matter how bad things were people were able to begin again. There is a lot of beauty here and optimism. I wonder if it’s because people went through so much and survived.

I had better get going before it gets too late.

Love you little buddy

PS

I saw this cool train made into a small B & B next to a river in a small valley.

[journeyneverends]

09/29/2024

Freiberg Germany

Little Mosey:

I continue to trace the approximate path that the POWs took during their forced march in the bitter winter of 1945.

Sometimes they were on foot and sometimes in rail cars that were so overcrowded that the men had to stand. I found a picture of what the prisoner cars looked like.

Some of the POW’s traded cigarettes for small sleds to pull their belongings through the snow.

In the museum they had original artwork of the march. Here is what one guy drew.

One account had the men marching over 20 miles in one day which is a lot even in good conditions. Most men lost 30-50 lbs before it was over. It is had to imagine some of the suffering the people in a war face.

I have been thinking what I could do as a remembrance for the POWs. Since they thought of food all the time I thought it would be a good idea to try to do something that helps with food donations. I’ll tell you my idea later.

Love you buddy

PS

Here are some interesting things I have seen.

The road between the camp and first town on border of Poland and Germany.

I had somehow forgotten my map of Germany which I use for back in case my phone dies. It made me uncomfortable with out a good map. Just before I crossed from Poland to Germany a Polish guy pulled me over on a back road to talk. I told him about my journey. Without asking he said you need a German map and gave his for a present.

[journeyneverends]

09-26-2024

Dresden Germany

Little Mosey

Yesterday I passed from Zagan Poland to Spremburg Germany. The first part of the long march. Almost 80 years ago to the day.

Here are a few pictures from the day.

I am sure that I passed some of the same buildings that were there 80 years ago.

I could only get a little feel for what it was like. After all, I was free. I wasn’t starving. I was warm and I had some idea of where I was going. All things that your great step grand father and all the others he was with didn’t have.

Love you little buddy

[journeyneverends]

09-25-24

Zagan Poland

Greetings little Mosey:

We made it to Stalag Luft III which is a prisoner of war camp located in the south western part of what is now Poland.

Although I have read some books about this place I learned a lot more by visiting the museum here.

It was emotional knowing my friend, your great grand stepfather, had arrived here 80 years ago today.

I took some pictures that may help understand the magnitude of everything.

Here is a list of men that shows his name at the top. You can see other prisoners, and information about them.

The camp held about 10,000 men. Some of the men thought it would be a good idea to try and build a tunnel to escape. This camp is famous for that.

None of the original buildings or barracks are still standing but some people have built a replica.

They found original furnishings, like tables, stoves, stools and beds in the nearby town that people had gathered over the years. It looked very original.

It gave us a good idea of what it was like physically.

Today I start the ride to the place where all of the prisoners were relocated. It is about 500 miles away. This was a long and difficult journey. As I may have mentioned before they started in the middle of the night on January 27, 1945. It was a record cold winter. The men were thin and weak from lack of food. Some of the men didn’t make it. I read that 80% got very sick.

I’ll send some more pictures of the camp and the journey as I go.

This all makes me grateful that I wasn’t in a war. I also feel like I wish I would have asked my friend more questions while he was still alive.

Love you little buddy

PS

This is a picture of your great step grandmother seeing her husbands name and what we wrote in the guest book.

[journeyneverends]

Here is a place to put letters. A person comes by and takes them to sort.

Here is a stamp. This one is to remind people of the Warsaw uprising. More than 200,000 polish people died more than all the american lives lost in WW I and Vietnam.

[journeyneverends]

Random photos from the journey

Dear Little Mosey:

I am in a town call Wrocław in south western Poland. Tomorrow we go tour the POW camp where your great step grandfather was sent after he was captured and interrogated at the Dulag Luft. While I had some time and a good internet connection I thought I would send along some pictures. It’s hard to send pictures if there is not a good connection.

Im not sure if you will be interested but it helps me remember the journey and some things I experienced.

