Meiringen to Grindelwald

Last weekend I ran the trail from Meiringen to Grindelwald. It's about 14 miles. It's so hard to get myself moving in the mornings after a long week at work. But every time I do there is a moment when I first realize it's completely worthwhile. This was that moment last Saturday. The woman is just some random backpacker, but I love how this picture captures how I felt about the day. Excited just to see what was around each corner.

I chose this hike for two reasons: 

1) I had never been to Grindelwald, and have heard good things about it

2) One of my ancestors is from Meiringen and I wanted to see it (Melchior Kohler, cool name right?). 

The trail was incredible. I didn't run out of water, and 14 miles seemed like a cakewalk compared to my last trail run here.

The run led up to a ridge dividing the mountains. This is the view I was rewarded with for my long climb. Grindelwald is far below in the mist. There was a woman selling cheese in one of those little huts (I was tempted to stop and get some, but didn't want to carry a wheel of cheese the remaining 6 miles). 

At the end of the run I met Cambrie in Grindelwald. We originally intended to spend a bit of time in the town, but I had just run through it and she spent the morning there on her own hike (btw, I'm super impressed how independent and brave she is. Totally over the culture shock). So we decided to enjoy the beautiful train ride through the Alps back to Bern.

 

Zermatt/Matterhorn

We took a trip to see the Matterhorn. No deeper thoughts on the trip, just a fun morning with Cambrie. She was super impressive. We hiked 6.5k. That's 1k for each month of pregnancy! All it took was us taking our time, no rush. Lots of her scowling at me as I would run off to look at a glacier or something. You know, taking time for the really good stuff in life. 

The Matterhorn itself had half cloud cover, so we didn't get an iconic shot of it, but you work with what you have.

Hardergrat Trail

 I want to take full advantage of where I live. There is so much to do here for someone like me. I have been asking around for hikes to try and one that came up (thanks Tyler) was the Hardergrat trail. I did a bit of research and determined I could do it without dying (though I wasn't totally sure about the last part).

I said my goodbyes to Cambrie and my unborn child and set off at 6 am. I started the trail by quarter to 8 in Interlaken.

By 8:30 I had sweat through my shirt. But I was rewarded with a first glimpse of my trail.

By this point I realized that I may be in trouble with lack of water. But I figured that I am from the desert and have been through harder hikes than this. "Water is a luxery." I was a fool.

I made it to Augstmatthorn with about 3/4 of my water, but I was dehydrated already. The terrain also became more technical. I wasn't able to just run and push through as fast as possible. I'll skip the build up, but yes, I ran out of water. I had about 5 miles to go until I knew I could fill up. Those miles were slow and painful. But I did them. I wish I could have enjoyed them fully because it was incredible terrain, but I did learn some deeper things about myself. For example, I like how my voice sounds better when it's all gruff and manly.

There is also time to think. Time to process. On this run I thought about how I spend my time. Where my efforts are dedicated. There were moments when I truly questioned the merit of activities like this. Do they have a place in my future? Can I make time for them when my attention is demanded elsewhere? What benefits do I gain from them? 

It helps to have the backdrop of the Alps to help convince me to keep coming back for more. 

All in all, it was a 27 mile day with insane elevation change. I was tired, mentally and physically. But as a postscript, I did go on another run 2 weeks later. A much, much easier run. I guess I did learn some lessons after all.

The Big Move to Switzerland

We stayed in Heidelberg. Lovely college city on the edge of the Black Forest. Cambrie took a nap while I went for a much needed trail run along the famed Philosopher's Trail, catching views of the city through the trees along the way.

On our first day in Switzerland (before unpacking anything) we took a quick trip to Lauterbrunnen since we still had a car. 

A view of Bern. We have quickly fallen in love with this city in the foothills of the Alps (sort of seen in the distance). We live right behind the Berner Munster. 

Bavaria

Top of the Zugspitze

View of Blindsee

Obligatory trip to Neuschwanstein

Best schnitzel I've ever had along with German potato salad and Apfelschorle. Killer meal.

Met up with my coworker and he treated us to some great ice cream and great company. 

 

Somber Reflections

Germany comes with a lot of history. Some good. Some bad. Some inspiring, some depressing. I won't go much into my thoughts on these, but thought I'd write some experiences, things I've stumbled across.

There are brass bricks in front of many houses in our neighborhood in Wannsee with simple inscriptions. They're called Stolperstein, or "Stumbling Blocks". This one says, "Here lived Wolff Joseph Deported 10.9.1942 Theresienstadt Murdered"

The gate at Dachau. It says "Arbeit Macht Frei" or "Work Sets You Free". Work did not set these men and women free. I find it hard to believe that anyone reading this lie perpetuated and disseminated to the prisoners actually believed it. Why was it there? In hard, cold metal? Was it for the liar? Did it help him sleep at night? 

 Site of the Potsdam Conference where Churchill (and Attlee), Truman, and Stalin determined how to deal with Germany post-war. 

The doors of the church where Martin Luther (purportedly) nailed his 95 theses. The doors have actually since burned down, but the actions of Luther and others like him sparked a movement that changed the world. Luther was the spark, but others taught principles that laid groundwork for lasting change. Luther wasn't perfect (far from it, he was an avid anti-Semite in his later years; something other reformers fought with him about. He also had meniere's disease and I guess became much grumpier as a result...sorry dad, doesn't sound very pleasant), but going here caused me to think on my own right to judge a person using my own moral lens. It's getting harder to hold any historical figure as a hero. I suppose my mindset should change: holding people on pedestals, demanding perfection throughout their life changing to lauding the amazing things they DO accomplish (credit where credit is due) while acknowledging flaws. Still sending this one through another few spin cycles. 

A window inside the church.

Whirlwind of weekend trips

I'm really not going to give much more than little snippets from each trip since there are so many. 

Potsdam: Sansoussi Castle and German BBQ with friends from my work program (such amazing food!).

Leipzig: Tried to go to where Bach is buried and built some organs but it closed right as we approached.

Dresden: Amazing that it was rebuilt. Beautiful city. Great Apfelstrudel.

Saxon-Switzerland: Nothing like the rest of Saxony, nothing like Switzerland (or so I hear). Beautiful nonetheless. Actually reminds me of Maple Canyon if Maple Canyon had some castles.

Amsterdam: Rainy. Van Gogh. Not my favorite. 

Rugen: Island at the Baltic sea with lovely white chalk cliffs and great ice cream. I didn't know swans swam in the sea, but it alliterates well so there you go.

Prague: Lovely town. Went with some friends from church (which we have actually only been to a couple of times here...ah covid19, how you have messed with the status quo). This is the oldest astronomical clock still working and has the 12 apostles come out and dance every hour.