2009 rides

3 Jan 09
Rode to Montereale, Ponte Giulia, San Leonardo and home.  Very nice ride.  Saw several riders out in the cold, clear weather.  I tried the chopped up powerbar in wax paper- worked great. 

5 Jan 09
Took Giorgio to Coop this morning and bought ouva.  Then I chopped some wood and had a café.  Caterina was very cute showing me her toy coneglio.   I cleaned the muffa around the dining room window, took a nap, then rode to San Leonardo and back.  I left late and the sun was getting low.  Short ride, but rode fast and felt good.

11 Jan 09
Changed how I was taking the cabergoline (1 tablet each day for 2 days, skip a day and repeat) and was very tired.  Last week, Went to the gym once or twice, chopped some wood, took the dogs on a couple of short walks, that’s it.  Today rode to Vivaro, San Foca San Leonardo.  Legs felt tired the whole way.   Other than great ride- mountains  are snowy, weather was warmer than all week clear- beautiful.  Saw a crane in field between San Leonardo and Malnisio- flew  a few hundred feet then landed.

25 Jan 09
Rode to San Leonardo and back.  Clear and not cold- I was overdressed.  I have not been riding enough. I had a colonoscopy yesterday and had a couple days of prep.  Now I’m switching my Cabergoline dosage to 2 tablets, skip two days, then repeat.   Feel sleepy.

9 Feb 09
Rode to Montereale, Ponte Giulia, San Leonardo and home.  First non-rainy day in awhile.  Actually there were a couple of days last week I could have rode, but I always came up with an excuse.  I think I’m getting habituated to the new cabergoline dosage plus I’m just tired of not going to the gym, and not riding.  Anyway lots of folks out riding today, so maybe I’m not the only one too lame to ride in the rain.  Between San Leonardo and Malnisio saw a group of nicely dressed middle aged women standing in a field examining a pile of manure.  Thought that was odd.

This morning I walked to Via Viale and paid the aquadotto (also paid Giorgio and Tony’s).  The lady at the poste, Nella was very friendly.  Maybe she is getting used to me.  Then drove Giorgio to Coop and bought eggs.  We had a good time.   The cashier was very nice to me- saw my name on the Bancomat and said her cugino or nipote is called Willy.  I think maybe because I was with Giorgio?  

14-16 Feb 09
Rode to San Leonardo the 1st day, San Foca 2nd day, and today San Foca with return via river road.   Very nice weather, beautifully snowy mountains.

8 Mar 09
Rode to Grizzo, then back via the Centrale.  Having a hard time getting motivated to ride.  Even the Giro dell  Friuli riding through Giais didn’t get me going.  Maybe God will strike me with a lightening bolt- that would give me some impetus. 

19 Mar 09
Took a couple rides the past week.  It’s been lovely and warm.  Rode to Grizzo, down to the RR crossing near Cima Rosa, but the crossing has been excavated, so rode home on the trail to Malnisio.  Today I rode to San Leonardo and back.  Took the dogs on lovely walks in the woods, past the asini and peacocks, through patches of violets, snowbells and primule, to the hilltop above South Fork.  Beautiful up there,  Eagles circling around in the sky.  Walked home through the fields before rejoining the road.  The dogs had a great time.

25 Mar 09
As I came out of Via Valussi a guy went by so I got on his wheel and rode to Malnisio.  So  that was my warm up.  Then I turned and went by the centrale to Grizzo. Then went down past the church to the cemetario, turned right and got on the bike path- went up the steep hill in 4th gear.  Rode home on big ring, including up the hill before Abraxos.  Got a good workout considering how short the ride was.  Took the girls on a fast walk down under the acquadoto.

26 Mar 09
In the morning took the girls on a walk up the hill, through the Black Forest, by the olive grove, through the woods to Glera.  Very pretty primule and violete everywhere.  Girls had a great time.  Nice with the snowy mountain above, sunny and cool.  
In the afternoon rode by Malnisio Centrale to Grizzo, down past the school to the road that crosses the new bridge.  Turned right and rode down to the road from San Leonardo to Malnisio.  Turned right and rode home.  Nice ride.



