Day 8: Busted plans lead to an adventure!

Our plan was to spend the day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to ski and board.  We decided to not get up so early this morning but we still left around 9.  We got to the train station to buy our ticket and the next train left at 10:32. We had a leisure breakfast before catching our train.

And then our adventure began.  Before we got to the first train stop there was an announcement in German and many of the people got off.  When a conductor came by and found out we were going to Garmisch, she started to tell us to get off the train and what to do. Just then the train started to move and she said "Too Late."   She proceeded to tell us there was a track closure ahead and we should have gotten off at that stop to switch trains. Oops.  She then told us that we could continue on to the train station before the track closure and take a bus to the next station after the track closure. 

At that point we decided to give up on skiing and go on to Garmisch and get the lay of the land for tomorrow. 

The gondula to the "Top of Germany" was closed due to the bad weather at the top of the mountain.  So we took the cogwheel train up to Zugspitze.  At the top we had lunch in the cafeteria and then decided to try our hand at sledding.  Here's a picture of Drews lunch.  He did say that the cafeteria had the best pretzels he has had in Germany.  And believe me when I say that Drew loves pretzels.  Notice anything missing?  Vegetables?  Protein?  Oh to be 15 again.

Sledding was an epic fail!  The mountain was fogged in and it was blowing snow, so our visibility was low.  It was a tough growing. Plus we had to be pulled up the slope riding on the sled and holding onto a J-bar lift.  I'm not a fan of J-bar lifts!  Well, we fell off 3 times!  The last time was about half way up the lift. We were frustrated, had trouble breathing because of the altitude, and with the bad weather decided to pack it in for the day since it was close to closing time anyway.

Here is a picture from their website that shows what we we should have enjoyed!

We boarded the train back down the mountain and back to Munich. We now know exactly what we need to do tomorrow, plus we already have our lift tickets.  

Here's to better weather tomorrow and good skiing/boarding!

At least the day ended on a good note with the Hokies winning in the Military Bowl!  Go Hokies!