Life is not a Practice

The weather forecast was rain, rain and rain but after breakfast it was still dry so Caro and I went for a mountain bike ride to the Allatsee.



There was a storm blowing from the West which helped us get there but made the way back slow and hard work.

40km with 650 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=hpqtjfymsqlqmygh

More pictures at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+NeillHogarth/albums/6123509302367272865

A sunny Saturday so in the afternoon I took my road bike out for a spin. Headed away from the mountains and away from the snow. Mostly on road except for a dirty excursion through the woods "Fuchsbau" near Wildpoldsried.



It was a "regenerative energy trip" as I passed solar panels, a wood driven power station, Biogas power plants and wind generators.



Once I reached Sulzberg station I couldn't get excited about the climb to Bodelsberg so I caught the train home.

71km with a thousand meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=tqzvykiwckumlkqm

Photos at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6123509302367272865

After work ride through Allgäu

41km and 380 meters of climbing Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ucbqyzsdoxgrjlld

A sunny Thursday and Max's last day in Europe so we went skiing. Actually Heidi and Max had planned a morning skiing but Julia and I smuggled ourselves in to the outing.



We were at the foot of the lift in Austria when the lift opened and enjoyed 3.5 hours of skiing and a half hour of coffee drinking.



The slopes were empty and the wait at the lift was zero. Great way to spend a morning.

Yesterday I decided to go racing biking so today Caro and I decided to go ski touring. The plan was the Reutter Wanne but when we got to the Untere Alm there was no snow (south slope) so we drove back to the Buron Lift and walked up the Blösse.



At the top we enjoyed the warm sun and a flask of tea before skiing back down.



5km with 540 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=lihfhrxjalgqgvaw

More pictures at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6097506762533868817

That time of year when you have to continually make decisions in life:
- mountain bike,
- snowboard,
- racebike,
- carving skis or
- ski touring.

Today I decided on race biking - the trip to Rome is getting closer. A gentle ride once round the lake with a bit of extra climbing for my training program.

26 km with 450 meters of climbing
Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=rgrfikoezfwzgyfc

My fourth trip this winter to the Grauen Stein. We have a relay mast up there and wanted to do some upgrades.



The expedition was perfectly planned so we caught the early morning cable car up the mountain with the employees. From there we and our equipment were transported by Skidoo to the end of the valley and then we used our touring skis to ski up to the summit of the mountain.



At 08:40 we were at a height of 1733 meters and looking down on the world as the sun slowly filled the valleys.

About four hours later we were finished with our work and glad too get out of the wind which, despite the sun, was keeping us cool. We loaded up our rucsacs and the generator that was still up there from Christmas ( http://neill.blogger.de/stories/2463609/ ). With all that on our backs we skied back down in to the valley and waited for our "taxi".



It's a tough life but some one has to do it :-)

A gentle ski tour to a summit just below the Hoher Ifen. Stunning weather and great companions.



All the pictures are at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6097506762533868817



500 meters of climbing with the touring skis.
Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=sofpjrjodxsixbfr

My last time on a bike was Christmas Day just as it started snowing. That was 10 weeks ago. In 9 weeks we are cycling the 1000km to Rome.



So today I opened the cycling season with a race bike ride to Füssen for a Cappuccino. Then on the Hopfensee.



44 kms with 450 meters of climbing. Track is at
http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=irchyspuctkfloue

A morning of skiing with two guests from England. No view and not so good weather. But good to watch them both getting better.

This morning Max taught his cousins girlfriend to ski while I skied with my sister. In the afternoon the girls went home and we went up to the top of the mountain for "boys only skiing". Tom, Max and I spent two hours off piste in the forest in fresh snow. Brilliant fun. But my legs know that I am 30 years older than the boys.

I needed a few more hours of training this week and it had snowed in the night so Heidi and I walked up to Sportheim Böck with our touring skis.

We skied back down via the "Grüne Strich". Steep with huge hillocks. Daniel took his ski course down there yesterday and said you could lose kids between the hillocks :-)

7 kms with 580 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=fdckkkegrbxfuwht

A gentle afternoon walk with the touring skis to Sportheim Böck for a coffee. Stopped to be amazed at all the kids doing their tricks in the various "parks" ...



... and to use the free WLAN at the Redbull park - http://thestation.redbull.com/en/

Today Caro and I took our touring skis and walked up through the woods to the Füssener Jöchl.



After coffee and cake at the restaurant at the top we skied back down the perfect piste.



Track (670 meters of climbing) is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=ujhtqwzcetvtrqrr



More photos at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/103827427036815679772/albums/6097506762533868817