1 Apr 09
Marilyn informed me I haven’t been exercising.  Just what I needed- a jolt out of my apathy.  I rode to Maniago via the old bridge and back over the new bridge.  Wonderful and warm.  When I got home I took the pups on a walk to the aquadotto.  Got home we sat in the backyard and enjoyed the sunshine. 

2 Apr 09 
Went to the gym

3 Apr 09
Marilyn went to the doctor, then we ate at the mensa and shopped.  Came home and took the babies on a walk to aquadotto.  Very warm.  At dusk noticed le rodine sono tornanti!  Good to see them back. 

4 Apr 09
ROde to Cavasso Nuovo, Arba, home.  Nice and warm- I started out in arm warmers and tights and peeled them before long.  Lots of flowers and flowering trees out.  A guy drafted on me from Colle to Arba- felt good to be able to help someone else instead of mooching all the time.

5 Apr 09 
Rode to Montreale, Ponte Giulia, San Leonardo and home.  Started out in shorts and short sleeves this time.  There was some kind of club or something headed home on the road toward San Leonardo- they looked beat so maybe they did the Via Pedemontana too fast.  I zoomed by them all.  

7 Apr 09
Rode to Marsure, then on the bike path to Montereale.  Beautiful sunny Spring day.  Wonderful ride.  Worked in the garden a few hours.  Took the pups on a walk toward the aquadotto, down to the dry creek and up to the asini’s house.  Then up the road to the hill above South Fork.  Home across the fields.  Nice walk.   

11 Apr 09
Rode to Dandolo.  Very nice ride.  They have a lot of signs about the Magredi del Cellina along the road.

12 Apr 09
No bike ride but hiked with the girls up to the malga, then up some more, tranversed over to th e other malga and then down a new way (not on the gravel switchbacks).  There were apple blossoms everywhere and blue white and yellow flowers.  The girls had fun.

13 Apr 09
Dropped off a book at the library then rode to Sedrano, took main road to San Martino and to the Malnisio cutoff.  Very windy!
22 Apr 09
Rode to Cavasso Nuovo via the old bridge at Montereale.  The new bike path is almost finished- might try that.  Lots of wisteria out - smelled like jasmine.  Good ride.

25 Apr 09
Rode to Polcenigo-Sarone junction and home.  Beautiful flowers and flowering trees everywhere.  Perfect weather- not too cool, not too hot.  After I got home we walked the girls past the parco.  They visited all the dogs along the route, ending with Blackie.  On the way back, a cute little girl living at Lela’s old house asked if she could pet Teddi.  Marilyn took Teddi over and the little girl was very happy.  Next day went to San Floriano with Marilyn.  Saw peacocks, lambs, foals, herb garden.  Very nice walk.

2 May 09
Up to Poffabro- the Colvera was really roiling with snowmelt.  People were rockclimbing on the cliffs.  Down the Val Mule to Navarons- loud white water, birds singing- it was beautiful and remote.  Then up out of the Meduna gorge and the rolling hills to Meduno.  Rode slow to Maniago then faster across the bridge and home.  Lovely ride.        

9 May 09
Rolled down to Marsure and rode the bike path to Malnisio, then home.  A guy on a Pinarello cruised by me shortly after I got on the bike path, so I jumped on his wheel and stayed until e turned off at Malnisio.

10 May 09
Rode to Vivaro and back back.  I saw a guy just ahead as I got on the road after Vajont and figured he was long gone, but just riding at my own pace I caught and passed him.  Shortly after he pulled up beside and asked Dove vai?  Then he pulled out front and I stayed on his wheel.  He was on the big ring and the smallest cog, but I kept up spinning my compact gears.  After awhile he sat up and I rode by.  I thought he would draft on me but I only heard him once in the remaining miles.  Good ride across the Magredi di Cellina, and against a headwind all the way home. Good ride.

