Predazzo - Stams - Home

We spent the last part of our Europe camp in Predazzo, Italy, and then we went to Stams, Austria for the three days before heading home on Tuesday.  This was my first time to Stams, which is just outside of Innsbruck.  We stayed at a small Pension where the owner would ask us what we would like for meals.  Kaisesrscharrn - sweet German pancakes - was a must for the first dinner. 

On Sunday we hiked up a nearby mountain with the intention of taking the gondola down to save our legs.  We ended up just running down - actually nearly racing down - instead and put the hurt on our bodies.  Either way, it was a memorable hike with spectacular views from the summit.  We signed the log book at the top and discovered that the French Nordic Combined Team had been up there the day before!  It's not like it was the only mountain around!

It's hard to do any justice to the view.

On Monday we jumped in Stams on their K105.  I always enjoy jumping hills in this in-between size.  They're all unique but usually feel like a smaller hill on the inurn and a big hill in the air. Stams is a state-of-the-art hill where the Austrian's spend a lot of time training.  Just past the base of the jump they have a ski school that many of the best Austrian's attend or have attended. 

Tuesday was a rather long travel day, but it is nice to crawl into my own bed after too many hours on a plane.  And of course, I can't complain with no delays, lost baggage or other difficulties on the way.  Now we have just 3 weeks of training here before we'll be back in Italy again!  Also, the Norwegian team is coming here next week.  I'm looking forward to training with them again.  They were here this spring and obviously decided it was a worthwhile time.  We definitely benefit from having another team to train with.

I'll leave you with a few shots from the town we stayed at near Stams, and one from Munich the evening before we flew home. Until next time!