Splugen in the snow
IT IS SNOWING!
This week Jochen and I are off to Splugen for three days. Splugen is close to the San Bernardino Pass and the idea was (and hopefully still is) to do some final serious walking in the high country before we head to Geneva. Fitness has to continue.
Well, talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous! Yesterday it was a quite balmy 16° but the weatherman gave gloomy news. Today promised to be a terrible day and so it turned out to be. In Rhaezuens it bucketed down all night and continued into the morning. Elias said that I would need snow shoes as snow was promised right down to Chur. Oh boy.....
This week Jochen and I are off to Splugen for three days. Splugen is close to the San Bernardino Pass and the idea was (and hopefully still is) to do some final serious walking in the high country before we head to Geneva. Fitness has to continue.
Well, talk about going from the sublime to the ridiculous! Yesterday it was a quite balmy 16° but the weatherman gave gloomy news. Today promised to be a terrible day and so it turned out to be. In Rhaezuens it bucketed down all night and continued into the morning. Elias said that I would need snow shoes as snow was promised right down to Chur. Oh boy.....
Traffic jam on the road to Splugen
We caught the bus from Rhaezuens to Splugen and after Thusis, which is about half-way, it started snowing and the higher we travelled, the bigger and fluffier the snowflakes became, turning the countryside into that cliché 'winter wonderland' that we Europeans dream of at Christmas.
We were in a tunnel halfway between Andeer and Splugen when we came to a grinding halt and were stuck there for nearly two hours. The snow was so heavy that it caused chaos on the road. Snow ploughs and police were busy whilst the bus driver and Jochen and I, the only passengers, dozed. When we finally emerged from the tunnel there was this amazing traffic jam with dozens of trucks and semis pulled over and an endless line of passenger cars just not moving anywhere - like we did for nearly two hours.
We were in a tunnel halfway between Andeer and Splugen when we came to a grinding halt and were stuck there for nearly two hours. The snow was so heavy that it caused chaos on the road. Snow ploughs and police were busy whilst the bus driver and Jochen and I, the only passengers, dozed. When we finally emerged from the tunnel there was this amazing traffic jam with dozens of trucks and semis pulled over and an endless line of passenger cars just not moving anywhere - like we did for nearly two hours.
Splugen
We were so lucky that the bus driver was able to drop us off right at the hotel. This mean that we did not have to trudge through the sludge and arrive dirty. As it was, they looked at us a bit askance but when I told them that we had just stepped off the bus, they relaxed.
The hotel is basic, the room is a little larger than what we have had on occasion and it is all good.
The hotel is basic, the room is a little larger than what we have had on occasion and it is all good.
Jochen in Splugen
SNOW WALKING & NOT POOPING!
We settled into the room and by the time I had made it homely it was about 2.00pm and still snowing. I had to take Jochen out as he had not attended to that smelly call of nature yet. Usually this is not a problem. He does his business twice a day without a hassle. So seeing it was by now later in the afternoon, it was high time to go out and attend....
I found a walk whose contours and line I could just make out in the snow, and headed up the mountain, first going through an old part of the village.
We settled into the room and by the time I had made it homely it was about 2.00pm and still snowing. I had to take Jochen out as he had not attended to that smelly call of nature yet. Usually this is not a problem. He does his business twice a day without a hassle. So seeing it was by now later in the afternoon, it was high time to go out and attend....
I found a walk whose contours and line I could just make out in the snow, and headed up the mountain, first going through an old part of the village.
Jochen on the road above Splugen
The track led to a road which we followed both ways for some time whilst I kept an eye out for the sky. I did not want to get caught in a serious snow storm. Just snow steadily falling is not an issue but a storm is.
We walked for an hour and did the apple of my eye poop? Of course not. How could he? He has never pooped in this white stuff before. He needs grass or soil to poop on!!!!! At least, that is how I interpreted his look. As every dog handler knows, if we want our dog to poop because it is important that he/she does it kind-of soonish, their little sphincter muscles close over and there is not a poop in sight. You would not want to lay any bets on this eventuality.
We walked for an hour and did the apple of my eye poop? Of course not. How could he? He has never pooped in this white stuff before. He needs grass or soil to poop on!!!!! At least, that is how I interpreted his look. As every dog handler knows, if we want our dog to poop because it is important that he/she does it kind-of soonish, their little sphincter muscles close over and there is not a poop in sight. You would not want to lay any bets on this eventuality.
View from the hotel window in Splugen
So I now have a dog who has not pooped all day, we are warm and dry in our hotel room, it is going to get dark fairly soon and it is still snowing. The slush outside the hotel is getting worse because cars keep driving through it. Why could he not poop in that nice, clean white stuff? AARGGHH!
By the way, walking in the snow this afternoon was wonderful as it made that very satisfying squeaking noise with every step. We mad Europeans and skiers love that kind of thing.
Looking out the window just now and watching the snow fall at a great rate, it must have snowed at least 20 cm by now. I wonder what we will be able to achieve in the next few days in terms of walking. Trekking in snow high up in the mountains is not without its dangers so I will have to think about this very carefully. Watch this space.
By the way, walking in the snow this afternoon was wonderful as it made that very satisfying squeaking noise with every step. We mad Europeans and skiers love that kind of thing.
Looking out the window just now and watching the snow fall at a great rate, it must have snowed at least 20 cm by now. I wonder what we will be able to achieve in the next few days in terms of walking. Trekking in snow high up in the mountains is not without its dangers so I will have to think about this very carefully. Watch this space.