11 May 09
Down to Pordenone via Aviano, back via San Martino.  From Expats post:  

Ah what a day. Biked down to Pordenone and got there a bit early. Everyone was in a good mood waiting for the peleton. A middle school let all the kids out onto the front steps to watch. They got bored while waiting, and were cheering wildly for anything that moved past them (an elderly fellow creeping by on a city bike, a lady walking her chihuahua, etc). That was fun. 

A small breakaway finally arrived (I think they stayed away till the last few kms). Then a half an hour later, the bunch arrived and whizzed by. I recognized many of the teams, but the only individual I could make out was Mark Cavendish (in his maglia rosa). Saw lots of beautiful bikes atop the team cars (DeRosa Kings and Orbea Orcas caught my attention). 

The ride home is all uphill, but the Good Lord sent a tailwind and it was easy (this has never happened before today). Usually it's a headwind, but the Good Lord still always gets credit for testing my character, providing good resistance training, etc. 

Got home in time to see the bunch riding through the prosecco vineyards between Conegliano and Valdobbiadene. Pettacchi won the sprint and the maglia rosa (don't know if he's still in ciclamino as well).

12 May 09
Rode to Cavasso Nuovo, Colle, Arba.  Beautiful day- acacia everywhere, roses.  Felt strong whole ride.  This is the day the Lord hath made.

15 May 09
Polcenigo-Caneva and back.  Got a little sprinkles on the way home. Nice ride.

17 May 09
Rode to Castello d’Aviano, Roveredo, Arco di Villa, San Foca, Vivaro, Dandolo, Vajont, home.  Very nice ride, beautiful day.  Saw an older Cocker spaniel riding in a trailer behind a mountain bike.  Very cute.  The San Foca-Vajont route looks different backwards.  Very nice. 

24 May 09
Rode to Arba, Colle, Cavasso Nuovo and home via the old bridge.  Nice seeing the scenery along the ride in reverse.  Very good ride.  I think I need to raise my seat a half centimeter.  I worked on        rotating my pelvis to get more power- worked great, but it makes my legs “longer” so the seat needs to go up.
Took a lovely bike ride today east to Fiume Meduna- warm and sunny. There are butterflies everywhere- they appear to be migrating east for the summer (to Slovenia maybe?). They surround you when you're riding like an orange cloud. Here's a pic I found of the variety- called Vanessa del cardo

26 May 09
Tried to raise the seat post and stripped out the bolt.  So I ordered a new clamp. I rode the old bike down to Marsure and on the trail to Montereale.  I’m a wuss- the old gears are too hard for me now.  Still nice ride- very pretty out.  Saw a guy stop his tractor by the trail and German shepherd and a beautiful fluffy tevruven with a big tail jumped out of the rimorchio.

28 May 09
Today I rode to Montereale, San Leonardo, Malnisio and home (22.2km)  Beautiful crystal clear day, not too hot.  The rain yesterday swept away all the haze

29 May 09
Nice bike ride on a cool, overcast day. Rode the back-up bike (the other has a stripped seatpost clamp bolt) over to Castello d'Aviano, down to Roveredo, over to Cordenons, up to San Quirino and home.  Found a “new” road from San Quirino to Cordenons. Everyone's jasmina is in bloom so the perfume's in the air. Rondini fly along in front of me inches above the road surface. In the distance towering black thunderheads are wreaking havoc on the mountains.  Had a good tailwind all the way home. What a wonderful day!

1 Jun 09
Rode down to Cordenons on Via San Rocca- wonderful road.  Turned around at the fountain.  Felt great.

2 Jun 09
Rode to Marsure, Via Wassermann to the road to San Martino roundabout.  Then rode to Malnisio.  Legs were tired but felt great still.

