To Aschau and back

Yesterday we biked to Aschau, maybe 16 km round trip - an easy ride. I am fighting a cold and could not keep up with my son-in-law, Georg, nor with my 16 year old granddaughter Jessica. When I am healthy again, I will still be unable to keep up and will have also lost my excuse.

So Eli and I kept each other company, riding slowly up valley. The stream with rapids and falls made its way swiftly down valley balancing our cycling karma. There is more snow than usual remaining on the nearby peaks so all the streams are frenzied. The major peak visible on our ride is at the end of the valley, the Grosser Rettenstein (about 2340 meters). The elevations here are similar to those in North Idaho.

When we reached Aschau, church was just letting out from the First Communion event so Eli snapped some pictures of the adults in full Trachten. There were 6 first communion children, a somewhat high number for this tiny village. We then stopped at the Oberland Hütte for a Mineralwasser und ein Radler (rather like half beer and half 7up, meant for bike riders and hikers). When our thirst was quenched, we headed back to Kirchberg, a downhill coast on bikes. We beat Georg and Jessica home. Of course, they went 417 km. further.

Today is rainy, off and on. Eli and I met Sophie (4th grade) at school so she could show us to her friends. We then walked home with Sophie and her three friends, all very cute - as we know, a temporary condition soon outgrown.

Richard
2004.05.21