Lake Garda and the rain.....

Yep, again, we've been rained upon. Not that I take it personal, but twice is enough. At xmas left San Diego 5 days early as it was raining non-stop.
Anyway, the holiday pretty much split into 'before the rain' and 'after the rain'. And the middle bit was 'Bavaria'. Well, not entirely true actually, we went to Bavaria on day 8 or so when it rained the 3rd day in Torbole, and, when checking the internet we learned that it will keep raining for a while in the whole of Continental Europe.
Tuff, we thought, go and see my brother Bernd and wife Rosi, who were holidaying in Bavaria, at least we would have somebody to play cards and drink with. Not that anybody had cards but we needed another excuse...
But on the 3rd day again it still rained (and I mean rain, not some Scotland-esque dreich, no, real heavy, unforgiving, to the bones, continuous rain) and when my dad told us that the sun is back out in the Black Forest, off back there we went. Even 5 days with my mother couldn't be as bad as the never ending rain...
And luckily, the weather gods had really calmed down again, and we had nice weather for the rest of the holidays.

Cycling:
4 tours in and around/above Torbole:
Very very hard. Lots of loose scree and man are these hills steep. But you get the most beautiful views. And I mean 'most'. Here an example:



2 days of waiting to cycle in Bavaria looking at something like this (and this was when the weather was good!):


And the redemption in Black Forest... hard cycling with chief mountain goat Rosi and deputy mountain goat Bernd:


More photos will be uploaded but it's and arse and it might take a while (sorry Lillithenecosse!!)