#15: [28-Aug-22]

#12: [30-Oct-19]

#13: [01-Sep-22]

#11: [11-Jun-18]

#10: [30-Jul-15]

#9: [22-Aug-14]

#8: [02-Jan-10]

#7: [04-Apr-09]

#4: [12-Jun-04]

#3: [17-Apr-04]

#2: [18-Jan-04]

#5: [07-Apr-02]

#1: [06-Jan-01]

#14: [18-Jun-16] (incomplete)

20-Apr-2008 -- Driving from our home in Zurich (Switzerland) to my auntie in Munich for a weekend trip, visiting the confluence was not much of a deviation. I prepared quite well for this visit, studying the best route and reading all previous reports. However, I didn’t tell Elionora about my plans. So when we left the Autobahn A96 at Aitrach, I pretended to have a break on the long drive. But when I failed to find the correct road towards Rot an der Rot, which caused the necessity to make a u-turn, she quickly figured my intention to visit a confluence.

We passed through the historical town of Rot an der Rot. In the centre of town pretty murals can be seen. They belong to the economy building of the former Premonstratensian monastery - nowadays referred to as Rot Abbey. From Rot, it is 3 km to the confluence. A county road leads to the village Spindelwag (1 km from the confluence). From there a direct approach was not possible, because the road was closed due to construction. It took us quite a deviation via scattered farmhouses until we reached the Confluence Ranch.

The location itself is on the central square of a farm – exactly in-between the cowhouse, residents’ house and the garages. When we arrived, the farmer was on the courtyard chatting with a guest who was about to leave (this guest was obviously not a confluence hunter!). Interestingly, I recognised the farmer already from several pictures taken of him on previous visits. So I directly approached him as if I was familiar with him. Clearly, he knew about the project and welcomed me to take pictures. His daughter had much fun in navigating us to the exact location using my GPS receiver (#picture 1). She then let us have a view in the cow stable and showed us proudly her rabbit. We enjoyed our time with the kids, before we left the farm in order to continue our trip to Munich.

CP visit details:

• Time at the CP: 19:20 p.m.
• time: 0.2 min from across the road where our KA was parked, 25 min from leaving the interstate A96
• hiking distance: 27 m (beeline)
• Distance to a road: 20 m
• Distance to a track: 20 m
• Distance to houses: 3 m (Eastern wall of the farmer’s residence)
• Topography: rolling hills, on a hill.
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 0 m
• Position accuracy at the CP: 4 m
• GPS height: 655 m
• Vegetation: On the farm gravel, surrounded by some grass. General area 50% spruce forest, 50% agriculture
• Weather: overcast, 14° C
• Description of the CP: In Upper Swabia, state of Baden-Württemberg. District of Bieberach. Town of Rot an der Rot, Village Spindelwag. Upper Spindelwag is called Berg and consists of a couple scattered farm houses. The confluence is located directly in the courtyard of an active farm. It is a little elevated above the river Rot. Views in the Rot valley are possible.
• Given Name: The Farmer’s Courtyard Confluence