Off-roading the Wine Route (Route du Vin)

What d'ya know, we're stuck!
I guess our sporty little BMW, equipped with snow tires, is still no match for 'off-roading' the Route du Vin. Our attempt to find a recommended, family-run restaurant for lunch called (Auberge) St. Alexis, in Kaysersberg, forced us to do the hike we only half-heartedly mentioned doing, but didn't seriously mean it. The restaurant, if you can get to it, is situated in an opening in the forest about 6 km to the north west and about 350 meters higher than Riquewihr, the nearest town. I still really want to try it and it would be nice to do a (planned) hike up to it! We also heard it is approachable from the top too so you don't have to go all the way up this windy, hilly road (but what fun would that be?)

I forgot how to say 'We're Stuck' in German or French, but thought it would be nice to leave a note since we were blocking the only road down..

There's my friend.. in charge of finding help up the mountain, while I scope out the deserted home across the way..see her...the little spec in the middle.








The only signs of life around us as we sat pondering just how we would even make it back down the same road we'd just come up let alone make it anywhere for lunch, were 2 barking dogs, a mule and a cute, spunky sheep! Luckily we were prepared for a hike, although I don't think we fully intended on actually taking one, we had no choice but to wander back down the several kilometers or so to seek help. I'll let the pictures tell the story..










Signs of human life finally approach, some nice older men on their daily 5k walk..we recruit them to help push the car out (and a 3rd even though he walked with a cane..what the heck)









I'm nervous.. getting orders in french and german by old men (another was blocked by our car and came out to offer his assistance too, also assisted by a cane...aren't there any men under the age of 70 around here?!)









Success! 4 very nice, old men and Carole push me out of the snowy ditch and I managed to back down the hill in reverse (not an easy feat for me, as a few friends who have experienced my 'skills' would attest to!) Unfortunately, none of them were winemakers (Never hurts to ask!)
One of my happiest days (now)...









So back to that Wine Route... 'Weinstrasse'... Route du Vin... whatever I just wanna get on it at this point!