Apple Schnapps

Once again in Tirol, we awoke Saturday morning to blue skies. The weather forecast indicated this situation would change in the afternoon. So Eli and I decided to hike on Kirchberg's Gaisberg, wearing light clothes, but with rain gear, water etc. in our packs. We biked to the lift, bought our round trip tickets, and rode up to the ca. 1250 meter elevation. The lift does not go the remaining 500 plus meters to the top because most of the upper mountain is too rugged and avalanche prone for ski terrain. It is, however, prime habitat for the "Gemse" which we know by the french name "chamoix".

As we hiked to the top the blue skies gave way to clouds, white then grey. On our way down we changed into warmer clothing and stopped for lunch at the Bärstätt alm (1450 meters elevation) where we had Kasspatzl, somewhat vaguely like a very stout version of macaroni and cheese with onions mixed in and fried onions on top. Unlike the boxed macaroni and cheese we find in the states, this was made from fresh ingredients and tasted good - two important differences. The proprietor recognized us from past visits, but nevertheless was gracious and brought us 'free' apple schnapps as we paid and got ready for the sprint back to the lift.

During lunch we could hear distant thunder, so we hurried to the lift as did a few other groups. We came across one clueless group still toiling uphill, scantily garbed, and with no rain gear. We didn't warn them of the impending weather change because it was so obvious and interfering with natural selection under such circumstances never works out well in the long run.

We reached the lift as the peals of thunder neared, put on our rain gear, and rode down. The ride down was quite cool, but there were only a few rain drops toward the end of the ride. Racing home on the bikes, we reached shelter just before the deluge hit - as they say in the south of the USA, 'like a cow pissing on a flat rock'.

We wonder if the cluless uphill hikers reached shelter. The lift to the valley floor will close during lightning storms, an added danger. They probably reached Bärstätt wet and frightened and drowned their dismay in apple schnapps.

Richard
2004.20.04