2024 Sept 12 Thursday

Imst to Solden

Today we awoke to rain and snow on the tall mountains. The hike was one of the unusual days where we first had to take buses to get to our starting point, then had another bus trip at the end of the day to get to our accommodation. Since we knew it was going to be along and hard hike, we were aiming to catch a 7:55 am bus.

9:03 am to 4:15 pm. 8.05 miles, 20,351 steps. Elevation +1990 feet. No rain but 41 degrees Fahrenheit at the beginning of the hike.

Click here to get Richard’s Relive video for the day: https://www.relive.cc/view/vrqDNX1rxLO

Analiese, the house Daschound, was happy to greet us on our way out.
Photo taken from our bus ride. Yes, there’s snow.
After almost an hour’s ride on buses, we should be ready to hike but it was COLD! I needed to put on more winter clothes in my pack, so we looked for a restaurant. Nothing was yet open, but these very friendly ladies let us in before the starting time. Now we’re ready to go.

We followed the river for a while on a level road. It was loud, but a nice beginning to the hike.

Richard tells me this is the way to go. “Are you kidding?” Thus begins the very steep climb.
This trail (very loose term) is not well-traveled. It was slow going since it was steep and the grass often hid stumbling hazards.
It was beautiful scenery when I dared to look. This is difficult for those of us who are afraid of heights.
Almost at the top where we would join a real road. There was a giant moss-covered boulder in our path. Richard made it over, but I finally crawled up on my backside using my feet as leverage and inched over the boulder.
On the road at the beautiful town of Kofels.
Even in the small towns, there is always an open church ready to welcome us. It was almost noon, and the bells were ringing.
A town resident asked us to shut the door when we were through visiting the church. We wondered if she might have been the person ringing the bells.
There is still an uphill climb but this one was at least on a road. We’re not seeing anyone now—no hikers, bikers, and only one or two cars for hours. This woman stopped and tried desperately to tell us something. Richard finally handed her his phone with a German translator and she typed in “cows don’t be scared.” Another kind person.
Still more solitary uphill hiking when we finally reach the highest point of today’s hike at a restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Surprise! There are people here! They are dressed in Alpine garb and are laying out oversized cowbells on the trail. Are they selling them? No ideas, but we headed inside to warm up and get some food.
This is Ramona, who runs the restaurant and cooks. A young lady also helped, presumably her daughter. The soups and strudel were wonderful.

Click the video below to hear the sounds of the Alpine cattle drive. They dress in traditional garb to lead the cows down to lower pastures, and dress the cows with BIG bells that let everyone know what is happening. We thought it was wonderful!

There was not a church in this village (?) where there was only a restaurant and another house a distance away. However, there was this tiny chapel in the cow pasture.
We followed the cows down the mountain for over an hour until we found a pasture where several alpine herds have been corralled. It was a celebration with folks getting together for a party-like atmosphere.
The sheep are unperturbed with all the racket in the cow pasture.
A small waterfall snaked down the mountain.
After a bus ride from Langenfeld to Solden, we reached our hotel for the evening.
We were determined to eat light so a trip to the grocery store was in order. Unfortunately a swinging suspension bridge across a raging river canyon was the only way. Richard shopped while I went back to the hotel.

6 Responses

  1. Your images + RELIVE capture this terrific adventure of yours (!)–for our benefit! Am partial to the Dachshund. The cows appear too skinny for me, and the sheep, unusual in appearance. Doesn’t appear that you endured much rain, if any.
    Again, big thank you.

    1. Thank you for following us and I’m glad you are enjoying our trek. We love the Dachshund as well, but the Alpine cow drive was really special. It was a traditional event and many folks turned out to see it. (Not so many on the mountain with us, but a crowd at the bottom of the mountain.) We heard the bells and followed them for about 1.5 hours—that’s a long way for those cows to travel!

  2. You certainly have had your share of weather extremes so far! First hot with no A/C and now snow and cold weather – but you seem to be handling it all in stride (as usual)
    I agree with Rob – cows are way too skinny; I hope they get some supplement besides grazing, but that’s just animal lover me.
    I mostly wanted to comment that I think it is so cool that people put those flower boxes outside the windows. It adds so much color and beauty. I’ve noticed this in more than one of your photos – is it just hotels? Do people do that in their homes?
    Thanks for taking us along with you on your adventures!

    1. This is definitely a vacation of weather. We are fine and our diversion to Italy early (on Friday the 13th no less) was a wonderful change of plans, but the news is full of weather troubles in Europe so we’re alert for more changes. Francesca is on it too sending news to us. The flower boxes are everywhere, and individual homes are almost always decorated with flowers, not just in the yards but in window boxes. The picture with Richard on the road in front of a house with red flowers in the window boxes is just a regular home in a hamlet with very few people. If you look in the cemeteries, they also plant flowers on the graves. Besides regularly cleaning the stones with brushes, there are watering cans in every cemetery and I’ve often seen folks watering the flowers on the graves. There’s definitely a difference in living where there is more regular rainfall, and also they are hard-working people who seem to value the aesthetics.

  3. Our heroes! You both are amazing to conquer these challenges day in and day out. Makes our lives seem so boring! Pictures and video are amazing!
    Dan

    1. I think our lives at home are routine but not really boring. Richard and I love the active vacations and the surprises we so often see. I guess that’s my adrenaline rush. I’m glad you’re following along with us.