Home in the "Bergischen"

 I've driven up this hill likely 10000 times in the years we've lived here, never enjoying the view. Well, as the thick forest's trees are now cut due to the "Borkenkäfer" (bark beetle), one can see so much. 

Looking down the valley, across the countryside, how nice the view is. The road up to our little village Hohkeppel is steep if you come from this valley. Over 20% in grade. In fact some of the older Ford guys used to tell me that prior to having their own proving grounds in Lommel, they used to test the brakes of the prototypes right here, in Hohkeppel, driving up this hill.
When it snows I sometimes cannot make it up the hill prior to the snow plows doing their work. On those nights I've walked up the hill, pitch black, terrified that someone in a four wheel drive car or truck racing up the hill would not see me. 
Today, once again traveling up the hill, I noticed the beauty, stopped and took some pictures.