Day 173: Brother Mike; skiing Kitzbühel
36yearsago.com
Vienna 1971—A Student Journal
A year of music, study, travel, sightseeing &
friends.
Day
173 — Brother Mike; skiing Kitzbühel
22-January-1972
(Samstag–Sat.)
TRANSCRIPT
Kitzbühel
Went to Kitzbühel in the morning, met Mike [my
brother] at 11:00. I must have made quite an
impression at first sight–since the last six months:
my hair was considerably longer, and I was walking
with two considerably good looking girls (from the
U.S.) that I met on the train. Anyway, after the
preliminaries, I went straight to rent skis and we
left right away for skiing. The skiing conditions
weren’t terribly bad because there was 3” of new
snow. However, under it was ice. Still, we did quite
a bit of skiing. All except for the one racer’s trail
(where they had televised races)—which was hard and
solid ice, it wasn’t bad.
Afterwards, met Mike’s friend Roger—good kid—and went
out to dinner and afterwards had a drink with Mike’s
group. Good guys. Afterwards, went to a diskotek. It
was quite a running-around night. I met a Swedish
girl. Danced and talked. Nice person. Unfortunately,
on returning home, I got lost and returned late. I
also slept on the floor—but at least it was free.
REFLECTIONS
I must have taken the train from Munich to Kitzbühel
in the morning. Thanks to Google, I find that it is
only a 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hour train trip from Munich to
Kitzbühel in Austria.
Girls.
Mr. Don
Juan (me) seems to be meeting girls left and right,
coming off the train with two girls accompanying me.
That in combination with my long hair probably
freaked my brother out. Good. It’s about time I got
some respect. Then I meet a Swedish girl at a
diskotek at night. Let me assure you, this “Mr.
International” mystique, however, did not return to
the U.S. with me. Truthfully, it was just a lot of
fun to talk to new people in new places. I still
enjoy talking to people, I’m just not meeting them in
the Alps of Austria. It’s all very innocent.
Brother
Mike. Finally, I
get to meet my brother Mike since I left home. This
is his first trip to Europe and Austria. It’s good to
see him and we head off to ski right away. My brother
Mike is, and always has been an expert skier. Also an
expert mechanic. The second oldest of five. I’m an
intermediate skier. Maybe, I’m intermediate in
everything I do? Oh, boy!
Kitzbühel.
Kitzbühel
is a well established skier’s destination. I don’t
believe I have pictures though. Maybe my film ran out
in Munich? And my brother took the pictures?
Skiing.
Most of
the skiing, I think was ok. An expert skier can
handle ice conditions. An intermediate, as I am, has
trouble with ice and steepness. I can parallel nicely
on moderate slopes but my technique is not perfect.
Once it gets too icy or steep, I lose edge control.
Then I don’t enjoy it as much. To be fair, Innsbruck
and St. Anton had their share of some icy conditions.
In the Alps, at least back then, there was not a lot
of snowmaking.
Racing
skiing. Although I
didn’t write it in the journal, I do remember the icy
slope that was the skier’s slope and I’m certain it
was at Kitzbühel. I believe we went down it at the
end of the day, getting dark. It was steep and very
icy. My brother could ski it. I kept on falling down.
We made it down. We later found out that this
particular trail was iced down by the Austrian army,
I believe, for an upcoming downhill ski racing
competition.
Apres
dinner. With
Mike’s friends we have dinner, then hit the diskotek.
I dance and talk with a Swedish girl, and then it’s
home to sleep on the floor. Ah, the student life.
John
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