A helpful train conductor

Old doors in Krakow

The only thing I find a little stressful about Poland is that you sometimes need to pay for the toilet in public places, like train station. Since I drank green tea I had to go. Here is the toilet lady booth at the Krakow train station. It’s only stressful if you don’t have the exact change. In this case 4.50pln or Polish Zloty. About $1.20 in USD

Train station in Budapest it could be the same one that your great step grandfather arrived at. It was built in 1884. There are 13 tracks.

I finished this book which follows the life of a man that had the same journey as your great step grandfather. He was in the same camp at the same time. I was able to learn a lot.

[journeyneverends]

September 16 to 19

Budapest to Krakow ( Almost )

Greetings from Ostrava Czech Republic

Dear little Mosey:

Sometimes when I wake up I never know what’s going to happen. That’s why it’s good to plan but be ready if things go differently.

The weather has been very very rainy. The rivers are swollen. I saw a great tree floating down the Danube River. The water was the color of chocolate.

I think the last letter was when we were leaving the Budapest train station in Hungary bound for Krakow Poland four hours away. It was supposed to have one stop.

It did indeed have one stop. There was a rumor was that a bus was to take passages around flooded parts of the tracks to the next station. There was much confusion. The storms were too great for even the big and powerful trains. It was still raining. These guys tried to find out the plan but everything was changing very quickly.

In the small crowded station people tried to get information but the lady only spoke in a strange language through a small hole behind some glass. I could tell it was starting to feel like a real adventure. The kind you didn’t know what could happen next.

Outside there was one bus but there were two buses worth of people and luggage. The driver also spoke in a language that no one understood. He was all wet. People were asking him questions but I don’t think he knew the answers. Even if he did they may not have understood. He was a big man with a white shirt on.

One couple, a man from Poland and a woman from Russia, had bikes like me. Everyone was standing in the rain when the first bus left.

Luckily we found we could get a taxi. But the driver didn’t like the idea of trying to put a bike in there much less three people and luggage. He spoke the Czech language too. But I was able to get him to think it was a good idea to put my bike, your great grand step mother and your step grandmother in the car. He even held an umbrella while I took the wheels off my bike. He got soaked too. It was all very refreshing.

Here is a picture of us in the car. I apologize but I always forget to take pictures when I’m in the middle of an adventure.

We decided to drive to the next bigger town which was about 100 miles away. But even some of the major highways were closed.

We got to the town and got a comfy little hotel. We gave the taxi driver some extra for all of his help. By the end of our ride we felt like friends.

It was an excellent adventure and I woke up in a country and town that I never thought I would visit. It may have been one of the best parts so far.

The next day we caught a bus and continued to Krakow. I was able to put my bike underneath.

It was a smooth and beautiful journey to a really neat old city.

Hope you are good little buddy.

Love you

[journeyneverends]

September 11-13

Budapest Hungary

Very Stormy weather

Greetings little Mosey:

Thank you for your patience.

Leaving Bratislava via train to Budapest. Most likely the way that prisoners would have been transported then to the Dulag Luft interrogation center in Budapest.

I am traveling with Erika and JoAnne, your step grandmother and great step grandmother, during this part of the journey. It turned out to be fortunate as the weather is cold and rainy.

This means I put my bike on the train and can relax a little bit. Here is my bike in the Budapest train station.

Today is 80 anniversary of the Colonels last mission. He managed to evaded for three days in Nitra Czech before being captured and taken to Budapest for interrogation. I imagine that it could be the same rail line.

These interrogations weren’t easy and lasted for days, weeks or months before the men were shipped to Stalag Luft III in Zagan western Poland. The men were kept in solitary confinement.

Love you little buddy

PS

Your diligence for training on the bike is incredible. Riding till you are completely exhausted is not easy.

[journeyneverends]

September 10-12

Bratislava to Nitra Slovakia

Dear Little Mosey:

It was September 13, 1944, 80 years ago tomorrow, that your great step grandfather flew his last mission. He did not know this when he woke up.