4 Jun 09
To base post office to mail letters.  The new seatpost clamp arrived.  Rode home and installed the clamp on the Merckx.  Maybe tomorrow I’ll ride it?

5 Jun 09
Quick ride Montereale, intersection with road from Malnisio to San Leonardo, Malnisio and home.  The new seat clamp didn’t slip.  The extra 5mm seat height felt great.

7 Jun 09
Rode over the old bridge across the Cellina, then to Maniago, past the C Caserma and down to Vivaro.  Saw a guy a couple hundred meters ahead and he was going about the same speed as me.  So I dug in and pedaled hard, caught him and he drafted on me all the way to Vivaro.  It felt great.  Turned towards Spilimbergo.  Nice bridge over the Meduna, don’t remember seeing that before.  Went under the new road from Fiume Meduna to Sequals.  Before Tauriano took a left on a farm road.  Peaceful golden wheat fields and vineyards.  Rode through Istrago and then to Sequals.  I was tired from riding so fast to Vivaro so I took the  shortest way home- SP464.  Took the old bridge across the Cellina again and then home.  Very tired.  

14 Jun 09
Rode to Villa d’Arco, over to Via San Rocca, and home.  Good ride- tired when I got home.

16 Jun 09
Did the Cavasso Nuovo, Arba ride.  Riding into a headwind all the way to Cavasso Nuovo, but with an awesome tailwind all the way home.  Felt like I was being pushed by an invisible hand.  Silent except for the spokes whirring in the air.  I was able to ride the big ring almost all the way home.  Sweet!

18 Jun 09
Polcenigo-Sarone junction and back via Santa Lucia.  Felt tired but once I got going felt better.  Nice ride.

20 Jun 09
Beautiful clear cool day.  Rode toward Montereale.  Two guys in orange and white kit passed me then slowed down so I drafted on them to the Barcis turn off.  They decided on spur of the moment to go through the galleria to Barcis.  I rode the old bridge over the Cellina, then through Maniago past caserma to Dandolo.  The wind was in my face so I was on the big ring but only 2nd-3rd cog.  At Vivaro roundabout headed west- suddenly the wind was at my back and I was flying.  It felt like a dream.  I went up on the bridge over the Magredi di Cellina in the big ring.  At San Foca I headed northeast and the into the headwind.  Not so bad.  Last ride of Spring.

22 Jun 09
To Cavasso Nuovo, Arba and home.  Noticed the seat seemed low, and then noticed it was loose.  Went ahead and rode but i felt funny having the seat so low- couldn’t extend my legs much.

24 Jun 09
With my newly raised seat, rode to San foca and back.  I was dawdling along at first past Da Gino when a very thin dude zipped by me.  I jumped and caught him with him after a couple hundred meters.  I coasted all the way to Malnisio.  He turned left, I went right towards San Leonardo.  Very nice ride- cloudy and cool.  I stopped at the Magridis di Cellina sign on the back road from San Foca to San Leonardo.  Very nice picture of the birds, insects, plants of the zone.  Rode up the hill by the Abraxos in 5th gear, and shifted to 6th where the pitch eases.  Felt good.

26 JUN 09
Rode to post office and mailed letter.  Rode down AP hiway to left turn before Casa del Cane.  Then to Villa d’Arco, to Via San Rocca, San Quirino, San Foca, home.  Very nice ride.

28 Jun 09
Rode to Vivaro, Tesis, Maniago and home.  Great ride, felt strong.  It was funny watching asini rolling on their backs with their feet straight up like dogs.
30 Jun 09
Rode to Poffabro, Navarons, Meduno.  Beautiful ride, all I could hear when I stopped in the valley above Navarons was birds singing and white water at the bottom of the valley.  Felt very strong on the way home.

1 Jul 09
Rode the back way through Marsure, Aviano, Budoia, Polcenigo.  Stayed in the big ring from Giais to Sorgente di Livenza.  Rode home on Via Pedemontana.  Didn’t have any trouble on the hills.  Did the hill to the Royal in 2nd and the the hill after in 3rd.  Felt strong. 

