Life is not a Practice

It is Tuesday and we are back on summer time so we were out on our race bikes. Just Jon and I as Heidi had to have a massage.

28km and 333 meters of climbing
Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=nxntgqgtknjrjyrv

Out with the Farinas enjoying the spring sun on our mountain bikes. In to Austria and then up to an ice covered lake 1200 meters above sea level.



I could really tell that I have spent the last two weeks at sea level. My pulse was 20 higher than normal.



62 kms with 814 meters of climbing. Route is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=yszldsvvllbneean

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/jD4tuQEbUgCWmLDG9

The last day of two weeks sailing with go-n-sail in spain. Two fun weeks in which I learned so much and had a brilliant time and put on 3 Kilograms!



We sailed between Spain and Portugal and enjoyed everything from windstill to 30 knot winds. No matter what the weather, we always found something to do.



Debbie added a video of me berthing to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=gonsail

Shane was a great teacher and today he awarded me with my RYA Day Skipper qualification.

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/dYBmHNeauYMCJXme6

My video of the two weeks is at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUy0nadNruQ

When I was in the army I never made it to Gibralter so I added it to my itinary this year.



It is just as strange as I expected. After driving for four hours through Spain you suddenly arrive in a little corner of Britain. Normal countries have barriers that come down for trains to cross the road, Gibralter has a runway crossing the road. I had to wait for a Hercules and the "tea time flight" from London to land before I could continue.

The high street looked like any English town with red telephone boxes, police in helmets and rain. And no one took Euros - pounds or nothing. All in all a very surreal experience.

Despite the bitingly cold wind and complete lack of a view up in the clouds, six of us walked up to the Grüntenhütte for lunch and then skied back down.



Inside the Grüntenhütte was much much warmer than outside.

Today I took and passed my RYA day skipper theory assessment. I took the course online with navathome.com and the test today was also online.

Three of us walked up past the Buchelalpe and then on to the summit of the Wertacher Hörnle.



Stunning views from the summit. The new snow on a base of older snow made for fantastic conditions for the run back down on our touring skis.

Pictures at https://goo.gl/photos/ZWASHJTxkACQb2j17

Quick "training tour" with Caro.



Once up the Alpspitz and back down.

Today was Valentines Day and Farinas were expecting their first grandchild but we still went out on our ski tours. Drove to the Bichlbach Almkopfbahn and then walked up the track to the Almkopf (about 650m uphill). Saw a few chamoix right next to the track but they took the attitude "if you don't bother us, we won't bother about you!"



After enjoying our lunch in the Sonnalm (at 1620m) with great views further in to Austria we skied back down to the car.



Got home as it started to rain and snow.

Pictures at https://goo.gl/photos/ZWASHJTxkACQb2j17

Yesterday was biking. And today was skiing. Three of us drove over the border in to Austria and walked up to the Füssener Jöchle with our touring skis. After lunch we skied back down.



Pictures at https://goo.gl/photos/ZWASHJTxkACQb2j17

Still no snow. And today no work or spinning so a quick tour with the mountain bike. This is normally a reace bike trip but it is nice to have a bit of grip when you find the ice or snow in the shadows.



23km with 300 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=snqynmkacygeytos

The first bike ride of 2016. The sun was shining and there is no snow worth talking about so I wrapped up warm and cycled round the Grüntensee on my mountain bike.



19km and 210 meters of climbing. Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=kswpscwrvyhdwyim

Last night our repeater on the Grauen Stein suddenly lost all power and went off line. It was dark and snowing and the weather forecast said temperatures down to -20°C.

This morning was stunning blue sky over a snow covered landscape and -17°C. we ordered a helicopter.



The helicopter flew us up to the top of the mountain. The mast is on the summit so the pilot balanced on one skid while we threw our stuff out and jumped out in to the whiteout he was creating.

Two hours of freezing temperatures but stunning views had everything fixed and working.



Being picked up off the side of the mountain was "exciting" but thanks to a great pilot we all survived.

Some days I think I have the life that others dream of :-)

More pictures at https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNocPI3hxTwPpActiRfIJ9SC8a1oK6FpSKXH4kvtWkhtf2lNJK4dCYL3n1yeh21NA?key=LWdCVkVaanI0SlNYVkxhaUZ3dnQ1azJvekxhS2tn

and a video my colleague made at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrFnB3nteqA

The snow has arrived!Finally the world is white and, only three weeks late, the mountain looks like a christmas card. And of course it took about 2 seconds to convince Caro that we had to go out with our touring skis.



It is over nine months since I was last on skis (https://neill.blogger.de/stories/2491529/). In autumn I bought new ski boots because the ones I bought last year were an absolute disaster. Not once did I use them without a burning sensation in my feet. The new ones are much much better and I could even leave them on once we reached the restaurant at the top.



The reward for our efforts was hot chocolate with cream and cake. After that a fantastic descent through perfect fluffy snow.

What a life!

My GPS didn't seem to work going uphill. I don't know why. But the track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=wkvvdqdkbwxiuzdt

Photos at https://goo.gl/photos/4Kw7T5WpsUTF9bHAA

Quick jog up to Stubental to listen to the music.

Still no winter and still no snow so the mountain bike season has been extended.

Last year I cycled with Max to Sportheim Böck and Christmas Day before the huge lunch. This year there was no Max (he is in the middle of Australia taking photos of kangaroos)

and no lunch :-)

Most of the journey up was in shadow but at the top there was sunshine and great views in to the Alps. Some friends turned up and I enjoyed Cappucino and chocolate cake.



And while I was there I received pictures of Annalena & Daniel in England

and Rhiannon in a temple in Shanghai.


Put on everything I had with me for the descent through the shady forest.

12km and 592 meters of climbing Track is at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=oyovihtzqtasgfkn

A warm sunny day. Late in the afternoon Heidi finished work and rang up to say "want to go mountain biking?" The answer was (of course) yes so we managed a quick 20km. Got a puncture so returned after dark.



Unexpected fun in December.



21km and 257 meters of climbing. Track at http://www.gpsies.com/map.do?fileId=qpgufdnwnxjkwqja