He spoke little of the war but since we shared a love for aviation he did tell me that in the morning the crew chief had told him that they had been working on his plane all night. That one of the engines was not making power. That he would not need to fly that day.

He told the mechanics that he would give it a go anyway and could always turn back. All of the aircraft crewmen felt a tremendous responsibility for each other. I have read accounts that few bomber crews in the 15th Air Force seldom turned back and would continue bombing runs even when shot up and bailout and or capture was inevitable. I call it courage but the colonel always said “I was just doing my job”.

My friend Dave, an expert aircraft mechanic and crew chief, thinks the ground crew forgot to service the engines with oil. This would be the only way that your great step grandfather would have experienced three of the four engines failing and going to flat pitch causing an uncontrollable run away.

Your great step grandfather was the last to leave his rapidly sinking aircraft. He managed to evade but was captured three days later and turned over to the Germans. The town of Nitra was in Czechoslovakia back then and had about 20,000 people.

I have found a 10 minute clip of a pilot that also flew B-17’s and went down on his 29th mission. It can give you some idea of what it must have been like. You may find it interesting.

Tomorrow I leave for Budapest where your great step grandfather was taken for interrogation. I am taking my bike on the train so I can follow and ride the 400-500 mile forced march from Stalag Luft III in Zagan Poland to Stalag Luft VII-A in Mooseburg Germany.

I will be sending another letter soon.

Love you little buddy

PS

I got this clip from your mom of you practicing your bike riding. Looks like you are putting a tremendous effort into it. Good job!

[journeyneverends]

September 8,2024

Bratislava Slovakia

Dear Little Mosey:

I am getting close to where your great step grandfather’s last mission ended before he was captured. Back in 1944 this country was called Czechoslovakia. Now it is called Slovakia.

I am having a rest day and exploring the city but wanted to take some time to tell you about what the last mission was like. Here is how his last day would have started.

A typical mission day for a B-17 bomber pilot in the 15th Air Force, based in Foggia, Italy, during September 1944, was tightly scheduled:

### Early Morning

- **O2:30 AM - Wake Up:** Pilots would start their day early. Get dressed

- **03:00 AM - Breakfast:** A quick meal of eggs, bacon, and coffee was served.

### Pre-Mission Activities

- **03:30 AM - Mission Briefing:** Intelligence officers provided details about the mission, including objectives and weather.

- **04:30 AM - Gear and Prep:** Pilots prepared their flight gear. Two pair of long underwear flight-suit, electric suits, flack jacket, parachute.

Ride to airplane

- **5:00 AM - Aircraft Inspection:** Pre-flight checks were conducted on the B-17s. This was done by pilots and crews. The crew chiefs would be there usually having worked all night.

### Mission Execution

- **06:00 AM - Takeoff:** Missions typically began around this time, lasting as many as 8-10’hours.

Here is what the cockpit of a B-17 looked like

His last mission was to Blechhammer oil refinery which was one of the most heavily defended targets. It was also far from Italy. Here is what it looked like flying in formation.

Temperatures at altitude of 30,000’ often got to -50 to -70 below zero.

Return and Debriefing

- **Afternoon - Return:** After landing, pilots participated in a debriefing to discuss the mission’s outcomes.

Often there were wounded aboard they had to go to hospital so it could be a long time before you what happened to your crew member, tent mate and friend.

Before every mission each guy put all of his things on his bed in case he didn’t make it back. This would be returned to the family.

Evening

The day ended with dinner and downtime to try to unwind.

Once in position most crew members were restricted to their areas.

There are times when they did this 3-4 days in a row. I am not sure how a person could do this. It must have been terribly stressful. When I have problems I think about how hard other people have had it. Then I feel very luck even when things don’t go right.

Love you little buddy

PS

Today I ride to meet your step grandmother and her mom. We will travel to where your great step grandfather had to bail out and was captured. This began his journey as a POW.