4 Jul 09
Woke up at 0300 and drove Marilyn to Aeroporto Marco Polo.  Came home, took a nap.  Then rode nice and easy to Meduno, Campone.  Made it to about 200 meters from the cima and walked that distance.  Then a couple of more climbs to Clauzetto.  Now I was out of water and food.  Nice descent and rode home nice and slow.  My legs were sore and I was very tired.  Slept long time that  night.  I was still tired next day.  Definitely need to get in shape. 

7 Jul 09
Rode easy down through Marsure, Budoia, Polcenigo to Caneva.  Headed up to the castle- panting like a train, but I made it without stopping, past the castle all the way to the top!  I was very proud.  Down the hill through Sarone, then Via Pedemontana home.   HAd to use 1st gear and several hills, but made it.  Very tired.

9 Jul 09
Rode to Dandolo, Vivaro, Rauscedo.  Legs are still sore from the climb the other day.  Rode through some stretches of gravel from Vivaro to Rauscedo About 50km

11 Jul 09
Wonderful ride- to Castello d’Aviano, Roveredo, Villadolt, Fontanafredda, crossed SS13, Sacile, Nave, Santa Lucia and home.  Felt strong, it was cool, dry, still.  Maybe someday all rides will feel this way.

13 Jul 09
Another good ride.  Went to Cavasso Nuovo, Arba, Vivaro, Dondolo and home.  Legs felt great! 

15 Jul 09
Took a lovely ride up the Valcellina Gorge to Claut today. It's gorgeous, with beautiful mountains on both sides and a roiling turquoise river down the middle. The lower stretch has unfortunately been bypassed by a 4km galleria now, but once a year they open the abandoned roadway, which hangs from sheer cliffs over the rapids for several miles, to hikers and bikes. 

The galleria isn't bad on a bike- it's well-lit and ventilated and wide. I was about 2km into it when this lot sped by. I jumped on the back and got a free draft almost all the way to Claut (the guy in front was so strong no one could pass him to take a pull on the front).

When the scopa was following us (them actually- I was an interloper) the frontman was going balls to the wall. Later the scopa passed to go up the road and set up their snack. The paceline vanished, the bunch started kibitzing, it was like a pedalata. We came around a curve and they sighted the scopa up ahead- suddenly the two front guys took off in a breakaway, shot past the scopa and after a few hundred meters turned around and came back for merenda. Talk about working only when the boss is looking.

Further up the gorge they stopped at their scopa for a break, so I continued to Claut. Very pretty town with meadows surrounded by mountains. 

On the ride back, I had no paceline to draft in, but it's generally downhill, though undulating. Easy.

All told about 75km, and took 2.5 hours (including puttering around at Parco Naturale Dolomiti Friulane awhile.

17 Jul 09
Shorter ride today, but very steep. I made it up to this place Il Rifugio but I was cooked and headed back down. It's beautiful forested little valley on the lower slopes of Monte Cavallo. The downhill portion is great because it's steep, has one straight-strech over a km long, and it's good pavement. You definitely spin out top gear on that one.

19 Jul 09
Another drop-dead gorgeous day- clear, temps in the mid-20s, humidity low, no wind. Took a short ride (42km) down to Vivaro- including a 10km straight, slightly-downhill, nicely paved road. I was sailing along doing my best poser time-trialist position when a paceline inched by me. I drifted onto the back, and coasted/ braked for a few klicks. The front man drifted back and I left a spot for him to go ahead but he waved me forward. Nice to see kindness to strangers. 

I turned off after awhile to cross the Magredi del Cellina , a starkly beautiful, undeveloped WWF-protected refuge. Then turned north to follow farm roads across the pianura on the gentle climb home.

