Jochen in the Feldis gondola just before takeoff
Today we ventured on a rather more ambitious walk on our own. We took the gondola from Rhäzüns to Feldis, a 10-minute ride from about 400m to 1,450m. I still have to pinch myself that it is ok to take a dog.
Jochen was a bit hot and bothered, which is why his ears stuck out like air-plane wings!
Jochen was a bit hot and bothered, which is why his ears stuck out like air-plane wings!
Part of the village of Feldis
Elias had suggested that we walk to Dreibündstein at about 2,150 meters. He did warn me that the last bit is very steep. He also suggested that from there I take a path down to Brämbrusch, take the cable car down to Chur and then come home by train.
I decided against that and did a super round trip back to Feldis. We did not quite reach the top of Dreibündstein, not because it was very steep (which it was) but a lot of people came and went and there really was not much room. So I found a neat little hollow and shared a Camembert sandwich with Jochen. We were probably just a few hundred meters short of the top and reached a height of about 2,000 meters. I think we walked about 14 km.
I decided against that and did a super round trip back to Feldis. We did not quite reach the top of Dreibündstein, not because it was very steep (which it was) but a lot of people came and went and there really was not much room. So I found a neat little hollow and shared a Camembert sandwich with Jochen. We were probably just a few hundred meters short of the top and reached a height of about 2,000 meters. I think we walked about 14 km.
Jochen has learned to drink out of the water tubs.
It was very warm today and every spring water tub we came to, I stopped and encouraged him to drink. On this walk he learned the value of drinking!!!! These tubs are everywhere for the cattle to drink from and he decided that it was good enough for him too. I have never known him to drink this much water.
Very old alpine huts near the tree line.
Some of the alpine huts dotted along the way.
When we were on the way to the top of the Dreibündstein at that very steep bit, an elderly couple came trudging up towards us and stopped for a chat. Of course they heard all about our Aussie project and were suitably impressed. The man kept looking at Jochen and saying, 'what a beautiful animal', 'what a handsome dog', and, 'my God is he beautiful.' He said it almost in wonder. Jochen was patently bored and I swelled with pride.
Fitness is improving on the long less steep slopes. In fact, we set quite a pace. But when it comes to the really steep parts (and there are many of them, after all this is Switzerland) at a greater height, my lungs tell me that they are not used to this and start puffing like a steam train. At a lesser height this does not happen.
Tomorrow we are off to Austria for that training workshop. It will be a three-hour drive and we leave at 1.00 pm.
When we were on the way to the top of the Dreibündstein at that very steep bit, an elderly couple came trudging up towards us and stopped for a chat. Of course they heard all about our Aussie project and were suitably impressed. The man kept looking at Jochen and saying, 'what a beautiful animal', 'what a handsome dog', and, 'my God is he beautiful.' He said it almost in wonder. Jochen was patently bored and I swelled with pride.
Fitness is improving on the long less steep slopes. In fact, we set quite a pace. But when it comes to the really steep parts (and there are many of them, after all this is Switzerland) at a greater height, my lungs tell me that they are not used to this and start puffing like a steam train. At a lesser height this does not happen.
Tomorrow we are off to Austria for that training workshop. It will be a three-hour drive and we leave at 1.00 pm.