Posting an original story after a great ride has become increasingly difficult over the years. Firstly, because we've done this often enough here, especially on our classics page, and are so reluctant to repeat ourselves. We also don't want to keep wallowing in new superlatives or texting every now and then who just said/did/didn't do or forgot something great. There doesn't have to be a big drama either, you can't sell every ride into the neighborhood as an epic event. And if the good pictures are missing, which underline such a trip as super class, really great and something special where they were again, it gets even more complicated.

So let's keep it short and straight to the point: we had fun. From the beginning. Paul Sneeboer from BlueOn and his wife Astrid arrived on Friday, so we were able to score again with a delicious and boozy start to the weekend at Olio. Great food, really good beer and wine, so the first basis for the trip was already laid. And we didn't have to continue with Altbier, like we did with our guests at the Rapha MCC the other day.

On Saturday morning we had a walk-in breakfast in the cap before our guests arrived. A few visitors from the Netherlands and new faces of the local cycling posse mingled with permanent guests, our courtyard was full of bikes. Peter Rueben from the local time Düsseldorf was grateful for the Dutch accent of his interviewees, after all one can be a little happy when our western neighbors, who are a few years ahead of us in every respect when it comes to cycling, come to Düsseldorf to cycle here.

After registering and splitting up into groups, all participants were on time in the courtyard, brief announcements from the group leaders followed, and then we started. We almost did the trick of the unplanned union a la up and down round again, but the "Doppio intravenous" team was able to escape at a red traffic light before the espresso troupe could switch to the big sheet, which in turn was a few hundred meters later was caught up by the Grupetto Cappuccino. But we kept to ourselves, small groups are an integral part of the Giro Di Caffè concept.

According to the guidelines issued beforehand, each team drove its planned route at a reasonable pace, everyone was hilly and, as far as one could judge on the return, had a lot of fun. Because everyone could ride a route chosen at whim on calf pain.

The team of the 90-kilometer lap would like to take a moment here Mika's ice box Greet Kettwig in Essen, not only was the bottle refill service great, Kettwig mocha with Ruhrwasser was also delicious. We will be back.

After the calm of the low-traffic farm roads and small streets in the surrounding area, the traffic chaos in Düsseldorf brought us back to earth on a Saturday afternoon. The Kö with its noisy matt black 450,000 hp car traffic jam together with snapping kippers presents itself as a parcour of loud mobile vanities. Who likes it...

After all the participants had returned, our inner courtyard showed itself from its best side, the sun laughed with the organizers and graduates of the Alleycats, which was taking place at the same time in Düsseldorf, in a bet, there were salads and drinks under umbrellas and drivers with bare feet and broad grins in the Face. Had something from vacation...

Conclusion: Premiere successful. We are already looking forward to the next visit from Paul and Astrid and the Giro Di Caffè in Düsseldorf. Paul had so much fun on Saturday's tour that he had to conquer the surrounding hills again in the direction of Langenberger Sender on Sunday. And according to his own statement, he now has to come back every week because his home territory in North Holland has too few hills to offer. It would be a great pleasure for us if we could do a lap together again by October at the latest. in Bella Italia.

As Paul says: "If it's not on Strava, it didn't happen". Therefore, you can find the data for all three routes on Strava.

Next date: Stutenbeiken on June 21, 2015. By women for women.