21 Jul 09
Castello d’Aviano, Roveredo, Villa d’Arco, Via San Rocca, San Querino, San Foca, San Leonard, Malnisio.  Very tired from the start- didn’t feel good.

23 Jul 09
Again tired, but felt better half way through.  Montereale, Ponte Giulia, San Leonardo, San Foca, river road back to San Leonardo, Malnisio.

25 Jul 09
Rode down though Marsure, Santa Lucia to the Polcenigo-Sarone crossroads.  A guy was about 100m ahead of me when I turned onto Sp29 and oddly I didn’t fall back.  Climbing from Gorgazo to Budoia I spun 2nd gear while he was grinding away on his big ring- I caught him at Budoia and coasted in his draft to the CRO.  Then I “let” him ride away.  He opened up a big gap, then turned off at Aviano.  I did great up through Marsure and then stayed in 2nd gear on the steep bit by the Royale.  On the smaller climb up to Giais I was in 3rd.  Felt great. 

27 Jul 09
Rode nice and easy to Cavasso Nuovo, Arba, Vivaro, San Foca, home.  I left early so it was nice and cool the whole time.  It was very pretty from Arba through Tesis to Vivaro.  My legs felt great spinning instead of trying to go fast.  I went up the hill by Abraxos in 5th gear.

29 Jul 09
Rode the back way to Polcenigo, then to Caneva, Villa a Villa, Sarmede. Tried the climb to Rogulo-  the km of 12% did me in- only made it about a third of the way.  Rested at the church, then continued to Montaner, Osigo, Fregona down to Capella Maggiore and home. 100 km.

Lovely ride today. Cruised along Via Pedemontane Occidentale for about 40 km to Sarmede and then attempted the climb up to Montaner (1 km of 11-12%, see altimetria ). I made a few hundred meters but that was it, had to walk the rest of the way to Rugolo. After a nice long rest enjoying the panorama, I rode along the cliffs to Fregona, then a long steep descent to Cappella Maggiore and home. About 100km.

31 Jul 09
Rode to Vivaro, then to Tesis and Campania.  Beautiful ride- nice flowers, asini, capri.  Hot, but the water cannons cooled me off.  I went up the hill by Abraxos in 5th gear.

5 Aug 09
Beautiful mountain ride this morning. After climbing a short 12% wall, you enter a very steep walled narrow gorge, the Bus di Colvera. All the cars go through a galleria, so it's just you and the white water below (well, and the occasional rock-climber above). Then you go through a pretty little town called Poffabro, with a hellish set of tornanti. From there it's all up (but not too steep) through landscape of bare rock, fir trees, white water streams- looks a lot like the Sierra Nevada. The forcella is a pass with grassy meadows, where I collapsed for awhile. Then it's straight down (over 12%) through Bosplans to Lago di Barcis, a dammed up lake surrounded by peaks. From there I rode through the 4 km galleria to Montereale Valcellina and then home. 
View on the descent
Here's an altimetria of the climb:

And altimetria of the descent (read right to left)


7 Aug 09
Another gorgeous mountain ride this morning. Rode up through the Bus di Colvera to Poffabro as before, but turned off before reaching the hellish tornanti and headed down the Val Muiè. Beautiful descent through woodlands alongside a whitewater river. It's so peaceful, all you can hear are birds singing and the roiling water. After the little town of Navarons there's a steep descent to the Meduna river, then a steep climb out on the other side. After a few more steep ups and downs I arrived at the town of Meduno and started the haul home. About 50km.
Here's a website about the bike ride:


9 Aug 09
It was sprinkling and I almost didn't go, but luckily I did. Rode to Meduno and then up past the turn off to Navarons from the other day, along the cliffs above Lago dei Tramonti, and then turned toward Campone. It's a beautiful road immersed in green along the gorge of Torrente Chiarzò. Then I arrived at Campone, which is surrounded in meadows along the river. From there the road climbs again above the white water of the Chiarzò, until 670 meters. It heads down to Pradis (big cave there) and up again to Clauzetto. It's atop cliffs at 550m with a great panorama of the pianura. There's an awesome smooth road full of tornanti down the Val Cosa to Travesio- after that it's a long flat ride home. 80km
Webpage about the ride


