Refrontolo

This is one of the prettiest rides I've ever ridden: the Prosecco hills of Refrontolo.  Paul Kim showed me the route 5 years ago and I keep meaning to go back but don't get around to it.  So today I cruised down to Vittorio Veneto and headed up to San Lorenzo, a stack of switchbacks through the woods filled with singing birds.  After the climb you sail down to Tarzo, take a right on the busy mainstreet briefly, then left at the sign marked Resera.  This heads upward, with beautiful views on your right of Lago Revine, followed shortly by great views of prosecco vineyards.

At Rolle the waterfall was dry.  Not sure if it's dammed  now because of the fatal landslide a few years ago or just lacks rain.  Then up to Refrontolo with great views of the zone.  The looping tornanti below San Pietro di Feletto were wonderful as always.  My ride home was surprisingly difficult because I'm a bit out of condition and I used up too much energy on all those rolling hills.  Didn't bonk but another few kilometers and I'd have been a zombie.  "Piano, piano" like my friend Silvano always says.    

Chiesa di San Lorenzo nestled in an olive grove,
with Monte Pizzoc in background 

Chiesa at Costa di La' above
an amphitheater of presecco vineyards 

Costa di La' vines with
Monte Cesen high above in the distance

My real motive for this ride: to find Villa Spada,
the setting of Andrea Molesini's historical fiction novel
"Non tutti i bastardi sono di Vienna."
This street in Refrontolo is named after
the real-life protagonist Nicolo Spada

This marker promises a trail to Tempietto Spada,
but I rode to the end and it ended in someone's
garden.  Clearly I'll have to return,