Hi Gram!
Time to climb! I woke up this morning, eager to ride a train and do a hike. I got up and did my morning journal and puzzles, had my breakfast, then checked the weather. I was sad to see rain in the forecast for 2pm, but decided that I would just have to hurry. Then I saw that the next train was in 20 minutes, and I wouldn’t have time to get to the train station. The next one after that was another 2 hours, and I wasn’t going to make it back before the rain at that pace. Life just always works out, so I looked at my second option and decided to hike Nasemweg to Leopoldsburg instead. This would be a shorter train ride to a steeper climb, albeit shorter hike.

I gathered my gear and headed downstairs. The train station was right outside my building, so within minutes I was standing at a ticket station paying my fare. I love seeing the engineering of a good subway system. I stumbled along, checking out the signs and gawking at the structure. I soon reached my platform, then the train arrived quickly. A few stops later and I arrived at Heiligenstadt. I wove through that station, stopped for an apfelstrudel (apple streusel, delicious here!), then found my bus stop. Transit is so effortless here. The bus let me off a few stops later on the side of the road with a sidewalk that seemed to end. I thought I would have to walk in the busy road, but when I got to that point, there was a staircase leading down and under the road. I walked a few more blocks to a nondescript staircase at the end of an alley, wedged between a rundown building and a farm field, presumably the start of my climb. Of course I was right – not because I’m smart, but because Google Maps said that’s where it was.

I climb stairs every day. Oftentimes a lot of stairs. It surprised me a little that I was still so out of breath when I climbed more than a few flights. Then I looked at my watch and saw that I’d climbed 30 flights already! It was a nice peaceful climb, nobody else around. I started catching views of the city at this point between the trees, pausing briefly before I continued my climb. The rain started, a light sprinkle, making me consider turning around. If it stayed a light sprinkle, I could deal with it. I was worried it would become a downpour.

The forecast didn’t call for rain until 2pm, so I grabbed my umbrella and forged on. Between the podcast in my headphones, the views of the city, and the invigorating climb, I was happy. Before I knew it, I saw a building ahead of me that I figured was my destination. I stopped for a few pictures at a terrace, then continued up the last few steps. The building was closed, with boarded windows, but I don’t think it was abandoned. I didn’t see any graffiti and there was a man sweeping the sidewalk as I passed him. I circled around to the other side of the building with another good view of the city, presented with a decision. I could turn left and go back down the way I came, or I could turn right and go on to another stop along the trail. I checked to make sure there was a bus stop at the next point of interest, then decided to head that way.

I walked along the road for a short bit, then the sidewalk branched away and led me down a greenery-surrounded path parallel to the road. Soon, I started seeing cables overhead, then bridges and obstacles. There was an obstacle course crisscrossing the path. It wasn’t blocked off or anything, and had signs indicating the difficulty level. I think it was just a public obstacle course that anyone could use if you brought your own equipment. Shortly thereafter, I came upon a set of small buildings with a business set up to rent equipment or provide guided tours. So cool!

The rain had started again at this point, so I made the call to just grab a bus back down the hill. I was going to walk as far as I could, maybe all the way back to the apartment, but that’s not as fun when it’s raining. I soon found a bus, which brought me back to the train station, and a few stops later I was back at the apartment, a steady drizzle confirming my decision not to have walked all the way back. I still had to do laundry, but I waited a bit and the rain let up. The laundromat wasn’t exciting, but it WAS expensive. A small washing machine load was 7 Euro and the dryer cost 5 Euro. I’m used to a few dollars per machine, not almost fourteen for one load. No matter, I had clean clothes and headed back to the apartment. A quick bit of packing, then some reading and it was time for bed before I knew it.