15/7/12
1230 (local time)
Lech/Zurs – Austria
Written on a Train from St Anton to Salzburg.
I think I am in love with Austria! I have been sitting on a
train for just over an hour re-living the amazing time I had in Zurs/Lech.
I worked a winter season in Zurs/Lech in 2010 – 2011 for
Powder Byrne, where I met so many people and fortunately met the lovely Eggler
family.
The Eggler’s own the beautiful Arlberghaus in Zurs, so when
I sent Stephanie Eggler an email to see if I could crash at her hotel between
the dates of the 10th till the 15th, the family was more
than happy to have me.
I tell you what, it was amazing to finally have a really comfy bed, super quick
internet and too look outside your window to see the most amazing view of the
alps. A bit of a change from the dirty and insect ridden hostels I’ve been
staying in. I was doing this in style.
So, Stef met me at Saint Anton at 11pm at night and gave me
a lift to Zurs, where I dumped my bags and then passed out.
I awoke at 9am, which is apparently late, where Stef took me
into Lech, which is a village just 10 minutes downhill from Zurs, where I was
able to get a Lift pass, that is free and allows me to catch the chairlifts
that are open, and catch the bus from Zurs to Lech for free!
Unfortunately Stef couldn’t join me on my hikes, as she had
to go away for 10 days to complete her Ski Instructors course that allows her
to take guests off-piste.
So we said our good-byes and I bought some Lunch and took
the Rufikoph chairlift so I could complete the Green Ring (instead of the White
Ring in Winter) from Lech to Zurs on foot.
As the cable car ascended into the clouds, visibility was
reduced to about 30 - 40 metres. You couldn’t see anything! But it made it kind
of creepy and really intimidating! Because every now and then you would see the
silhouette of a mountain, and they were just huge!
I stumbled my way down the mountain into Zurs, where I
grabbed some water and attempted to climb up the Trittkopf which is 2581 metres
high. When I started my hike the sky was blue but I could see some clouds off
in the distance, young naïve Steve didn’t realise how quickly the weather can
change in the mountains. So by the time I got just over at least the three
quarters point of my hike. Visability was reduced to 10 metres! I could just
make out my path back down. So as I sat and waited for wondering if the clouds
were ever going to break up, I started to get cold. I called it a day and
trekked back down the mountain.
So that was a bit of a fail, but on the plus side, I did see
some deer? Or some type of animal. Check out the photos!
Day 2, involved me getting up a lot earlier. As I offered to
help out clean up and paint the Village of Zurs. It was David Eggler’s idea to
do this, all the people that live in and around the village group together for
a big clean up. David is the eldest of the brothers and he is very much
involved in the Village, if he is helping out the fire fighters or installing a
wireless network in the Village.
So my job was to help out with a litter pick, do a bit of
Whipper Snipping (or strimming for the poms) and paint and fix one of the
little huts as you enter into town. It was great helping out the community, I
really felt a part of it.
Day 3, Rolled in and today I was going to go mountain
biking! As I woke up, the weather was horrible. There was no visibility and it
was raining! But that wasn’t going to stop me. I caught the bus into Lech,
walked into SportAlp shop and spoke to the guys there about hiring a fully
fledged duel suspension mountain bike. I spoke to a guy called Patrick who
showed me some trails that I had to do, and I was sent on my way.
I eventually made it to the top of the Balmalp and hopped
off the mountain to the left! What a mistake that was! I was meant to go right!
What it meant, was that I was heading down near vertical, wet slippery grass
with pot holes and rocks everywhere! I got my arse kicked! I eventually made it
down, with only a few grazes!
I again spoke to Patrick at the SportAlp shop, he laughed at
me and told me to go to the right, so back up I went to start again.
As I dropped into this new track, I quickly realised that
Patrick had very much overestimated my biking skills. I was heading down the
most technical single lined track I’ve ever seen. Infact, its not even a track
for bikes. It’s made for super fit hikers. Single lined tracks, with vertical
drops on one side, and to make matters worse it was super slippery with rocks
and tree roots growing across the tracks!
I don’t know how many times I crashed, but I definitely blew
my face apart on some rocks! Not great fun! You have to see the photos of what
I was trying to tackle. I didn’t give up, and again made it down. Once I hit
the bottom I headed back up and do a different track.
This time I was heading from Oberlech to Burstegg, which was
a pretty decent ride, with some fast downhill sections and some brutal up hills
that sent lactic acid through my legs!
I eventually made it to Burstegg, and found another super
technical trail that Patrick told me about that gets me back onto the main
rode.
I packed my camera away, had some Gummy Bears and sessioned
it! This time I had gotten a lot more confident on the bike, I was slowly
getting used to the front break being on the left side, instead of the right
side like it is in Australia.
I went down it like a pro! Once I got to the bottom I was so
proud of myself to have tackled this track I gave a cheeky fist pump, and got
my photo taken by a German guy and then headed back into Zurs with a massive
smile on my face!
Once I got home I had a lovely Dinner with David and then
passed out!
Day 4 came along, and I planning on getting up early to do
another bike ride, but I was in agony! My arse hurt from riding so much, and my
legs felt so heavy!
The weather outside was terrible, and the visibility wasn’t
so great either, but I forced myself outside and David showed me a place where
I could go hiking which wasn’t so high, which means I kept out of the clouds.
The start of the hike kinda sucked, as I was just getting
rained on for a good hour. Fortunately for me my Mountain Designs jacket and my
Salomon hiking shoes kept a majority of the water out, which made the hike
relatively pleasant. The plan was to walk from Oberlech to Schroken and then up
through Korbersee to Hochtannbergpass. But I took a wrong turn, and instead it
took me into the village of Schrocken, when instead I was meant to bypass it.
No problems, I ate a lovely piece of cake from one of the
mountain café’s and then took the bus from Schrocken back to Lech where I
completed the Green Ring from Lech to Zurs again… But this time there was a lot
better Visibility.
The whole day was amazing, although it rained most of the
days, the times when the rain stopped and blue sky prevailed it was absolutely
stunning!
I really did love my time in Zurs/Lech, at the moment it’s
definitely one of my favourite places I have ever visited! This is travelling!
Getting off that beaten track, getting dirty get muddy but seeing things that
the average person will never see! I feel so lucky to do what I’m doing!
Before I finish, I must thank the lovely Eggler family for
doing a fantastic job of looking after me! Thank you so much, please let’s keep
in touch.
Please admire the photos and let me know what you think.
Thanks again, next up! Salzburg!
FIGJAM!
Lech in the summer, notice how low the cloud line is! |
So amazing! |
The deer things i spotted whilst climbing under the Trittkoph |
Thats how bad the Vis was! |
DAY 3 - Mountain Bike Riding!
Throw ya bike on a 8 man chair, and your off! |
Thats how steep i was trying to ride down... |
I nice little sculpture to see just before i start my Technical trail |
Single Track, steep drop! PERFECT |
this is what is was 'trying' to ride down! |
crashed here... |
Beautiful! |
Absolutely knackered, but a huge smile on my face! |
These are the types of signs i was trying to follow! |
Just finished my ride! Felt so good! |
Day 4 Today On Foot!
Lovely hikes through the mountains! |
Hows that for a view! |
Seems safe... |
seems really safe... |
hiked to that top of that peak... for a nice view |
saw this little guy hanging out! |
Just me and a Gormley |
nice view! |
The Lovely Arlberghaus! |
Thanks again guys!!! Hope to see you soon! |
THE END!
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