The soles of the feet are hot, the legs heavy. But probably not so many Tyroleans would voluntarily torture themselves if they weren't rewarded many times over. For example, with the last metre of altitude to the Joch, when the mountains suddenly drop down in front of them. Or during the first few seconds when the sun struggles over the mountain peaks and the valleys are still in the shade. Or simply reaching for the summit cross.
You might think that there is little to envy about such a cheese sandwich. What a misconception! You will realise this once you have carried this cheese bread to a Tyrolean summit. Because - and we swear by this - nothing tastes as perfect as a simple snack at the summit cross.
We like to make things easy for ourselves. That's why we find it very convenient that mushrooms, berries and mountain cheese simply grow by the wayside on our mountain adventures. Well, we have to help a little with the mountain cheese, but in the end it is either on the hut plate or in self-service shops ready to take away along the way. Oh yes, and of course we quench our thirst exclusively with spring water from the mountains. That's what we get from the tap.
Oh, how nice it is to just let yourself drift. In steaming warm water, for example, with cold air around your nose and a white mountain backdrop before your eyes. A heated outdoor pool is a great place to relax in front of such a backdrop. And you don't have to worry about anything, except perhaps your next spa treatment.
The longing for that first turn in untouched snow - oh, we know it all too well. How convenient that we only have to go outside the front door. And while the crowds flock to the most famous slopes, our guides still find a few glistening, untracked slopes away from the mainstream.
Collecting kilometres is really something nice! If you don't have any mountains. With us, you may have to pedal up forest roads and passes, but you will be rewarded with a downhill rush after which cycling on the flat will no longer be enough. Sorry!
In Tyrol, we don't prove our courage by being daring, because that would be stupid. Our tests of courage may take some effort, but here you can swap them for special experiences. Or how often do you bathe in lonely, ice-cold mountain lakes in the middle of the mountains?
Pride when she is allowed to climb one of the "real" peaks for the first time. Confidence when he balances sure-footedly over the ridge. Reliability when everyone sticks together. We Tyroleans pass on a few of the most important lessons to our children on the mountain. What you feel when you reach the summit together for the first time is our simplest form of happiness. Here you will find your first family summit.
We may not always come across as extremely polite. But what we say comes from the heart. So for some, it may be strange to be greeted like an old friend at a hut. Well, for us it is strange to be greeted like an old friend. That's why we are simply friends with strangers in Tyrol from 1,000 metres upwards at the latest, but preferably before that.
In Tyrol, we don't just celebrate the evening because it's time to work out. At the end of the day, we also realise that we only have to go outside to find the most beautiful outdoor gym. That's why we have an after-work beer on a mountain pasture and the lights simply go out when the sun disappears behind the mountain.
And what do you experience on your doorstep?