All according to plan

Arlo's uncle asked if our trip went according to plan. We laughed and said yes since we didn't have much of a plan! We created it en route by talking and learning from others along the way, giving us flexibility and spontaneity and the ability to follow the good weather clouds (the blue & white Bavarian checkerboard flag is a tribute to the good weather sky.)

Thanks to all who helped us along our route, including the generous Italian who bought us grappa to thank us for the Marshall Plan, to the family for hosting us and taking such great care of us at the start and end of our hike, and most of all to Arlo for safely driving on tiny mountain roads and racetrack autobahns, for helping me climb house-sized boulders and ladders drilled into rock walls, for capturing so many beautiful photos and videos, and for making me a pb&j sandwich on a high mountain pass when I most needed comfort food.

Thanks for reading!

Auf Wiedersehen!

All in the family

The family took us under their wing for our weekend in Munich. We dropped in at the Deutsches Museum of Aviation housed at Schleissheim Palace in the historic hangar built in 1918 for the first Royal Bavarian Flying Corps. The airfield is still active and we sat in the pilots' Biergarten and watched glider takeoffs and landings while Arlo taught aircraft construction to the girls with paper airplanes. The zoo made us feel batty in the fledermaushaus (flying mouse house) where bats swoop around your head in the dark. Note: The German vocabulary is relatively small — but creatively combines words for lengthy and entertaining compound words. "Fallschirmspringerschule" (parachute jumper school) is a fun example for Kathy and Steve!

A bike ride through the Englisher Garten (Munich's Central Park) topped it off. As did my last fling of käsespätzle and Kaiserschmarrn.

Biergarten welcome

Arlo's aunt and uncle packed up a basket and we enjoyed a biergarten dinner together at a small, local brewery upon arrival. Biergartens welcome you to bring your own picnic with the assumption you will buy beer. Well, OK. (A butterfly alighted on the MBC hat, Sandra!)

Hanging out

En route back to Munich, Google sent us via a narrow gorge and from the curvy road we spotted a floating trail that enticed us to stop. Note to self: Similarly, a hanging bike path circling Lago di Garda is in the works that begs a return visit. (Lila, you in?) https://edition.cnn.com/travel/videos/travel-play/2018/04/26/italy-bike-path.cnn

A three-hut day

Our 10-mile hike gave us enough time to enjoy not one, not two, but three huts in one day. We love the quieter, smaller, Austrian huts far from the indefatigable climbers in Italy. We started with a refreshing drink at the first hut, climbed on to the second for lunch, then (surprise) were hungry enough for Kaiserschmarrn at the third hut by late afternoon, the traditional "kaffe und kuchen" hour. For those that did not follow my "Trail of Kaiserschmarrn Tales" from our trip six years ago, let me just note that the popular pancake jumble, served with applesauce and preiselberries, has become an obsession of mine. Arlo said we burned 2000 calories but ate 5000.

The hills are alive

We had hoped to spend more time hiking in Austria but used up most of our time in Italy. The Austrian weather finally cooperated and we found ourselves in the tiny village of Leautasch at the base of the Wettersteingebirge (Weather stone mountains) not far from Seefeld. Many huts display a weather stone with helpful guidelines: When the stone is wet, it's raining. When it's white, it's snowing. When you can't see the stone, it's foggy. When it casts a shadow, it's sunny. When it's gone, there's a tornado., etc. We took the high trail and re-enacted scenes from "The Sound of Music."

Ciao, Italia

We hate to leave Italy but there's Austrian Kaiserschmarrn in our future.

The quote above our bed in our pensione seemed apropos. Rough translation, per Google:

"Let your dreams guide you to the top of the mountains and when the sun rises you direct your steps to the dreamed destinations."

Piece of cake

Perhaps the best bakery name EVER!

Faceless frescoes

I'm intrigued by the faceless frescoes of Pinzolo. Are they a statement about the hard-working everyman? Or maybe it's cheaper to hire the painter that hasn't yet mastered faces. (And check out the hands.)

Where the red fern grows

Anyone else remember the book about the coonhounds Old Dan and Little Ann?

Animal farm

Some of the not-so-wild life on our bike ride up the valley of waterfalls.

Do you want fresh goat milk with your coffee?

Valley of waterfalls

We learned of the Val di Genova, known as the Valley of Waterfalls, located near our pensione. A paved road alongside the river open only to hikers, bikers, and park shuttle buses runs up the steep, glacial valley. You had me at Valley of Waterfalls. We rented e-bikes for the 1000-foot, 18 km, climb. The largest glacier in the Italian Alps feeds the falls and river. (Devoted readers of my flying blog should know that this alluring place reminded me so much of Stehekin!)

Breakfast

I don't know why I'm gaining weight on my hiking vacation...

Beam me down, Scotty

On our route back to the magic gondola that saved our knees from 3000 feet of descent, we ran into a school group of 50 Italian kids heading down the trail. They start them young. After all, they have to be adept at skiing down a mountain without skis, and while eating a sandwich, by 18.

To celebrate our successful tour of the Brenta we found an appropriately named gelateria in town. Arlo is either down in the mouth about my larger scoop or coming down with a bad case of spumoni(a).

Brenta there, done that

Check out Arlo's time lapses from our Brenta trek. 

https://youtu.be/5vd2MkqJihw

Fossil record

The Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, contains 9 sections. In addition to the breathtaking landscapes, sheer cliffs, and vertical walls, the Dolomites offer a glimpse of the fossil record of the marine life in the Triassic period. Twice we glanced down to find fossils at our feet. We've scratched the surface of two sections of the Dolomites on this trip (Rosegarden and Brenta groups). Now adding the others to my bucket list.

Wildflower wanderland

A Norwegian hiker we met while shooting wildflower pics said that the calcium in the limestone contributes to the richness of the flowers here.

The first photo cracks me up because I'm looking at a tiny flower while surrounded by vast grandeur. It's the little things!