Tschenten

I hiked up another mountain today. It was Tschentenalp. We FINALLY got a beautiful day on our day off, and so we decided it would be perfect weather to work on one of our challenges - to climb three mountains to a total of 3000m. I had been up two already, so this was going to be the last big ass Alp I'd have to climb, and I was looking forward to having it over with!

So we set off with our little do it yourself map from Our Chalet. We did a pretty good job until we got to this tunnel. And it was a really cool tunnel. And Sidsel and I could not resist. So we went through, and should have turned around and gone back, but decided - the trail is headed up, it must go to the same place. It didn't, so after 20 minutes, we turned around, back through the cool tunnel and then on to our destination. (We found out this evening from the staff that have done the hike many times that there's no tunnel on the trail we're supposed to take. I said that they must have been going the wrong way. Because we found the cool tunnel AND the top of the mountain.)

Once we were back on track, it was a grueling, but pleasant ascent. Sidsel and I move at similar paces and need to break at similar times, so it was a good day. We took advantage of all the benches along the hiking path and had some very good sandwiches and cookies.

We got to a part that was very steep, and I had to document that it was so steep that it scared the shit out of a cow. Cows climb these slopes all the time, so I was a bit apprehensive to see that this trail made even them nervous.



Slowly but surely, we made it to the top. And it was soooo clear. We have hardly had clear days when we've been on top of mountains. Come to think of it, we've had none. It was so beautiful that I had to sing.


After my concert, we made our way to the area where they were flying model airplanes and took advantage of some more benches. We were almost hit by a mountain biker on the way up. As he went down, it looked like he'd just ride right off the end of the mountain. But mountains don't end, they just slope down. In case you didn't know.


After marvelling in our accomplishment, we made our way to the gondola station and restaurant for some much deserved snacks. I had espresso ice cream in which I dipped my pommes frites (fries). I freaked Sidsel out, and most of the other people at the tables around us. But it was delicious, and I thought of Jessie with every bite. Have you fed Lima Bean fries and frosty's yet?


On the way to the restaurant, we saw a bar in a bubble. I made a mental note to return during ski season and try it out.

And I wanted to post the photo of a Swiss road just so you can see that the zig zag is a true Swiss way of getting places.
After our delicious snack, we hopped on the gondola to return down to Adelboden.

While in town, we stopped at the Coop and grabbed some random food before returning to Our Chalet. I grabbed this thing as my prize for climbing yet another big ass Alp. The lesson here is - when you climb up and down a big ass Alp, you are rewarded with fine things like cheeseburgers. When you walk up a big ass Alp, but cheat coming down on the gondola (even if it's due to a bum knee) you are rewarded with a baked good resembling an asshole.