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or "ecologically questionable" - Landeck - September 2004
As my efforts to bring Michael and / or Robert with me had failed, I headed south alone. Even though Lisa almost got caught when I picked up a tarp there. Thomas, Winne and someone else were also expected. Since Thomas wrote something about "leave your Kingpin at home, my S6 stays at home too, I'll take my allrounder from Greece", I was slightly unsure what to take with me from my collection. Well, I took the Kingpin with me and the Topo for good measure. That fitted in perfectly, so off we went. The new Sharan (130 hp diesel) manages 223 km/h when loaded, so I was there quite quickly, almost too early. On site I saw the Renault and the Ducato, but no tent right next to it, and no Christian anywhere. hmmmm... Then in the morning the certainty: 3 people in 3 cars... Well, I had to go back on Thursday (although everyone probably stopped paddling on Thursday afternoon), the rest wanted to stay until Sunday, Winne had to stay until Sunday to go to a handball match on the way back (near Kassel). EGAL.
1st day
So the first day was already planned: first Giasund, and then Ardezer, I just thought to myself "that's right, I wanted it to be sporty" and the topo once again had its raison d'être. A guy with the AKC designation "Captain" wanted it that way and had agreed it with Winne. We climbed up to the start in the rain, but the captain was unhappy about the rain, which was still present, and didn't want any more. This threw the other two off their stride and we only paddled Giasund. The Prussian catapult was still skidding, especially when you simply bomb through without any swell. This kamikaze ride only took its revenge at the snapper in the middle before the exit, where a hole ate Thomas up and spat him out piece by piece.
Conclusion
Even a topo can be fast, especially when the others are slow playboats.
Day 2
Finally Sanna and the Kingpin are allowed out. A quick look at the crooked corner at the top (145 cm of water): faster, but sorted as you know it. The surprise at the entrance: a paddler called Ingrid is standing there, just like that, and wants to join someone else for a paddle. We thought to ourselves: courage must be rewarded. When she arrived in Landeck, she only had ONE heavily bleeding wound on her finger and a swim behind her and wanted to do it again, which she did after 2 hours (it takes that long for the wetsuits to dry in the sun). Everything went better then too.
3rd day
...also a good cut. As Winne said: stressful weather, very strong and warm sun from 9 am to 6 pm, only the water was a bit fresh, otherwise you'd think you were in Lyon. We finally rode the Tösens route and in the evening the Rosanna with Ingrid, also very nice, just technical and a balance to the force of the Inn (Tösens). Ingrid had a family program in the morning. Wittizer role reversal somehow.
Day 4
Flux wet the neo again and paddled the Sanna. Now Winne had also taken it apart and had to swim (in the mushrooms in front of the Pianner Schwall, it's really hard to get back in. Then on to the lower Ötz, also very beautiful. Then on the Inn there were such beautiful and high waves that I managed to roll over backwards while "just riding up the wave with the Kingpin with my weight a bit backwards". 3 creeks that day)
5th day
Now something new: upper Venter Ache from Vent to the 2nd bridge before Heiligkreuz. Start at 11 am with an acceptable water level (a bit late, but Winne thinks it would be easier than the lower Venter. In the first hairpin bend, Winne then says, let's see what has changed in the last 10 years since his last trip (great........??!!!!!!!!). It was Oker-like cold and beautiful in WW3. When we passed a WW3+ and Winne said that this was the key section, I relaxed and was soon in a bend on the left, where Thomas' eyes bugged out because of the suddenly appearing WW5-. But my path led through a four-hole to Thomas and I wanted to get over there, as I couldn't see the thing with the 5 and therefore couldn't guess it. When I got to Thomas, soaked through, I could see a stressed Winne carrying his boat. Well, further down for about 50 meters, then another hot spot, which immediately tested the quality of my paddle jacket. Thomas showed me an X and set about rushing his Juice up the rather steep gorge. Another 50m further on, Winne had to call it a day. After 2 "problems", he said he didn't want to go any further, especially as the gorge was narrowing and there was a car behind it. I thought to myself "I can't do it alone" and I don't want to imitate "getting into trouble just before getting out". Michael's death was still noticeable. Later, when we got the car at the entrance, we could see 20cm more in the stream bed. There wasn't a second stream that day, except for Winne's hot spring in Umhausen, which is currently being closed in favor of a bathing paradise next door. I think the small natural part was more of a bathing paradise than the commercial steel monster next door. Warm baths after paddling in the Ötztal are now a thing of the past.
Day 6
Generally no desire among the others to try the upper Venter again, but 1.5 hours earlier. So I paddled the Ötz again and then home. Then I did the alpine roller coaster in Imst, it's very nice.
bye HD; September 2004