I climbed a Mountain once, for a little Flower that is VERY highly sought after and very hard to get, a real honor for me to be a part of, and I proudly wear it now on special occasions!
That's edelweiss! I got my piece also while climbing in the Alps. I got it laminated between two pieces of plastic. I can't remember exactly where I got it but it was in the Jungfrau region somewhere, maybe the Eiger. I never climbed the face (Eiger) but tried twice, got stormed out both times so said the hell with it. I'm going to see if I can find it now...it's around here somewhere... EDIT: Found it! Boy-oh-boy...talk about memories... I took it over to the shop where they make ID cards on Patch Barracks, Stuttgart Germany as I worked on the base there for EUCOM J2 at the time... had them laminated it and put the hole for a chain. I wore it climbing for a while but scratchy and got in the way so... Sorry the photo is fuzzy...
I got mine while stationed in Bitberg, several of us went with several of our German counterparts to Zell-Am See where we did the climb to the ski lodge above the lake! What a view, and an epic climb! I seriously LOVE that little town, but it's become over grown with billionaires, still, a super fun place to visit, would LOVE to go back and spend some time there! This is with my back to the lake, and NO, we didn't climb higher, though it was tempting! LOL
I skied Zell-Am-See yearly while I was there among lots of other places. I found it strange that it was cheaper to ski in Europe than the USA but... I skied every weekend as I was in a ski club. and went to all the resorts like Davos, St. Anton, etc. a different one every weekend. Yeah, did it for years...good times.
I went up from Italy and skied Interlaken a few times. Funny, I never skied while stationed in Germany....different woman, I guess.
Interlaken was good also! I think my favorite was St. Anton. You were lucky to be in Italy, especially if you were at Aviano. That had to be the Air Force's best base in the world. Great food, right next to mountains so skiing in winter, hiking and biking in summer... And, you could make Austria or Germany fairly easy.
I lived in the mountains of Big Bear Lake California. As a kid I hiked all over them and never got lost, lots of mines and natural rock caves as well. to discover and some wild life too. Fishing the lake was too easy so I went the creeks and streams for more of a challenge. Later I became a member of the Sheriff's Search and rescue and got to play with their equipment and explore the woods on a snow mobile and ATVs. Too much fun. I raised my kids up there and when they got on their own found their own place in the woods in other parts of the country. I still prefer the mountains, though I am in a desert place now. Kinda a cool, the mountains have their own microclimate, and during certain times of the year it can be thick clouds at lower elevations and bright and sunny up stairs. I can deal with the cold far better than the heat, and snow is my element, though i don't' see much of it anymore where I'm living.
@arleigh "Fishing the lake was too easy so I went the creeks and streams for more of a challenge." I'm with you on this! Growing up in Washington state, I've always preferred river and creek fishing. I just found sitting in a damn boat for hours boring and better to walk a river, find a nice place and pitch in, and if it didn't pan out then move on.
