Bratwurst Bandits Wiebke & Knut

We are Wiebke and Knut from Lower Saxony in Germany. After having visited the USA several times, we decided to take a bit more time to get to know the country and its people. And so, in 2023, the idea was born to travel around the USA in our own motorhome.

We warmly invite you to share our experiences.

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About us

We are Wiebke and Knut Harms, residing in the beautiful city of Oldenburg, nestled in the heart of Lower Saxony. Lower Saxony, situated in northern Germany, is close to the North Sea.

To give you a geographical context: Oldenburg is 170 km (106 miles) from Hamburg, 450 km (280 miles) from Berlin, 460 km (286 miles) from Ramstein, and 760 km (472 miles) from Munich.

Wiebke is a therapist specializing in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and operates her own practice, while Knut is engaged in business training as an educator and runs an independent publishing firm.

Since meeting in 1995, we’ve embraced an active lifestyle of travel in our leisure time.

Our journeys have taken us across various European destinations such as Portugal, Scottland, Spain, Netherlands, and Scandinavia, allowing us to immerse in diverse cultures and connect with locals.

After years on a sailing ship, we switched to a motorhome in 2011. In 2016, we fulfilled our dream of building our own custom motorhome.

After visiting the United States multiple times, we decided to travel the country with our own motorhome.

Where we come from?

We come from the north of Germany. The town of Oldenburg, with a population of 130,000, is located near Bremen and Hamburg. From Oldenburg, it is about 560 km (348 miles) to Ramstein, 730 km (454 miles) to Munich, and 480 km (298 miles) to Berlin.

From Germany to USA?

Bringing our own motorhome from Europe to the USA requires considerable preparation. We need to book the route from Emden to Baltimore and back from Jacksonville to Emden, secure insurance, and complete numerous formalities. And now, our journey from June 2024 to January 2025 begins.

Route 2024/25

• Starting Baltimore (MA)
• Heading to the Nord (NC, VA, PA, NY, NH, ME)
• Going to the west (QC, ON, MB, SK, AB, BC)
• West Coast (WA, OR, NV, CA)
• Back to East Coast (AZ, NM, TX, OK, AR, LA, MS, AL, GA, FL)

At all we planned around 20.000 Kilometers (12.500 Miles)

Bucket-List USA

• Eat a Po’boy in New Orleans
• Visit Niagara Falls
• Go Horseback Riding in Oregon
• Drink Cocktails in Florida
• Collect Shark Teeth at the atlantic coast
• Watch a Baseball Game in Los Angeles
• Whale Watching on Vancouver Island
• Take a Selfie at the Golden Gate Bridge
• and much more.“

The truck-project

Our new camper needed to be robust, stylish, and modern. More importantly, we wanted to have a deep understanding of its construction. This led us to our truck, which had a previous life as a flower delivery vehicle. We embarked on a 374-day DIY project with this highly insulated truck from the renowned German brand MAN.

• MAN TGL 8.180
• Size: 323 x 100 x 134 inch
• Fully Self-Contained
• Consumption: 13 Miles per Gallon

Why Bratwurst Bandits an what´s Einraumwohnung?

The meaning of Einraumwohnung ist „one-room-apartment“. In the past, the term was used
predominantly in eastern Germany. and because Einrauwohnung is so difficult to pronounce abroad, we are the Bratwurst bandits.

What germans love!

• Straight communication
• Punctuality
• Mustard
• Autobahn
• Beer
• Cars
• Oktoberfest
• Bratwurst

That´s why you find us at at www.bratwurst-bandits.com

Our Favorite Sausage Recipe

Shopping List

• 2 coarse bratwursts
• 400 ml cider
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• ½ apple
• 1 tbsp butter

Preparation

First, grill or fry the sausages. Meanwhile, cut the onion and apple into thin slices. Then set the sausages aside. In a pan, fry the onions and apple in some butter and caramelize with the sugar. Now add the sausages to the apple-onion mixture, pour in the cider, and heat until the broth starts to simmer lightly. Then let the sausages steep (not boil) in it for 20 minutes.

Serve the sausages with the onions and apple. A tasty mustard goes well with this. Or try as a perfect hot dog.