Since we rented the bikes for two days, on day 3 in Germany we chose to bike to Lake Eibsee, located at the base of the Zugspitze (pronounced Eyebsee, something about the rule in German being to ignore the first vowel and say the second. I’m terrible with other languages and feel ridiculous trying. Meanwhile Josh is ordering food in German and God knows what else since I can’t understand him as he talks to the bus driver or the security guards. I think if my hearing were sharper, I would do better, but the new sounds are all just fuzz in my ears.)
We were told this ride was beautiful and it had “a small climb,” which we found is German-speak for a straight up and down mountain.
See that look of pain on his face? He’s usually our strong one. The only reason I’m ahead of him to take this photo is because we stopped for water and I got back on my bike first and only made it around the first curve before deciding that walking was easier.
She called, “go faster!” at a few inopportune moments.
It started out lovely, as slowly rising road through countryside and quaint German towns and then the mountain got real. We were all making it until the path switched from asphalt to gravel and then I started looking for a bush to ditch my bike. When I saw this sign I thought I was about done and then saw we still had 20 minutes to go. Those are hiking times, but I was biking about the speed that someone could walk, so same-same.
At one point he decided it was actually easier to carry his bike than to ride it.
Carter and Calvin were around here somewhere, but I was too busy to take many pictures. Calvin was riding up and back the way a teenage boy can, Carter was struggling and refusing to switch to the right gear, but between walking and riding, we all made it to the top.
A rest at Lake Eibsee
Since we went to all the effort to get there, they had to see if it was warm enough to swim.
Cold, but worth it (not for me. I’m not biking in wet clothes.)
Gorgeous, clear, sunny and they said the water wasn’t too bad. It was warmer than the Pacific ocean.
Many people spend the day hiking around the lake. We originally discussed biking around the lake, but used up all of our biking goodwill getting up the mountain. We decided to eat instead.
Beer, sausage and fries. All day, every day. The beers are both regular and non-alcoholic. They call the non-alcoholic wheat beers “German gatorade” because they have all the nutrients, minerals, etc of regular beer, but none of the alcohol so people will drink them all day to hydrate.
Time to get back on the bikes for a quick trip down the mountain.
Free range cows
The ride back was a breeze once we got off the gravel downslopes. The constant braking and slipping was a bit hairy.
Here is where I’m a great sport and instead of turning in to the hotel, we continue on another 20 minutes down the road to the ski jump/Olympic stadium.
The boys weren’t really interested in the ski jumps, but wanted to try out the alpine coaster that is right next door.
It’s a summer luge
The car is put on a track and you are pulled up a steep ramp (on a chain like a roller coaster) and then set loose on the track. It’s about a 3 minute ride full of spins and centrifugal forces and speed until your car glides into the station back at the start.
Meels and I heading up!
It was really fun. We wanted to try a longer coaster (almost 3 kilometers of downhill track) in a nearby town, but we didn’t have time to get over there.
After we biked back to the hotel it was time for dinner. We quenched Josh’s desire to explore by taking the bus into the village for dinner. A friend recommended this restaurant (and told me to ignore the name), but it wasn’t open so we headed to a place down the street that Josh had tried last time he was in town.
The kids like to bring cards wherever we go. This trip they played a lot of “scum.” I have no idea how to play — I hate games. I actually told Josh I was cashing in my points from all the family riding and activity from today and was going to read a few pages of my book while waiting for the food to arrive. I had earned it.
More non-alcoholic beer. It tastes just like the regular beer, but better because it doesn’t have any of the bitterness from the alcohol. The kids wanted to order it at every restaurant.
Pork everywhere. Germany is the opposite of Bahrain. Pork and beer are staples instead of harem (ha-raam, forbidden). I’m drinking sparkling water everywhere. “With gas.” I love Europe.
And why not some more ice cream? Not nearly as cheap as in Krakow, but at $1.50 per cone for the good stuff (gelato style in the huge piles with exotic flavors) it’s impossible to pass up.
Another day over. Not that you’d be able to tell from the sun still so high in the sky. Daylight Savings Time plus being further North means that the days are so much longer here. That’s a great thing to have on vacation!