Riding in Austria

Guten Tag! I recently took a short trip to the Austrian province of Styria, the second largest province in Austria. The landscape is dotted by the spectacular peaks of the alps, fast flowing alpine rivers and large carved valleys holding thermal areas. I flew in and out of the city of Graz, Austria's second largest city (behind Vienna), which almost has more of a Mediterranean feel than it does German. My first couple days were spent in the ski resort town of Schladming, enjoying the vast slopes covered in fresh snow. I spent my final days in Graz, exploring the narrow streets, the riverside path and the iconic Schlossberg in the center of town.

Pics here: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/bbergey/AustriaRiding?feat=directlink

My journey started by train. After landing in Graz, I caught a train toward the resort of Schladming. The direct train took about 2.5 hours and made a few stops along the way. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and rained the entire time, so I didn't really get to see the mountains or any nice views. But it also meant that I saw the snow line get closer and closer and by the time I got to Schladming I could see the slopes covered in new snow. I had made a reservation at a small guesthouse just outside the resort town, and the guesthouse owner's son was the only one there that spoke English. He had offered to pick me up from the train station and was there shortly after my train arrived. He then drove me to the guesthouse, gave me the tour, and showed me to my room. Without much to do and a lack in English television programming, I went to sleep pretty early.

I woke up to some fresh snow outside, but I had no idea how significant the amounts were on the mountain. Before getting ready, I went downstairs to get breakfast, which was definitely the best part about staying at the guesthouse. The owner prepared a wonderful spread of traditional Austrian staples that included rolls, jam, a wide variety of meats and cheeses, yogurt, muesli, boiled eggs, and juice. I ate as much as I could each morning which gave me tons of energy to hit the slopes. After getting all of my gear, I walked outside to catch a bus to the slopes that picked me up just outside the guesthouse.

The difference between the town and the top of the mountain is over 1000 meters, which is approximately over 3000 feet. That meant the snow conditions at the top vs. the bottom were very different. As I went up the mountain in the gondola, I realized that around 8-10 inches of fresh snow had fallen the night before and I was immediately in heaven carving fresh lines in the powder. It continued snowing all day which made for excellent conditions. But it also made for poor visibility and absolutely no views at all. I was too preoccupied with the snow to care though. The resort itself includes 9 local ski areas, four of which are connected by lifts. I decided to explore as much as the mountain as I could so I would know where to spend my time the next day. I found that the runs covering the resorts were quite varied. I also experienced a breakthrough ski lift invention called "The Bubble." It is a plastic shell that can be pulled down in front of you while riding a lift to protect you from the elements. It's amazing. I stopped for lunch to enjoy some Goulash stew and some fresh bread and pushed myself to enjoy a long day of boarding. Before getting the bus back, I found a grocery store where I got a lot of items to prepare dinner with that night since I had use of the kitchen in the guesthouse.

Day 2 of boarding was crazy. I woke up to rain, and I didn't realize how hard it was coming down until I went out to catch the bus. I was pretty much soaked on the outside after 10 minutes. But I knew, or at least was hoping, that this meant it was dumping snow on the mountain. And it was, big time. The gondola ride took me from slushy rain to a winter paradise in about 10 minutes. It was incredible and I'm not sure I've seen so much fresh snow on any slope. After the previous day's fresh snow, we probably had another 18-24 inches, depending on where you were on the mountain. My first run, however, ended up being surprisingly frustrating. From the top, I headed left toward a lift I had discovered the previous day. I started heading down the massive piste and realized, by looking at tracks, that only a few people had gone that way. Further, the piste had not been groomed and wasn't overly steep. Excited, I strapped in and headed down. Slowly. And then I stopped and fell over. The heavier weight of the snow made it very hard to move and even harder to get up. All I did was sink and continually stop. I decided to continue past the lift as I saw a groomed run below and realized that this was my style. It only had about 8 inches of snow to deal with since it had been groomed. I also realized that most pistes had actually only been half groomed, so whenever I got up enough speed, I would shift into the half that hadn't been groomed and float through the knee deep powder.

