Allgäu, Grünten and Bologna 🇩🇪🇦🇹🇮🇹 - the second half begins
Sven Walther
Allgäu and 100,000 kilometres
We have reached the beautiful home region of our daughter: we now stay in the Allgäu for two weeks. That ends the big northern loop and with it the first half of Season 2.
During this time Sven drives Mammothon over to the Dachstein. A repair is due there that unfortunately found no room in the calendar in spring. And on the way there is one more special milestone: Mammothon passes 100,000 kilometres.

100,000 kilometres
From the Dachstein Sven continues straight on to Munich, and from there he flies to Scandinavia for a few appointments. Planning is everything.
The Grünten
At the weekend the Grünten is finally on the programme. A few years ago we had already almost made it to the top. It was Easter then, and the last 100 metres of altitude consisted of nothing but ice and snow. This time, in August, the problem is more the opposite: it is almost too warm.

We start across the meadow
So we fight our way up the steep meadow and finally the last climb. Turns out: without snow the mountain looks a lot friendlier, but it is still hard work.

The steep meadow

The view between the rocks
And this time we make it all the way to the top. On the summit of the Grünten stands a stone structure with a transmitter mast next to it reaching into the sky, and the view stretches far across the Allgäu and into the mountains.

Finally at the top

View into the valley

The ridge with the transmitter mast

Rocks at the summit
And then it is back down through the forest.

On the way down
Dachstein
The following weekend we take a rental car, drive over to the Dachstein and finally get our home back.

Expedition vehicles in the yard
Then it is quickly back to Salzburg to return the rental car, and the second half of this season starts.
Bologna and the Apennines
We head south on the Tauern Autobahn and, after a short stop in Austria, continue across the Po Valley in northern Italy all the way to Bologna. There, of course, comes the first Italian meal first of all. Pasta, as it should be.
With well-filled stomachs we then drive into the mountains south of Bologna, into the Apennines, and venture a tour up the mountain. Because of the heat, however, we do not make progress quite as quickly as hoped.

The rock face above us

The path along the rock face

Marked in red and white
The trail takes us past ruined stone houses that the forest is slowly reclaiming.

Ruined stone hut

A house the forest is taking back
We are not quite alone on the way: a green lizard sits in the leaves and looks at us with a composure we would gladly have in this heat. Lou has long since found the best viewpoint anyway, a mossy tree trunk.

A green lizard

Lou on her tree trunk
After that, of course, we also have to get out of the mountains again. Please do not ask me about the roads here… So on to the next pitch. The second half of the season has started!