Sunset on the Autobahn

The infamous autobahn took us home. For all it's freedom from speed
limits (in select hunks between towns), it is not a relaxing drive!
After being in Germany and driving around for a month, I have asked
endless questions, and brushed up a bit on the driving rules and
customs in this country. All very intuitive from the big picture, but
a lot to be thinking about while driving, as well as a lot of
profiling based on the car you drive. For example, a VW would not pull
out in front of an Audi, and you need to judge this based on the grill
of the cars coming up behind you. I think I am a confident driver with
some daring and savy... But I was white knuckled, and convinced I was
going to die on the autobahn. The main rule is that you stay to the
right at ALL times, and only are allowed to move left to pass. If you
are not actively passing, you must return to a right lane. Problem
being that the speed difference between lanes on the highway can be up
to 30-40km/hr (and I was generally doing 150km/hr in the slow lane!).
Pull out at the wrong time, and it is REALLY dangerous. Ugh! Glad I
got to do it... But by the time we got home (after I drove the
autobahn for 2 1/2 hours), I was FRIED!

We drove around 500km in the one day... But it was so worth the
amazing day and scenery to have made that trip to Austria. :)

Austria in the distance

As soon as we crossed the border, it was noticeable that we left the
mountains behind, and we were back to the gentle rolling hills of
Germany.

Almost back in Germany

Sun was starting to go down as we approached the border back into
Germany lighting up the remaining peaks

Jagged mountain peaks

Bordering the towns between Austria and Italy. It was no small effort
to gently convince Jana not to take the turn, and continue driving
into Italy. Why did I do that again?

Exactly what you expect Austria to look like

Couldn't put the camera down...

It was just too lovely all around

Journey back through Austria

Our GPS predicted a 5+ hour drive home from the point we wandered to.
We pointed the car in the right direction, and enjoyed the gorgeous
Austrian scenery as we went along. Houses surrounded by green fields
with livestock (sheep, cows, goats) cut into the mountainsides
everywhere. The few trees were bfginning to change over to the bright
fall colors. And the grand alps were ever present somewhere on the
horizon....

Leaving Großglockner behind

The mountains in the distance as we rolled out of the park into the
closest town.

Leaving the valley of giants

We hit the obligatory gift shop, and got a bite to eat, wandered
through the nature center... Then decided to continue on with the
journey. Instead of backtracking through the entire park, we exited
through a little town on the western side, and let the GPS system
figure out how to get home from there.

Johannisberg peak (3,460m) & Pastetze glacier

In the visitors center there was a fascinating exhibit that showed the
melting of the glacier over the last 200 years or so. Only about 25%
of the mass remains... It previously filled a lot of the valley in
this picture. Großglockner mountain is the beast in the shadows on the
left.

Tourist center at the end of the road

The road through the park dead ends at the Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Höhe...
Viewpoint for the Großglockner peak (3,798m), and the Pastetze glacier
(longest glacier in the eastern alps).

Hairpin corners

There are signs marking all the hairpin corners (of which there were
36 in the 48km drive to the glacier).

Driving along...

Coming into the southern mountains

We passed through a tunnel, and came down from the snowy peaks into
the southern mountains... Just as big, just not quite as snow covered.

Animal crossing signs...

All along the road, there were signs to beware of the various mountain
wildlife including sheep, ibex, and Jana's favorite.... The marmot!!

The road ahead

Looking off in the distance, you can see theroad continuing to wind
it's way through the mountains. At the point, we were only about a
third of the way into the park.

Girlwonder on a wall...

Standing on the snowy wall, carefully turning around to take the
panorama photos.

Panorama #12

Panorama #11

Panorama #10