With access to other areas closed due to the conditions, things started getting tracked out and busier, which left me longing for the tree runs we find in the Colorado resorts. But Europeans don't seem to like trees as much. Actually, they don't seem to like them at all and as hard as I looked I couldn't find any tree runs. I could have tried anyway, but I was afraid I would have just got buried in snow and unable to get out and didn't think it was worth the risk. So instead I got as close as I could find: a route under a lift that was unpopular, steep and allowed for the occasional dip in and out of the trees. And it was amazing. I was able to get fresh tracks all morning and my legs were dead by lunch time, but it didn't keep me from going back a couple more times after the break. When I needed a break, the normal pistes were still amazing; long cruisers split with some newly formed moguls made a fun and challenging way down the mountain.

I did notice a few differences in Europe vs North American resorts. First, everyone always lowers the foot rest on the lift. They put it down immediately and keep it down until the last second. Also, they don't really have any tree runs, which sucks. Third, they have a lot more surface lifts which usually intimidate me but I've got pretty good at using them. Fourth, they aren't as organized in the lift lines. It wasn't an issue because it was never really busy, but it was still fairly frustrating without being able to speak the language. They also don't seem to care if the on and off ramps are a pure sheet of ice. They just sit and watch everyone fall. Also, all of the lodges, or huts, are privately owned and therefore all different. And there are a lot of them. They make great, home cooked food and of course it's German/Austrian which I love! After the second day, I explored the town a little before heading back to the guesthouse to make dinner and get some rest.

The next morning, the son gave me a ride down to the train station with plenty of time to spare. He told me the night before that a portion of the railway was actually closed due to avalanche danger, so at some point it would let all of us off and buses would be waiting to take us around the dangerous area. He also told me that a friend of his works on the mountain and that they were unable to get an official reading on how much new snow there had been the last few days because their 15 foot measuring stick was completely buried in snow. Incredible! The train ride did take longer than expected, but the clearer day allowed me to see some of the mountains and the bus ride traveled through a few small villages which was quite nice as well. I arrived in Graz around 2 in the afternoon and made my way to the hotel I had booked.

The weather in Graz was very nice...sunny and warm enough for me to wear jeans and a t-shirt. I explored the better part of central Graz that afternoon. My first stop was the Schlossberg, a giant hill with an explosion of trees, historic buildings and endless places for people to enjoy the amazing views it provided. I had read about the historic clock tower that dominates the city from the berg, but unfortunately it was under repair and was completely covered up. From there, I explored the Rathaus area and the small, narrow streets that were filled with shops and restaurants. I had also done some internet research on the best restaurants in the city and found in particular that I had heard about. I took a picture of the menu so I could study it in my room before heading out for dinner later that night. Before dinner, I had to fit in a run since my half marathon was only two weeks away. The Mur river flows directly through town, and where there is a river there is always a path that follows. Before I knew it I was running next to riverside parks and then random fields before turning back into town. It was a perfect evening for a run!

I don't usually go to restaurants on my own. I always feel a little awkward and out of place, but I decided I would give it a try this time. I showed up at the restaurant I had seen earlier and soon realized that every table was reserved. The waiter thought he could find me a place to sit, but every corner was already taken and they were booked solid all night. I asked if I was able to sit at the bar and order food, and I could, so it was the perfect compromise. The waiter talked to me when he was at the bar making drinks for his table and was intrigued by my story on why I was in Graz. I had done some research about the local specialties, and one of them was pumpkin seed oil. It made my starter course an easy decision; a green salad with a pumpkin seed oil dressing. It was very nice and had a sweet, nutty taste. For my main, I ordered roast pork with homemade sauerkraut and potato dumplings. It was amazing. The pork melted in my mouth and even the sauerkraut was savory and pleasant. I washed it down with a local beer and left completely stuffed. Although it didn't stop me from wandering the streets a bit more before turning in. I was really looking for an ice cream place, but I couldn't find any still open.

I woke up on Sunday to roam around the city a little more before heading back to the airport. Unfortunately, the city followed normal European procedures and pretty much everything was closed. Even grocery stores and many restaurants were closed, so it made for a slightly boring final tour of the city. However, I did run in to the University district and a number of large cathedrals and churches with their bells ringing. It was a very nice, and very quiet, morning in Graz and it was awkwardly peaceful. I eventually checked out of my hotel and drug my backpack and snowboard to the train station where I waited for the next train to the airport. Of course I couldn't leave Austria with one last pretzel purchase, and some haribo gummies just for fun!