The European Chronicles 2025.21 - Wrap It Up!
We'll Take Several More, Please!!!
Another year in the books...now my sixth completed Europe trip since retirement...and I have to say again that Mia is a fantastic bike for this environment, and Stefan and Christopher's service makes this all so easy. The "10 year ride Europe plan" is working...
Seven weeks of grime comes off Mia pretty easily. Mostly the wheels...the rest I keep clean "on the road" using this from Motul.
But you probably knew that... 😂
We're both really enjoying the "slow travel" approach and weaving riding, hiking, sightseeing and other activities (oh, like wine 😂) together.
This year saw a somewhat challenging weather pattern, starting off with a heat wave that enveloped almost all of Europe. Thankfully, because we planned most of our travels "up high" in the Alps and Dolomites, this was somewhat blunted, but it was still much hotter than last year, and any year I remember. Thunderstorms are always present here in the mountains, and most impacted riding the passes around Andermatt. Oh well, we'll just have to go back.
Mountain weather, and the mountains here in general, are not to be taken lightly...riding or hiking. The day before we left Pitztal, we witnessed this from our balcony.
Unfortunately, it was a recovery, not a rescue. A 58 year old man fell to his death while hiking.
Be careful out there...
Pitztal and Collalbo, the Vier Jahreszeiten and Bemelmans Post respectively, remain our two favorites, with the National Park Lodge in Heiligenblut on the Grossglockner a very close third. The Kristall in Leutasch, Austria is also vying for a place on the "we have to come back here" list.
The Pitztal glacier
Kaunertal
Vineyards, vineyards and more vineyards.
Great wine and wineries.
Heiligenblut and the Grossglockner
The Psychology Of The Turn
The turn for home is always an interesting phenomenon. I've felt it every year since 2019.
It seems to affect us both; there's a "we're done" mindset that takes hold, even though there are several days left, and some fun places still to go...like Munich. Try as we might, it is hard to avoid the feeling that the trip is over and it is time to go home, which as you might imagine, interferes with the enjoyment of what remains.
On the one hand, we need to find a way to "get over it"; first world problems to be sure. On the other hand, we could minimize it by planning only two days back, or less, to Heidelberg, and make it just travel. Not sure how we'll handle this moving forward.
Our Return Flight Is Cancelled
As if to put some emphasis on the psychology of the turn, we wake up Saturday morning to a message from United that our flight has been cancelled. Mechanical problems with the aircraft, or so they say. We both reflexively start searching for alternatives...there are none for the same day, best case is next day through SFO, we rebook. The good news is that we have not yet left Stefan's for the airport, and we can stay there another night, no problem. Ok, solved.
Or is it?
We use the extra day to finally tour the Heidelberg Castle; we tried to get there last year and it poured, we tried to get there yesterday and it poured, but today works out. Touristy, as you'd expect, but we seem to time it just right and miss the big crowds.
But the important discovery happens at lunch, talking about going home. It struck me that each of our reactions to the cancelled flight came from a place of "having to be somewhere." But we don't. We could have, instead, viewed the flight cancellation as an opportunity, rather than a problem.
We could have repacked Mia and set out for another couple of weeks. We could have chosen another city, flown there, explored, then returned home in a week. Milan, Paris and Amsterdam came to mind. Because our flight was cancelled, we had flexibility on rebooking. We could even have rented a car and done a road trip.
You get the idea; we no longer have time commitments. Ultimately, we decided to leave the rebooking in place and fly back on Sunday, mostly because of the Psychology Of The Turn...but next time, and there will certainly be a next time, I think we'll be more attuned to the "turn" problem and perhaps not react reflexively. We'll see.
(Editor's Note: As I'm drafting this, a text comes through from our good friend and neighbor, Ed, that says "Great, more time to spend in Europe." Ed is our "most experienced" retiree and a travel inspiration. I'm sure he would have booked a cruise when the flight was cancelled. Thanks for the encouragement Ed, we'll remember your advice next time!)
We did enjoy the castle...especially the Big Barrel Room where they kept the wine. Seriously. Big. Barrels.
You take a couple of funicular to the top, one modern, one historic.
You can see some of the historic machinery in operation.
It climbs a 40% grade.
There's also a falconry exhibition, unfortunately closed at the moment.
You know what else they serve at the castle?
Speaking of beer...Krisanne likes beer, I like my "adult soda" Aperol Spritz. Whenever we would order one of each, they would always, without fail, put the beer in front of me and the spritz in front of Krisanne. Apparently, I'm ordering a girlie drink... 😂. I'm ok with that... 😎
By the way, getting to the center of Heidelberg from Stefan's could not be easier. Short walk to the number 26 tram to Bismarkplatz and you're right at the center pedestrian zone. Fast and inexpensive.
And these giant yet super maneuverable Mercedes articulated buses roam the narrow streets of Heidelberg. They are electric and hydrogen fuel cell powered.
Mercedes Fuel Cell Bus
And this is here for me...so I remember next year... 😂. New basement, right side hallway, far end. Tail trunk and tank bag on left. Side cases and big black duffle on right.
We packed pretty well this year, almost nothing extra. Except for lip balm, Krisanne seemed to have a lot of that left over. 😂
We'll try to do better next year...and fingers crossed for our flight tomorrow. 😎
Thank you all for tagging along!!!
Ciao!
Mike and Krisanne
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