Crazy duo: on the road by tricycle

First of all, who and what is Walli?
Franz: Walli is a ‘Krause Duo’ – an East German vehicle for people with disabilities that could be purchased on health insurance. However, disabled people can’t actually drive it. We seriously wonder how a physically challenged person would be able to control this thing without ending up in a ditch in the first few yards.

Johannes: We discovered the orange wonder in a classified ad just around the corner from us. Apart from the fact that the engine wasn’t running properly and the gearbox was spongy, Walli was in fairly good condition.

How did you come up with the idea of travelling in such a vehicle?
J: Like most stupid ideas, this one came from Franz. (laughs) He had his heart set on this vehicle and wanted to go somewhere you could surf.

F: We had used a Duo before during our film shoot for ‘SIMPLY THE WORST’. We are both fans of mopeds and two-stroke engines. Everyone knows the old Simsons now, so the Duo was the perfect choice.

How did you finance your trip?
J: Through crowdfunding and digging deep into our own pockets. The city of Dresden also provided a small amount of funding, as did a few minor sponsors and companies in our area.

Why go to the last bratwurst stand before America?
F: We are two crazy guys and needed a destination that was at least as bizarre. We wanted to go to Cabo de São Vicente, the most south-western tip of Europe. That’s where this sausage stand is. Unfortunately, it was closed when we got there due to the pandemic.

This wasn’t your first crazy trip, right?
J: We have already travelled to Slovakia in a Trabi and twice to Sardinia on Simson mopeds to climb the Aguglia di Goloritzè. Twice because on the first trip to Rome all our equipment was stolen – including our memory cards – so all the material was gone.

How did you choose your route to Portugal?
J: We didn’t. The main goal was clear, but we didn’t think about how to get there. The plan was to take as direct a route as possible on country roads. We wanted to avoid motorways and toll roads as much as possible. We definitely wanted to take the Duo over the Pyrenees to prove that it could do something like that.

F: Our route led across the Czech Republic via Bavaria to France. Then over the Pyrenees to Spain and across the Spanish plain to the Portuguese border. That was the provisional end of the line because the crossing was still closed due to the pandemic. We were surprised to discover that we had been travelling much too fast. So we drove around Portugal to the Spanish Atlantic coast and were then able to enter. We explored the entire coastline to go surfing and climbing.

Was there an overarching goal for this trip?
F: First of all, we wanted to reach the Cape alive and make another film out of it. We always plan some activities when we travel, for example climbing a peak. But this time it was all about getting down there with Walli. Of course, we still wanted to climb and surf.

J: When we kick-start a project, it’s about the adventure, about the journey into the unknown. Hence this vehicle. We are familiar with Simson mopeds, but the Duo was like a UFO for us – the perfect challenge. We wanted to prove that, with a little knowledge, you can get to your destination no matter the vehicle.

What were you able to take with you in the Duo?
J: We modified the vehicle a little and stiffened the roof frame so that we could load our surfboards onto it. All the spare parts were behind our backs, as well as around nine litres of mixing oil. The passenger had a large backpack between his legs. We used the sleeping bags as headrests and the camping mats as armrests. We also had hammocks, a navigation system and cooking equipment with us. We hung our camera equipment just behind our heads. Then we added a luggage rack to which we could attach two panniers full of clothes.

Did you have many breakdowns?
F: No, not really. Walli was hopelessly overweight, so we expected the worst. The main issues arose because we couldn’t resist doing a few tricks like drifting on gravel roads. That broke the spokes and hubs.

J: Exactly, I had a quick look at YouTube videos to learn how to fix spokes and centred the wheels in a car park using two camera tripods. Apart from that, the carburettor was constantly going crazy, due either to the extreme differences in altitude and temperature or bad fuel.

What were your greatest challenges?
F: We totally underestimated the Rhône Alps as our ADAC maps didn’t show the elevation profile. The Duo was overheating and we became more and more nervous. It was quite a job managing the situation without Walli blowing up in our faces.

J: Even sticking to the route was mentally and physically draining: sitting in the narrow carriage for 14 to 16 hours a day, mustering the concentration and strength to keep the handlebars straight. You always have to countersteer due to the left-hand drive. We were completely exhausted after three to five hours at the most. The many roundabouts in France were also a huge problem, and there were speed bumps every few metres: I kept banging my head against the surfboard.

What did a typical day consist of?
J: Getting up at first light. If we had driven longer hours, for instance until three or four in the morning, we would sometimes stay in bed longer. Then we’d have breakfast, make tea, drink an energy drink and head off, driving for hours until night fell again. That was the best way to do it, so we mostly pushed through. We had a great time when we reached Portugal. We stopped to go surfing and climbing, to indulge in the local culture and to see the sights.

F:  I mostly drove in the morning because the midday low hit me after 2 pm, and Hannes drove until the night. Then I would drive for a few more hours, as long as I could stand it. In between we subsisted on energy drinks and convenience food because we wanted to use every second to make headway. We only had four weeks because I wanted to be back in Dresden in time for my son’s birthday.

How did people react to you along the way?
F:  They were always friendly and curious. Some people would just scratch their heads at the sight of the Duo, but the Czechs, for example, were really happy because they knew what it was. In Germany people were more distant, but in France they would stand on the side of the road cheering us on. That was pretty cool. The Portuguese were rather cautious, the Spanish enthusiastic. Many asked if it was a tuk-tuk.

J: Every now and then we had trouble with the police because we had to drive on the motorway. But the Guardia Civil was very nice and actually just wanted to take a look and get to know us. A quick check of the papers and that was it.

What is your favourite memory?
F: When they opened the border between Spain and Portugal. This whole trip was also aimed at escaping the gloom of the pandemic and getting active again. Then you’re back behind bars again in Portugal. That made finally being allowed into the country even more cathartic.

J: For me, it was the return journey via the Czech Republic, where numerous two-stroke fans cheered us along on their mopeds. They had been following our trip on Facebook and Instagram. It was an uplifting feeling to be home again.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to travel with a Duo?F: Don’t do it! If you head off on a Duo, you might as well put your will in the panniers. It’s really irresponsible to drive something like that. (grins)

Does that also apply to you, or are you already planning the next trip with Walli?F: We’re not planning anything as yet, but once, when we were in high spirits, we talked about maybe taking her to Africa. Walli made it to Portugal, so why wouldn’t it make it to Africa?