We arrived down in Garmisch to the Edelweiss Lodge on Saturday evening. We enjoyed a very delicious dinner and headed off to bed. Sunday, we rented bikes and rode a few miles to another small town (I guess) that was at the mouth of some gourge that starts with a P and I can neither spell or pronounce. We hiked for several hours down in and along the top rim of this gourge. It was absolutely beautiful and we wore ourselves out with all the climbing--we're in the Alps these days. We were chased back to the lodge by a thunderstorm and barely made it back before the sky opened up---it made things exciting for sure.
Jeff and I were trying to get on these rocks for a picture but they were VERY slippery.
Today has been another highlight day. We went canyoning a bit earlier--it's a guided excursion that requires climbing, rappelling, swimming, and jumping. At least that's what the description says. What we really did was rappell off a bridge down into a canyon and into FREEZING cold water (we were wearing wetsuits, helmets, and all sorts of safety gear--don't worry). It was a narrow canyon that had a river at the bottom--nowhere to walk except in the water. We followed the river down the canyon. Where the river went, we went also. If there was a waterfall, we either jumped over it (I was forced), slid down it (yep), or rappelled down beside it. Pretty scarey times for me--I'm not so much afraid of heights as I am hesitant to plunge myself into water that is strong enough to control me. I survived...we all did. The highest jump was about 3 meters (we're in Europe, everything is in meters and liters...it's all very confusing) and the longest "slide" was about 6 meters. It was very much like Hurricane Harbor in that you sit at the top and the water is rushing around you until you let go and it sweeps you down the slide. The difference is that the water is pushing you so hard that you can't hang on until you get settled (I know, I was swept away before my feet were out in front) and you are sliding down sometimes smooth, sometimes not so smooth rocks before being plunged into barely melted ice cubes and churned around for about an hour until you find the bottom and push off to the top and air. It's so fun that Jeff did it 3 times. I barely did it once and wasn't about to hike back up to go again. Anyways, canyoning is an awesome sport and I will do it again. I'm not crazy about the jumping over waterfalls and stuff, but I do think my character got a boost today since I overcame my fears. I will admit that I was too scared to jump the first time so the guide held my hand--yes held my hand and jumped with me over the side. Humiliating, but awesome. Unfortunately, we could not take our camera along on this excursion so there are no pics of my terrified face at any time. You can imagine...
3 comments:
Character boost? You are such a character already it will be scary seeing you again if you got a boost.
Really, at a girl! This is the Tricia I remember, fearless skydiver, crazy horse rider etc.
Love ya, Dad
I love that you are using it as a travel journal - it is really fun to keep up with the adventures! Way to go on canyoning, I can say this chicken probably would not have made it.
I would've been scared to death, too! But I'm glad you went for it, Trish!
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