The Keg, the Bike and the Fasching Parade

Riding a bicycle with a keg of bier mounted on the front of the bike is harder than you might think. It becomes progressively more difficult if you are riding the bike in a parade, providing glasses of bier to people you pass, and also occasionally sampling the bier yourself.

In 1987, when our German friend, Berthold, asked me to march in the local Fasching Parade, I was honored. Fasching is the German version of Mardi Gras and is a big to-do, particularly in the Catholic regions of the country. We had attended numerous Fasching Parades and parties during our first tour in Germany, but I had never actually been a parade participant.

Here in the States, we celebrate Mardi Gras on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. In Germany, the Fasching parties always occurred on RosenMontag (Shrove Monday), two days before Ash Wednesday. During our first tour in Germany, I learned the wisdom of taking a vacation day on Shrove Tuesday. Let’s just say the Germans know how to party on RosenMontag, and I may have over-served myself on occasion.

In the spring of 1987, we had lived in Rheindürkheim for almost a year and a half. We’d started to integrate in the little village and had several local friends. One of those friends was Berthold, who later became our landlord.

Berthold had an idea for the upcoming Fasching Parade, and he asked me, and our mutual friend Michael (pronounced Mish-I-Ell in German) to join him. Rather than just dressing as clowns, marching in the parade and throwing candy or trinkets to the crowd, we would hand out something the crowd actually wanted – Bier. Michael and I looked at Berthold and we both started to smile.

The problem was how to haul the keg with us. We talked about using a wagon, or a hand truck, either of which would work. Berthold had something else in mind. We would mount the keg on a bicycle. The front of the bicycle. The overall effect of a clown riding a bike with a keg attached did seem to elevate the comedic effect we were looking for.

Berthold built a small wood platform we could mount on the front of the bike. It would keep the keg steady (well, steadier) as we rode.

The big day came, we mounted the platform to the bike, set the keg on the platform, and then tied the keg to the bike. More importantly, we tapped the keg. It was a local bier from Worms, called Eichbaum Pils (Oak Tree Pils). I have to say, it tasted pretty good that morning.

It turned out the operation truly was a three-man job. One to ride the bike, one to help keep the bike and rider steady and upright, particularly when slowing or stopping, and one to pour and hand out the biers. We practiced a bit, and were ready for the big parade.

The “big parade” is perhaps, a bit of an overstatement. With about 1,000 people in Rheindürkheim, you were either in the parade, or lined up along the street watching. We walked the bike on some backstreets through town to where the parade started by the Catholic Church. When we arrived, there were floats from a Gasthaus or two, marching groups, a butcher shop on wheels, the local Fasching club, a band, assorted schools and civic organizations, people dressed as clowns… and us.

We were an immediate hit. Several people who were participating in the parade came to our bike for a glass of bier to go. The parade started, and off we went down the Main Street of town. Things were moving so slowly, we generally just pushed the bike, although we all got on the bike and did circles around a couple of the floats a time or two – purely in the interest of generating anticipation in the crowd. Of course, there were also those in the crowd who were generous, and traded shots of schnapps for one of our biers… 😉

The parade eventually came to an end. We hadn’t killed the keg, so the three of us each had one more bier. By then, I wasn’t feeling much pain. I took the route of prudence and went home for a nap. The Fasching Party that night was starting in only a few more hours and I needed to rest up.

Monday, February 15th is RosenMontag this year. While I have no plans to ride a bicycle with, or without, a keg, I will raise a toast to Berthold, Michael and our other friends in Rheindürkheim.

Prost und viel Spass, meine Freunden!

(Cheers and much fun, my friends!)

_______________________

Addendum:

Here’s another blog about our experiences with Fasching in 1988 and ‘89: https://mnhallblog.wordpress.com/2019/02/22/the-fasching-parade-and-party/

Interestingly, WordPress just informed me this is my 200th Blog. When I started this 5 years ago, I didn’t know how long I’d stay at it. I’m happy to say that I still enjoy the writing, and like the challenge of improving, so, will keep this going, at least for awhile.