Cycling Dolomiti Friulane: Canal di Cuna

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Canal di Cuna

Another in the series of uncompleted rides revisited, this time http://dolomiti-friulane.blogspot.it/2011/01/canal-di-cuna.html from January 2011. I warmed up through Meduno and along the shore of Lago Tramonti, and then began the steepish saliscendi up to Tramonti di Sotto. As you leave town hang a right on the road marked Tramonti di Mezzo and after more climbing you arrive. As you enter town take the first right, climb some more and then take the first right again (via Canal di Cuna). This is a narrow mountain lane with bad pavement. Continue rolling along and then cross the bridge over Torrente Chiarchia. After a bit the climb proper starts, a long series of steep tornanti. I stood on much of these, careful to cross the drainage grates at an angle, and avoiding the loose stone, wet fir needles and other debris. I continued past the place I had dismounted and started walking last year, and reached end of pavement at 750 meters.

Here I donned a pair of Bike Skins cleat covers to see if they would work for bike-hikes. The gravel is quite deep and washed out with channels, etc. I pushed my bike up to a big open switchback at 807 meters. The Bike Skins worked well but this deep gravel requires hiking boots, I think. I will try driving next time to start of climb, and then hike with boots up to Canal di Cuna. More info on the hike here http://www.cuna.it/.

The descent was slow due to bad pavement. Afterwards I sped up a bit and enjoyed the scenery. At Tramonti di Mezzo there was a small forest fire where I'd ridden through earlier. After escaping the smoke I enjoyed descending the saliscendi to Lago Tramonti, but the winds picked up (white caps on the lake!) and the controvento opposed my progress all the way home. Very tiring, but good resistance training.