Training Log Archive: PrueD

First attempt at a run in some time (due to sickness, travel etc) and every bit of my legs hurt. Jet lag is also a problem with both head and body thinking they are still in Europe and it is the middle of the night.

Austria was, of course, absolutely gorgeous. However, the last week was spent in Salzburg and Munich, and the heat was oppressive. Nothing in the environment looked quite right in the heat. Even the Mozartklugen were all melted. I have lots of observations, but am too tired to write about them all today.

One was that the description of menu items in many respectable restaurants lost something in the translation to English. 'Stuffed sheep's stomach with stewed cabbage' being one of the more notable.

C • Travel delights 3

Walk up and down the river at either end of Lake Hallstatt

Krippenstein, Five Fingers and Heilbronner. Trip up in the gondola and then a wonderful walk through rugged rocky karst landscape scattered with snow patches.

Beautiful river walk at Bad Aussee!

Bus trip up to Gossau and gondola trip up the Dacbstein mountains and down a ridge line.

Around the edge of the lake at Hallstatt.

Visit to the salt mines at Hallstatt, and watched a 210km MTB race with 2400m of climb, in the pouring rain. The riders were covered in mud from head to foot. The salt mines looked much better.

Walk up the river at Hallstatt in the rain.

Wall around the lake at Fuschlsee. Beautiful scenery around a warm lake.

We're staying at Stroble on Lake Wolfgangsee, and today caught a ferry across the lake and then caught a tramway up the mountain to look at the view. We came down again and then walked 12 km along a pilgrim's trail. I am fast coming to the conclusion that a 'pilgrimage' in the olden days was another word for a holiday in the sun by a beautifully warm lake (which must have a hot spring in it somewhere to maintain its 22.9 degree temperature).

I met my sister and extended family in Stroble and today we walked 21 km from Stroble to Bad Ischl in the rain. The mountains aren't as tall here as in Seefeld, but the forest was just as lovely and the gardens beautiful. It is so wet here that it feels like winter.

Fairly challenging walk in the mountains at Seefeld. I found the narrow slippery paths, with a dropoff, fairly intimidating and was very slow. A bunch of young gun runners wearing Inov8s passed me, and seemed to be having no trouble. Sometimes boots are a hindrance, rather than a help, and l certainly didn't feel fit (having a cold doesn't help). There were a of of older Europeans on the trail, but they all sported the best of gear and looked trim and fit. Although it never ceased to surprise me when the occasional one pulled out a cigarette and started smoking mid walk.
The scenery was out of this world and erosion gullies the biggest and steepest l've seen.

(Sung to the tune of Me and Mrs Jones).. Me and Mr E. Bike ...we've got a thingggg....going on..... I think l'm in love. 35 kms of rough mountain tracks. The e-bike went straight up the steepest of hills without faltering. It was a fantastic day, with stunning mountain scenery and gorgeous forests. Knee is sore now though.

C • Hitching 3

The forecast was for storms today, so I didn't hire the bike today. As it turned out, there were a few claps of thunder and no rain. But l went for a big walk instead, which included several steep diversions resulting from navigational errors. The walking maps here are pretty woeful, and l don't think l would be too good orienteering here either. However the scenery was a joy, and the wildflowers beautiful. But the highlight was the cow bells, which l could hear as l approached the meadows. Such a beautiful sound.
There was also the sound of music - 100-odd members of the Arizona College brass band, plus another 100 hangers-on thought Seefeld was in need if a visit and entertained all the tourists last night.
On the downside, my feet were a bit sore and l'm still sick.

Walk around Seefeld, which is a bit bigger and steeper in parts than it seemed under snow. My knee was a bit sore, so l checked out the bikes for hire and e-MTB seem really popular, so l am considering that, as it would mean l could go so much further (and l am advised that you do still need to pedal, or the bike stops).

The train trip here was awesome: the mountains looked fantastic - really steep and rough. Unfortunately my ailment is no better and possibly a bit worse, which is why the e-bike sounds a good idea.

C • Seefeld 2

Arrived in Munich yesterday and off to Seefeld (Tyrol) on the train today. The weather is humid and there were storms in the night, with more predicted for the coming week. Shame, as electrical storms are not the best for walking in the Alps (l keep thinking of those poor giraffes).

Had a good flight, despite the lurgy and a very loud, drunk young girl behind me. The flight attendants refused to serve her any more wine and very publicly threatened to ban her from further air travel (they couldn't exactly throw her off).

I had an over wing window seat from Doha to Munich and had enough of a view to see the scenery in north western Iran and south eastern Turkey. The pilot also tipped the plane over a bit as we flew over the best bits (not sure this was for us to see the view, but it seemed that way). What absolutely gorgeous rugged mountains, with seeming endless snow capped isolated mountain ranges. Anyone want to come on a tour of NW Iran or eastern Turkey?

C • Scenery 4