Thursday July 11, 2019
train from Vienna to Innsbruck,
drive to Zell am See
Next
Friday July 12, 2019
Grossglockner-Hochalpenstrasse Edelweissspritze
01:54 Europe time 17:54 California time
Paul: Alps look a bit wet for the next couple of days
Paul: Hopefully it blows through quick
02:06 Europe time 18:06 California time
Kent: Oh crap! Never go into the alps when it's raining! Go
to Italy!
05:55 Europe time 21:55 California time
Dusty: I would have to drive over the alps to get to Italy...
Dusty: I'm kinda stuck dealing with whatever weather i get
Dusty: Part of the reason I'm here for 19 nights
Dusty: Other than tomorrow night and Saturday all my plans are flexible
- that room and event is nonrefundable at this point
05:56 Europe time 21:56 California time
Dusty: Plus I'm not staying in huts at 3300m, I'm in hotels in valleys
06:01 Europe time 22:01 California time
Dusty: If any of you cycling fans manage to find a live stream of the
Glossglockner climb Saturday and for some reason don't want to watch
the Tour de France instead, i will be wearing number 2670
06:10 Europe time 22:10 California time
Kent: You must be psyched! I know how I am right before starting!
06:11 Europe time 22:11 California time
Dusty: I'm tired...
2019/07/11 05:33
I left the hotel very early and walked to the subway to get to the
train station.
I rode most of the way across Austria, arriving in Innsbrook just
before 11am.
I caught a taxi to the airport, rented my car, drove to the bike shop,
rented my bike, then drove 2-1/2 hours to Zell am See.
On the way I stopped at McDonalds for an ice cold coke to keep me awake.
This turned out to be a recurring visit, I ended up stopping at
McDonalds for a coke on more then a few drives...
2019/07/11 15:39
That is my Nissan suv, i paid for something slightly smaller and got a
"free" upgrade...
Rental cars in Austria cost about 2x what they cost in Germany, this
was no bargain.
I nearly rented a car in Germany, except it would have required me to
spend much of my last day in Europe driving way to far out of the way
to return a rental car instead of relaxing...
14:53 Europe time 06:53 California time
Dusty: Alpenblick Sporthotel
Dusty: One of the few places with a pool and easy parking
Dusty: 4 stars, Booking.com price was something like 122 euros, I
paid 91 walkup with no breakfast...
2019/07/11 15:42
2019/07/11 15:44
2019/07/11 15:45
my spare room!
2019/07/11 15:57
2019/07/11 15:57
14:51 Europe time 06:51 California time
Dusty: Paul, how on earth did you ever get to Zell am See, as it is in
the middle of nowhere?
(Ok i see the train tracks...not quite nowhere, but obscure)
14:54 Europe time 06:54 California time
Dusty: Apparently the weather improving, the guy at Crazybikes said it
was windy and wet the last few days..
Dusty: cloudy all day today but no rain
15:07 Europe time 07:07 California time
Paul: Zell am See is right in a train line
Paul: No problem
Paul: We went there after Joel blew out his knee in the Stubai Alps
Paul: We just needed a chill place for him to recuperate for a day
15:08 Europe time 07:08 California time
Paul: Joel was flying back to London from Innsbruck the next day
Paul: I was remembering it was not too far away by train
Paul: Your hotel on the lake? Can't tell
15:29 Europe time 07:29 California time
Dusty: On the train station, though I didn't realize that until after I
parked
Dusty: Windows seem very soundproof
15:31 Europe time 07:31 California time
Dusty: On the hill across from it
Dusty: This place must have an acre or 2 of hillside
Dusty: Indoor outdoor combo pool, attended spa, sokarium, and a naked
back deck to let it hang out in sun
15:31 Europe time 07:31 California time
Dusty: And a massive kids playground, and a couple of mini horse or
ponies
Dusty: And a nice trail up into the trees, and this massive dam built
in 2013
Dusty: And a steam engine across the street blowing its whistle as it
pulls away...
Dusty: It's actually perfect cycling weather....
