After 3 or 4 days of rain, today the skies suddenly cleared to the south. The skies were still black over the mountains, so I decided to head south down through Dandolo to Vivaro, then west across the Magredi toward San Foca.
I had booted the hole in my front tire sidewall with a piece of very tough plastic food wrapper- can't tear it with your hands. When I inflated the tube I could see the outline of the plastic piece through the tire casing, so I was worried it would thump every rotation. But I couldn't feel a thing today. Just in case, I bought a couple of Michelin Krylion tires, which seem a little tougher in the sidewalls. When the front ProRace 3 bites the dust, I'll put a Krylion on the back and rotate the rear ProRace forward.
The long, slightly-downhill glide to Vivaro felt great. I turned west and crossed the long viaduct over the Magredi. I could see the mountains well from here, and it looked clear up to Caldastia on Piancavallo. So I decided instead of continuing along the plain, I would head upward.
The climb was pretty easy at first, then went to 11-12%. I decided to climb standing as much as possible to keep in practice. So I stood probably two-thirds of the time. The long stretch of 13% below Rifugio Bornass was an especially good workout- really worked on deep breathing using both intercostals and diaphragm. The average grade from start of climb to Bornass is 9.6%.
After Bornass I continued toward Caldastia despite the menacing black clouds rolling in. Alas at 845 meters big, fat, frigid rain drops started coming down. I turned around and the rain picked up, like it was chasing me. A little ways below Bornass it let up. Had a great time on the curves and switchbacks- this is about the best paved descent around here.
At Pedemonte I turned toward home. Predictably, as I approached Giais the rain started back up. We live in a perpetual rainshower.
Good ride- 930 meters of climbing and 60km distance.
The gradient
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.