Life is not a Practice

It snowed in the night so Max and I were stood waiting for the lifts to open in Oberjoch at 08:30. The piste bullys were still at work so we had to wait another quarter of an hour until we could hit the deep snow.



The snow was deep but very heavy - "leg breaker snow" as a local said. I fell over each time I went off piste. Max fell over only once but I had my camera out :-)



More photos at https://picasaweb.google.com/103827427036815679772/Winter201112#

Max and I out early. In to Tannheimertal and then up above the clouds. Perfect pistes with 10cm of new snow on top. A great two hours before the tourists woke up.

And then in the evening I walked up the local mountain with my friends, drank Glühwein and then sledged back down again in the dark.



It really is a tough life in the mountains.

Snow, sun and fun! Another morning out with the boys on our skis. This time we went to the Hahnenkamm ( http://www.reuttener-seilbahnen.at/ )



Max ran out of piste while moving at well over 60kmh. He flew a long way but eventually hit the ground and ended up laughing.



After the skiing some one drove in to the side of our (3 week old) car but no problems. He said sorry and gave a bottle of red wine :-)

More photos at https://picasaweb.google.com/103827427036815679772/Winter201112#

Christmas morning off piste in Austria. The "boys" were out playing. New powder and no people.



We went to the Füssener Jöchl http://lifte-graen.com/

Pictures at https://picasaweb.google.com/103827427036815679772/Winter201112#

At last the snow is here so the bike is packed away in the garage and the snow board is out. Was on the slopes with my South African colleague - Grant - today.



Deep, fresh snow and no people. Great fun!

More pictures at https://picasaweb.google.com/103827427036815679772/Winter201112#

Some days you just can't help but look out the window instead of at the laptop.



Its a tough life in the mountains.

Last weekend in November and still "summer". Jon and I out round the Grüntensee on our race bikes.



Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=kxxnroyiwdojubca 24km and 200hm

And then in the afternoon I went swimming with the boys (and girls who turned up later). It's a tough life in the mountains!

Sunday morning with the race bike through the sunny but empty Allgäu countryside. 24km and 200hm

Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=xacisrwbrkcqxmmq

A quick training ride with Jon on our race bikes. Sun was shining but still cold. 23.5km and 200hm.



Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=uwhbqombllhratcp

Jon's back brakes were rubbing all the way so it was a bit of extra training for him :-)

March around town. Church. March to war memorial. Lunch and a few beers. After a morning of "doing my duty", I took my mountain bike up the mountain.



On the way up I managed to bend something that stopped the gears switching properly and caused the switcher to rub on the tyre so I turned round and followed the forest track down to Bayerstetten.

Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=pvpmhauhroxsfqpu

Nesselwang was in beautiful sun but I could see the clouds that were covering the rest of Germany.

My "standard" race bike route. An hour round the Grüntensee. Still no sign of snow.



Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=rvipfffymeaglocu

Another sunny day so today I decided to do a bit of mountain biking (always these decisions). From home up to the top of our local mountain - the Alpsitz. From the top I followed the path down the ridge and then the amazing single trail to Bayerstetten. Steep, rocky, wet and muddy. Great fun!



Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=zxnmwzszbtrhiosj

Saturday afternoon and all the family were off in different directions to go shopping and in the cinema. The temperature was just right for shorts and short tricot and the roads were nearly empty as all the tourists are not here :-)



To Sonthofen and then up the Jochpass to Oberjoch. From there through the Tannheimertal (reaching 1170 m above sea level) and the back through Pfronten.

76kms with 860m of climbing. Great fun!

Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=tuwzcbvggcbjkttk

Thursday evening and 12km "nordic walking" in the dark.

Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=wcgglqvobixbbhwh The track is "only" 10km because I created it "roughly" in GPSies.