Austria
August 7 to 29, 2010
gampenkogel and shelbyville
Over the Gaisberg to Kirchberg
From the Harlasanger chapel we kept going on towards the Gaisberg lift which would have taken us down to Kirchberg. But our bad luck with Kirchberg (aka Shelbyville) from last year prevailed and when we got to the lift it wasn't working! 
Turns out that they sometimes just shut it down when they decide the weather isn't good enough. And so we were forced to walk down instead and of course, as soon as we started down it started to rain and it continued to pour the rest of the way down the trail which is actually a toboggan run in the winter.
Down in Kirchberg we checked for the bus times and having just missed the bus, we had to wait about an hour and a half for the next one. Being soaking wet we didn't really want to do much shopping but we did stop in a toy store and then we got our bronze hiking pins for Kirchberg. Then we had a nice coffee and a Mohnschnecke before taking the bus back to Westendorf.
A thistle in the fog.
Rubby following the path across the furrowed mountain side.
This toad was so camouflaged that Rubby went right by it and I almost stepped on it!
The toad was not about to move.
Rubby being a boy... he just had to test the electric fence with his tongue!
Looks like someone was camping out here.
The menu at the next alm... you can actually buy a glass of buttermilk to drink.
The Baerstaettalm.
A patch of thistles.
Another bench to stop and enjoy the view... we decided to keep going.
Rubby, stop marking your territory... all the trees are turning yellow! ;-)
The yellowing of the needles is actually some kind of sickness of the trees in the area.
Mooo!
The path down to the Gaisberg lift... the ground was pretty slippery from the wetness.
Apparently when the weather isn't great and there aren't a lot of tourists out, this lift can just decide to close down.
Heading down to Kirchberg.
Rubby pulls out a pretzel for a snack as we walk along the winter toboggan run.
A little poem to ask people to stay out of the fields that the cows graze in.
"Vacation apartment occupied."
A cute little garden cottage in someone's yard.
"Traditional" lederhosen and dirndl dresses are still very popular.
Scouting out hiking boots for Samantha since we can't find small enough ones in Canada.
These dresses are more for the tourists.
Cleanest garage *EVER*!
A wonderfully rustic wooden door.
austria menu:
still to come:
august 20-29