Dusty: Vienna was great but very happy to be out of the big city
15:43 Europe time 07:43 California time
Dusty: Swarms of bugs, something else i am not used to on the coast
(too cold for swarms)
2019/07/11 16:36
2019/07/11 17:02
2019/07/11 19:26
I assume they were road testing new models of Mercedes
2019/07/11 19:37
2019/07/11 20:13
19:14 Europe time 11:14 California time
Dusty: All the decent restaurants are at least 1.1 miles away from the
hotel according to TripAdvisor, so I decided to walk it in the very
light drizzle
Dusty: First restaurant i found is the highly rated and crowded
Kupferkessel, where ordering "beer" gets you a half liter of Stiegl
Dusty: Everyone is Austria speaks damn near perfect English thank god...
2019/07/11 20:38
19:14 Europe time 11:14 California time
Dusty: And my trout is here
19:17 Europe time 11:17 California time
Paul: That trout from the lake outside? The Zeller See is supposed to
be squeaky clean
19:20 Europe time 11:20 California time
Dusty: No clue but it is by far the best trout I've had
Dusty: I assume so
19:21 Europe time 11:21 California time
Dusty: This place is a godsend
Dusty: Enormous menu, I can't think of anything NOT on it..
Dusty: i wanted fish, very very pleased
Dusty: Place is damn near packed
19:24 Europe time 11:24 California time
Ray: yummy
19:26 Europe time 11:26 California time
Dusty: Baked in a little olive oil and lightly seasoned...
Dusty: oh yeah
19:29 Europe time 11:29 California time
Kent: That lake is supposedly one of warmest in area
Kent: It's spring fed vs glacier.
19:32 Europe time 11:32 California time
Dusty: That would do it
19:33 Europe time 11:33 California time
Dusty: And.......
Dusty: it's gone
19:37 Europe time 11:37 California time
Dusty: Best freshwater fish I've ever had...
19:38 Europe time 11:38 California time
Dusty: Was hoping got a good meal, exceeded my expectations....
2019/07/11 20:45
19:46 Europe time 11:46 California time
Dusty: Apple strudel...i almost tried something else, but i love
strudel
19:49 Europe time 11:49 California time
Paul: What's on top of the strudel - coldcuts?
19:50 Europe time 11:50 California time
Dusty: Apple slices
19:51 Europe time 11:51 California time
Dusty: It is huge, drowning in vanilla sauce, and a tad too hot
Dusty: Regardless i will endeavor to persevere...
19:53 Europe time 11:53 California time
Dusty: Just noticed a motorcycle inside in the front window..
Dusty: other than my family hotel, everyplace up here says they welcome
motorcycles, since dozens or hundreds a day go up the pass I intend to
climb tomorrow
19:55 Europe time 11:55 California time
Dusty: I'm ashamed..
Dusty: I don't think i will finish my strudel...
Dusty: stuffed....
19:57 Europe time 11:57 California time
Dusty: They're singing happy Birthday to someone..
Dusty: in English
19:58 Europe time 11:58 California time
Kent: That looks so good!
19:59 Europe time 11:59 California time
Dusty: It was :)
20:00 Europe time 12:00 California time
Dusty: I did fail, i left a little strudel..
Dusty: as my waiter put it, huge portions....
20:01 Europe time 12:01 California time
Dusty: Vienna was great, but almost obligatory...this is what i came for
2019/07/11 21:06
2019/07/11 21:06
2019/07/11 21:06
20:44 Europe time 12:44 California time
Paul: Holy piss
Paul: I just put your itinerary in google maps
Paul: 26-ish hours of travel excluding flights? That's a lot
20:45 Europe time 12:45 California time
Paul: Ray, you may have motored for half that many hours in half as
many days?
20:46 Europe time 12:46 California time
Dusty: The Alps are not a small place..
Dusty: Eliminating Sunday July 20 Gavia carless event cuts out 8 hours
and 500km or something crazy
20:47 Europe time 12:47 California time
Paul: I didn't even put that into the equation I don't think
20:48 Europe time 12:48 California time
Paul: Looks like you would do a couple loops through the entirety of
the Alps east of Switzerland (excluding the smaller stuff in Slovenia)
20:52 Europe time 12:52 California time
Dusty: Until i added Saturdays event 2 weeks ago, it was basically one
big loop, also assuming i dont do Gavia on July 20..
Dusty: doing this event added 5+ hrs of driving, but also put me on the
north side of GrossGlockner, which is supposed to be way awesome, like
one of the best rides ever
Dusty: Not sure about south side, was looking forward to trying
it, but still planning on 3 climbs out of Leinz
