High Times in Austria

Back in Toronto we planned our cycle route for this trip with two guiding principles: 1) safe paths for the kids and 2) flat or downhill terrain. With those in mind we abandoned the roads for 100 km and took a train from Bregenz up into Innsbruck, Austria. Other than having to get up at 6 am to pack up and leave our campsite in time for the 8 am departure, the experience was very easy - the train was waiting at the station for half an hour so we were able to load our bikes on without anxiety. Innsbruck was a major stop so we also had time to carefully unload before biking out of the station to greet the mountains.

The streets were fairly busy when we arrived

and women clad in traditional costumes advertised nearby restaurants.

We loved the colourful buildings, which are characteristic of many of Austria's villages and cities,

as is the ornate baroque ornamentation. 

In the centre of town there was a small salsa parade of about 30 people dancing and singing, which bizarrely had a three car and ten man police escort - we joked that they would be bringing in air support to make sure the unruly dancers didn't threaten the city. 

Our campground was perched on a hill a few kilometres from the centre in a stunning setting.

It was steaming 30 plus degrees so we took a break from the heat by hiding out in the stylish campground restaurant (not an oxymoron in Europe) for pizza and wine. We found a pool, locked up our bikes, paused to admire the view from the parking lot, then hopped in the water to swim away the hot afternoon. Clouds had threatened en route but the sun broke through 

and drove the clouds away so we could play at the pool without fear of rain. 

Innsbruck's airport is fairly close to the city, so the planes are never far from sight (or hearing) and our cycle route into the city was next to the flight path at times.

Our next night's accommodation was with Lorenzo and his family, our warmshowers host who lived right in the heart of Innsbruck. We went by that morning to drop off our bikes at their apartment and have coffee while the kids got acquainted. They showed us the route up to the mountains directly from their house. After leaving the town behind via a wooded copse we passed through an alpine valley with peacefully grazing cows. 

The sun was blazing 

so we welcomed the occasional stops for icy spring water to drink and dunk our heads in.

The path was steep

but our euphoria at the amazing sights blew away any physical cares.

Kyra declared she was meant to live in the mountains and vowed to make her home in Austria (or maybe Colorado since it was closer to Toronto). 

Surprisingly the path up the mountain had few people

(perhaps because most sane hikers stayed off the hills at 2 pm in the middle of a July heatwave) so we were able to experience the magnificence in a very intimate way.

The views were jaw dropping from the narrow ridge trail.

We completed the experience with beer and ice cream at the mountaintop cafe, then took the easy way home with a gondola and a funicular to the centre of town.

When we descended the shops were all shut except for the train station supermarket - Sundays in Europe are much different than Toronto, and though we mostly lose track of the days while on this trip we generally try to be aware of the end of the week so they we aren't stuck without food between Saturday at noon and Monday morning when the shops open. As we made our way back to Lorenzo's apartment with our groceries the streets were quiet

and mostly empty. I made dinner for our hosts, so glad to be able to cook in a kitchen with a pot that held more than four cups of water - it has been very challenging cooking dinner for a family of five on a tiny stove with a tiny pot. It's always so interesting to hear the stories of our warm showers host, and Lorenzo's experience as a climber fascinated Jacob in particular. 

We had an amazing sleep and regretfully declined Lorenzo's offer to stay longer - most places we go to beckon us to stay longer but the mountains of Innsbruck called us even more - only the promise of more mountain hiking in the Zillertal valley made it possible to move on. 

We headed to Fugen on the Ziller river, passing through lovely small towns like Hall in Tirol

and chatting with fellow touring cyclists who had come to cycle the beautiful route along the valley

through green pastures and corn fields,

surrounded by towering hills.

The map indicated a campground, perfectly situated in the heart of the mountains, but there were no signs when we got to the supposed location, just a group of vacation cottages. We inquired at the reception and were told there was exactly one tent site, which we were relieved to occupy after the hot day. It was right next to a giant waterslide complex, with a powerful current to swirling around one of the pools mildly reminiscent of our floats down the Rhine. We swam both evenings to cool off after the hot days - temperatures since Diessenhofen had seemed to hover around a high of 31-35. 

There was a little hut in the playground that Kyra and Tom turned into a clubhouse, finding an empty tiny liquor bottle and putting clover in it to make a beautiful centrepiece to adorn their breakfast table.

The forests in the Zillertal Valley were beautiful, but across the street from the campground was a logging operation, and we could see clearcuts on the side of the hill. 

We hoped it was just selective patches they were cutting, otherwise we would imagine that a few years from now the area could be denuded. More reason to remind the kids (and ourselves) not to waste paper!!

Our alpine hike wasn't as high as the one in Innsbruck, but the heights still impressed,

 and there were beautiful pink wildflowers covering the slopes.

A narrow path through the flowers

led us to the summit.

That night the humidity broke temporarily with a massive thunder and lightning storm, we were lucky because we could take refuge indoors - this time in a kind of waiting area outside the bathroom with couches that the kids slept on - us being the only campers meant we were also the only ones using the common area so we could sleep undisturbed while the rain and wind raged. 

Our tent survived the night but the poles were bent by the wind, which had almost completely flattened the tent at one point, so we were glad we hadn't had to spend the night in it.

The next day we cycled through the clouds in the morning,

on a smooth path surrounded by mountains,

but at our lunch break we were beset by rain, so had to eat under the slide in the playground (some of us weren't very happy).

The rain continued for the rest of our ride, and we were throughly soaked by the time we made it to Kufstein, so abandoned our camping plans and stayed at a lovely flower adorned pension on the edge of town, 

venturing in to listen to an evening organ concert at the old fort. The organ was in a room at the bottom but the pipes extended up into the top of the turret in the right hand corner of the photo.

Our time in the mountains was unforgettable and we were sorry to leave them behind!