Austria: Day 5

January 26, 2012
We went over the valley and through the woods (no joke), and saw where some of the dairy farms were in this idyllic valley. I couldn't have had a more perfect introduction to cross-country skiing, with fresh snow, a special cross-country track, and beautiful, beautiful post-blizzard scenery.

Skiing through these woods was so surreal, I felt like I had been sent to the White Witch's domain in Narnia

And back home again...

Goglgut: Day 3 and 4

By day 3, the blizzard had truly begun. One person got out for their morning skiing lessons, but then had to be pulled back up the driveway by a tractor. Outcome? House-Arrest aka Snowball Fight!

I’m the one in the back about the throw a tiny and ineffective snowball (I’m not made for war, ok?!).
Photo: R. Kyle


January 25, 2012
As the snow began slowly to clear

Göglgut: Day 2

January 23, 2012

The start of the blizzard. We got out today and got skis, but by the afternoon the snow had started in earnest.

Not a fan of skiing myself, I hiked my way up to an inner-tubing site where I made friends with an older lady from Vienna. The two of us tubed down together cackling like old hens. Call in inter-generational bonding.

Ski Vacation!!

After the exhausting seminar throughout Germany, I took a week trip to the Austrian Alps with ten other fellows. The week turned out to be a total blast with a blizzard where everyone was snowed in, cross-country skiing through beautiful scenery, ridiculously tasty spring water and alpine milk, and a final night of Rodelbahn on a 3km track (sledding).

Day 1, January 22, 2012
Arrival in Sankt Martin am Lammertal and at our vacation house, Göglgut. I kid you not, our house had a name and everyone in the village exactly which house it was when we said we were staying at "Göglgut." If you ever want to take a trip to the alps that is good for beginning and advanced skiiers (or hikers in the summer) I highly recommend renting this house and a few cars, because there are beginning slopes within walking distance of this house and more advanced slopes if you drive (or hike a little do back mountain skiing, like some of the more hardcore people in our group...).

Arrival and hints of the impending blizzard...

The town church

Snowfall from the week before

Remember that concussion I got from ice last year? Yeah, this house actually warns you ahead of time!!