9/22/2006
9/19/2006
Mountain Biking in Austria
In short: just don't do it.
A little longer:
I presented myself with a free day (no work, no family) for my birthday, and wanted to go mountain biking. The famous "Moser Guide" had a tour to my liking, it started right at the border between Germany and Austria.
I set off into a beautiful valley, waterfalls all around, steep stone walls, paradise if you like. Then after 30 minutes of climbing I came across a forest ranger, who told me that riding this path, which he used with his car, was not open to the public. This could clearly be seen from a sign at the beginning of the path. After some arguments I turned around and followed his advice to an "open" tour.
The first thing I notices was that the same road sign indicated that the "open tour" was not open to the public, but what the heck. I met another forest ranger on this path (well, you better call this a road, it was almost paved!) who greeted me - so this tour was open after all, despite the sign.
The tour, however, was most unscenic, and soon after the start I was lost due the absence of sign posts. I had not planned to take this tour in the beginning, so I had no maps of this area either. And, I learned later, forest paths are only open to the public if sign posts tell you so - now what are you supposed to do if they suddenly end?
After climbing a mountain (the "Juifen") just for the excercise (as I said, this road was pretty unscenic, not even birds could be heard, it was just dull) then went back to my car and I swear I will never try mountain biking in Austria again!
Why should I, after all: in Bavaria all forest paths are open to the public, and there are lovely tours around. So my next special treat for myself will be a tour in Bavaria again. It's much close anyway :-)
As for the Moser MTB Guide: if you read about tours in Austria in this book, don't take it for grated that they are legal!
A little longer:
I presented myself with a free day (no work, no family) for my birthday, and wanted to go mountain biking. The famous "Moser Guide" had a tour to my liking, it started right at the border between Germany and Austria.
I set off into a beautiful valley, waterfalls all around, steep stone walls, paradise if you like. Then after 30 minutes of climbing I came across a forest ranger, who told me that riding this path, which he used with his car, was not open to the public. This could clearly be seen from a sign at the beginning of the path. After some arguments I turned around and followed his advice to an "open" tour.
The first thing I notices was that the same road sign indicated that the "open tour" was not open to the public, but what the heck. I met another forest ranger on this path (well, you better call this a road, it was almost paved!) who greeted me - so this tour was open after all, despite the sign.
The tour, however, was most unscenic, and soon after the start I was lost due the absence of sign posts. I had not planned to take this tour in the beginning, so I had no maps of this area either. And, I learned later, forest paths are only open to the public if sign posts tell you so - now what are you supposed to do if they suddenly end?
After climbing a mountain (the "Juifen") just for the excercise (as I said, this road was pretty unscenic, not even birds could be heard, it was just dull) then went back to my car and I swear I will never try mountain biking in Austria again!
Why should I, after all: in Bavaria all forest paths are open to the public, and there are lovely tours around. So my next special treat for myself will be a tour in Bavaria again. It's much close anyway :-)
As for the Moser MTB Guide: if you read about tours in Austria in this book, don't take it for grated that they are legal!
9/05/2006
Chewing Nails, Picking Noses
Yuck!
During my travels on trains and underground I often experience this disgusting sight: people picking their noses and chewing away in their nails.
It helps if you look at them, make them feel watched. This works quite well in most, but I had some people who tried to hide - no kidding! - behind another seat and continue there. Also, having to look at them so stringly could not be advisable after a hearty breakfast ...
Other strategies I have so far only thought about but never employed are:
Any other ideas that might actually work, when just looking and watching does not?
During my travels on trains and underground I often experience this disgusting sight: people picking their noses and chewing away in their nails.
It helps if you look at them, make them feel watched. This works quite well in most, but I had some people who tried to hide - no kidding! - behind another seat and continue there. Also, having to look at them so stringly could not be advisable after a hearty breakfast ...
Other strategies I have so far only thought about but never employed are:
- offer them a pair of scissors for their nails/tissue for their nose/pacifier to stop chewing
- ask them whether they found what they were looking for in their nose (kindergarden-level)
- ask them if you may chew their nails to see whether they taste better than your own
- start chewing your toe-nails (well, I am too old to try this myself)
Any other ideas that might actually work, when just looking and watching does not?
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