13 Aug 09
Rode to San Foca, return on river road, very nice ride.


15 Aug 09
Did the Magredi del Cellina ride- 35 gradi and the roads were completely deserted for the holiday. I was cruising along in a tuck when suddenly a meter and a half long black viper was under my front wheel. That definitely woke me from my reverie. I looked back and he had already slithered into the roadside undergrowth, so hopefully he wasn't injured. 

Best part was getting home- my neighbor gave me piece of still-hot ciambella. If I win the lotto he gets his giro del mondo just for that.

16 Aug 09
Santa Lucia, Trota Blu, home.  Hot and humid.  I went up the big hills in 2nd gear, and hill after Royal in 3rd.

18 Aug 09
Hot today- 35 gradi. Rode out post Meduno and Toppo to Castelnovo del Friuli, where we lived in'94-'96. It's an odd town- a bunch of little clumps of houses in different spots over, under, and behind hills that are collectively a comune. The area of the comune is more forest than homes or fields. 

I rode up a narrow forest road behind the ridge where our old house stands. Very steep at the end. Then a beautiful view of the Fiume Tagliamento and a long twisty descent to the town of Pinzano. Then north to a little hillside village called Manazzons. When I rode there 13 years ago, a beautiful road on cliffs above a gorge bypassed the village. But it's shut down now, because of frane. So instead I attempted the tortuous tornanti up through the village, getting off to walk after a few minutes. Eventually made it to the top and back onto the forest road. 

Rounded a curve and a lovely doe was feeding alongside the road. She saw me and darted away downslope to safety. Before long I ascended to Celante, and then another long twisty descent to Val Cosa. The ride home is long flattish with undulations. About 80km total

20 Aug 09
Flat ride today- an easy spin down the slight grade to Cordenons near Pordenone, then across the Magredi to Rauscedo. I tried riding this road 8 years ago but it was all dirt then and I was on the skinny-tire bike. But now it's nicely paved except for the guado, which is only a hundred meters or so of gravel. It's miles of undeveloped grassland, lots of rocks, with a few clumps of trees, a cornfield now and then. Arrived in Rauscedo which is a wine-grape growing town. They even named the local wine i Magredi , which is odd because it means a place no good for growing anything. The ride home is a slight upgrade, but I left early so it wasn't too hot. Not bad all in all. About 70km

22 Aug 09
This climb starts about 4km from my house, so not enough to warm up your legs. So I went the opposite direction up to Montreale, which is nice gentle warm-up climb, then headed for Bornass.

It gets very steep right at the beginning, all the way up to Madonna del Monte, a pretty church with a great view where lots of couples get married.
From there it becomes merely steep, climbing through the forest, till you finally reach a flat bit where the road crosses Torrente Ossena.
Then it turns up again, you start the tornanti, and before long the slopes are more exposed to the sun. The altimetria says this part is as steep as the beginning, but it doesn't seem like it- maybe the initial wall has some kind of shock effect.

Rifugio Bornass at 767 meters is the end of this climb. There are lots of fir trees around the rifugio, birds singing, and it's cool. Then I took the main Piancavallo road down to Aviano. It's been rebuilt and is very wide and smooth, with Talladega-banked tornanti. Very steep so you quickly spin out top gear, get in your tuck and hit terminal velocity before time to brake at the next tornante. Exhilarating! 

From the bottom it's another 200 meter climb home, but I'm used to it- it was my daily bike commute for years.

