When it's sunny

Monday dawned crisp and clear in Salzburg, making it the photogenic city one sees on post cards and in travel articles. However, do note that the post cards tend to be a bit mildewed around the edges. Tuesday was much the same and the forecast holds for Wednesday.

The promenade along the Salzach gets a lot of traffic in the fair weather - walkers as well as folks on bikes and roller blades. The Salzach is much lower than when I left town last Friday. Perhaps the flood danger here has passed.

This has been my first opprtunity to bike, but I have been rebuilding gradually not willing to overdo. In fact, the warm, sunny weather is unfortunately also humid and I can't get out before about noon. My current route is east across Salzburg, using a foot/bike path along a canal fed by nearby mountain streams. Then I leave town going up a steep road (sometimes I must walk part of it, although not today) along the shoulder of a low mountain called Heuberg. After rising about 200 meters, I cross a main highway before ascending Gaisberg. I am not ready to go to the top yet (maybe next week?), so stop after rising another 400 meters. 'Gaisberg' (Goat Mountain) is a common name for mountains in Austria - rather reminiscent of the several lakes called 'Rice Lake' in Minnesota and Wisconsin or various people called 'Butthead' throught the USA..

I am finishing up my EWU courses over the Internet, currently grading finals. This works well for most seniors and grad students; I've been reluctant to try it with students earlier in their careers. The participants must be mature, able to work independently, and able to communicate effectively over the Internet.

After work tomorrow (Wednesday), I return to Tirol. This is the last extended weekend; the university holidays are then over for the rest of the semester.

Richard
2004.06.08