So, we returned to the hotel and I started talking with the reception desk people, basically intending to convince them to let us use the hotel's laundry facilities (as a rule, they had informed us, they didn't wash guests' laundry in house, but instead sent it out -- the only problem being that it would then not be done until Monday afternoon at the earliest). My efforts were, however, cut quickly short by Frau Nussbickel, who told the reception girl that she would take our laundry home and do it herself that evening. As said, a queen among hotel owners!
One more thing about Oberstdorf: we had there our best meal on the trip so far. Maximilian's, the restaurant, is apparently just about to get, or has already received, its first Michelin star, and, in our humble opinion, it is well deserved. The seven course meal we had was exquisite in every respect save one: the goat cheese creme brulee that Russ and I had for dessert was, I felt (and told them -- they took it well) a bridge too far (Arnhem / Arnheim WWII reference, which they understood).
Back to the hiking. The plans said that it would be a long tough day with a large amount of altitude to gain: 1730m. And it was. The initial climb up to the ridge took three hours, and then the ridge itself was a roller-coaster that added a significant amount of additional up and down to the day. Russell in particular found the climbing exhausting (he is, after all, carrying some 3+kg more in his pack than I am, as well as weighing around 18kg more than I do). The 350m up to the hut at the end of the day didn't help either!
The views from the ridge were, as compensation for the effort, spectacular, but the trails were as crowded as we have seen yet. Granted, it was a Sunday, but the primary reason for the crowds was the Fellhorn gondola: it brings up masses of people who then walk part or all of the way down the ridge. Many of these seemed to be real hikers, at least based upon their gear, but many were not (most notably the couple accompanied by their dog,and their cat, each on its own leash). Not even the hour or so of light rain we encountered while climbing up to the ridge seemed to minimize the flow of these day hikers (although it may explain the less than thrilled look on the cat's face).
The Fiderepass Hut itself was a nice place, but lacking in showers and individual bedrooms. This was our first night in a bunkroom and we were somewhat uneasy about the prospects for sleeping well. We need not have worried: there were no snorers in the room, and also since we got there early we were able to choose places that were uncrowded.
Dinner was fine except that I was served the smallest portion of Schweinebraten I have yet encountered. After some prodding from Russ and Sally I complained about the deficit, producing the immediate response of an additional amount of meat equivalent to three times what I had received immediately. With they redeemed themselves completely in my eyes and it was also a good reminder for me that I shouldn't follow lessons learned from Oliver Twist in every situation :-).
We were so tired that it was only with the greatest of efforts that we restrained ourselves from going up to bed immediately after dinner -- at 18:30. We played a couple of games of Royalty and then retired before 9PM. I listened to music (on my sunglasses -- I must have looked a sight) before going to sleep around 10PM.
