I tried it last year on my lightest road bike and ended up walking the steepest stretches. So today I took the MTB and things went better. Still wanted badly to stop and rest or walk at times but I resisted the temptation. After the hardest bits I knew I could finish, nothing could stop me now.
Then in the distance I heard a loudspeaker, maybe a reunion or something. It grew closer and I recognized a prayer, then I scaled another corkscrew and arrived at mass, right in the middle of the road. The priest was on a little knoll with a tree trunk. I stopped and waited until end of the service, trying not to disturb anyone. Everyone stayed and chatted awhile then one of the alpini asked if I wanted to pass and I weaved through the group on foot, then remounted. The steepness resumed immediately, as bad as ever until finally pavement ends and you begin climbing less steeply on gravel.
I reached the cattle gate where I had turned around last year and continued on up another half km or so, then headed back down. Much more fun descending on MTB. Near the bottom I encountered the first other bikers, 3 MTBers. Will try this again next year and try descending on the other side.
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| View west from near the top |
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| Southwest toward Fiume Brenta |
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| The tree shrine where priest held mass |
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| Closer view |
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| Challenging |
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