Girls' Day Out

Since we arrived in June, my friend Sylvia (former student; photos below) has been trying to get me to go with her on a cable car to Osterfelderkopf another nearby mountain at the base of Alpspitze. An avid skier, Sylvia has made the trip many times in the winter with lots of snow but never in the summer. Friday was the day!

We boarded the Alpspitzbahn (cable car) with about 15 other people and a dog. As we took off we had a perfect view of the "hay barns" we mentioned in one of our first posts. (By the way, loose, not baled, hay is inside the barns).

The little village of Grainau (left) which we have visited many times dramatically shrank in size as the mountains (still with snow) loomed.

On the way up Sylvia felt the difference between looking down at deep (soft) snow in winter and this time looking down at the hard, jagged. craggy rocks below!

The first thing we noticed on our arrival at the lift station at the Osterfelderkopf  station was the newly opened AlspiX Viewing Platform. The views are amazing--and it's a little unnerving to stand at the top looking way down--especially when the viewing platform sways when the wind blows! 

In addition to the viewing platform there is also a "Summit Adventure Trail" to teach about some of the wildlife up at that elevation.

Part of the education is an "all-weather book" with thick, rubber (?) pages  and lots of fascinating information--very cool. Behind the book is a sign-in guest book that had not yet been used so Sylvia and I were the first! Can you read it? 

A couple of young boys were being taken up by a experienced paragliders. It was exciting to watch the process from preparation to take off--and after. An amazing sight!

Before we headed down the wide but steep trail (left), we watched some serious climbers (right) head for Alpspitze, a much higher peak. Note the harnesses and helmets they are wearing.

Based on the number of lounges at the station (left) you can see that lounging in the sun is a favorite way for German skiers and climbers to rest--and a good photo op for us!

Although the trail down was different from every other trail there were still familar themes: beautiful flowers, interesting rock formations, strollers (Now that is something I have never seen on an American trail!), friendly people and hiking sticks and . . .

herds of cows with their melodious and continuous chorus of cow bells. I wish you could year them--sounds like what I imagined the world of Heidi and her Alm-Uncle to be when I read the book years ago. 

This trip added a couple of new experiences: 1) We lost the trail somehow (bad news) but Sylvia knew the ski path so we found our way back through the meadows (good news) and 

2) Apparently after 5 weeks of hiking, biking, and climbing, my knees decided to revolt and I started having significant pain in both knees--especially with the pressure from the steep descent (bad news).

After trying several alternative methods of walking (backwards down the hill, zig-zagging back and forth, using Sylvia as a crutch, etc.) true nurse (and biologist) that she is, Sylvia took her botany book and an exercise band band to splint the worst knee, then used some sort of Slovakian gauze roll to wrap the other knee. She also found a sturdy stick and I was mobile again (good news). No more disparaging comments about hiking sticks; I want a pair!

If you were able to read my entry in the guest book above, you will know that Friday was also Bob's birthday. Thanks to Sylvia's kitchen and generosity we celebrated Saturday afternoon with some yummy chocolate cake with cherry filling.

Bob and I also had plans to eat at a restaurant in town that evening but since it was raining (and bicycles are our means of transportation) we decided to continue the birthday celebration today.