The altimetria of the climb to km 9:

And the descent- right to left from km 7:

23 Aug 09
Had a nice long rain the other night and now it's nice and cool again- hints of Autumn.

Rode over past Caneva into the Veneto Regione to Colle Umberto. It's in the pianura but stands all by itself maybe 130 meters high. Nice little town with a church and castle up there. It's also the birthplace of one of my favorite bike racers, Ottavio Bottecchia. But the bikes with his name come from Vittorio Veneto, about 5km away. Nice ride- about 75km.

26 Aug 09
Rode up the Valcellina, past Lago di Barcis, and up the beautiful turquoise river to Cimolais, then up over Passo San Osvaldo (827m). I went maybe a km down the other side intending to go to Erto, but decided not to descend anymore so I wouldn't have to climb back up. Save that for next time.

When I reached the top of the pass again, GS Caneva junior squad were just arriving for a snack. A few stragglers passed on their way up as I descended. I headed on down the long grade and then continued on the more gentle descent along the river. 

Before long GS Caneva zoomed by so I jumped on the back. The manager kept pulling up alongside the leader and telling him to speed up. They'd speed up for a minute or two then resume their previous pace. So I stayed with them all the way past Barcis. A pretty girl rode by in the opposite direction- all 6 helmets turned in unison to look. 

Someone spotted a shapely topless sunbather alongside the river and they slowed to gawk. The manager was furious. Finally when we arrived in the 4km-long galleria the manager had enough- he pulled his car out front, motioned for them to draft on him, and took off about 50kph. That was the last I saw of them. 

Very nice ride, lots of beautiful scenery. About 80km.

28 Aug 09
Drove to Pinzano, took the bike out of the car and headed up the Val Arzino. It was a wooded, shady, twisty road above the lovely white water. Then I came to a junction and couldn't remember how I used to go (it's been 8 years). So instead of the nice flat road over to the Tagliamento, I continued along the Val Arzino road, which immediately headed steeply upward 260 meters to Forgaria. That was a mistake, though it was a very pretty climb. To add insult to injury, after steeply descending from the other side of Forgaria, I merely rejoined the nice flat road along the Tagliamento. 

I headed up the valley on a great road, hardly any cars. Above the road on the left sheer cliffs rise several hundred meters. At Lago di Cornino is a grifoni wildlife sanctuary, and dozens of these huge birds circle around the cliffs. They remind me of condors in California, with a wingspan of 3 meters. Beautiful- and comforting to know if I collapse going uphill, my remains will go to a good cause.

A bit further up the road is a monument marking the 1927 murder of cycling great Ottavia Bottecchia. He lived at Gemona and this was his training ride. He stopped to pick some grapes, the contadino who owned the vines saw him, and smashed his skull with a big rock. 

Up the road some more I came to Lago di Cavazzo, a beautiful blue-green glacier lake surrounded by forest and mountains. Cruised around the lake and watched white sailboats skimming across the surface.

Then I headed up through a 500m galleria to a town called Interneppo, over another steep climb and down to Bordano. They have a butterfly house there and lovely murals on many of the houses. The location is gorgeous, surrounded by mountains.

After that, I circled around the mountain (it's a free-standing peak, like an island, with the lake on one side and the Tagliamento on the other), rejoined the Strada di Bottechia and headed fast downgrade back to Pinzano. About 70km.

30 Aug 09
The storm last night cooled things off and today was clear and breezy. Took a flat ride- first to Castello d'Aviano down to Porcia
and down to Prata. Found a nice tree-lined country road along a canal from Porcia to Roveredo on the way home. 65 km.

1 Sep 09
Absolutely beautiful day.  Repeated the Forcella Pala Barzana ride and was able to do it without stopping to rest (first time in the last 3 tries). I think my fitness has improved some, but mainly I paced myself better (knowing that this isn't the last tornante- there are 15 more after!) Had a bit of luck- after all that wilderness climbing and the 4 km galleria, my bike waited till I was about 1 km from home to have a flat. That would have sucked in the galleria.

Update:  I didn’t realize how lucky I was- today when I changed the tube, I found the spare tube in my seat bag had split wide open.  I’ve been riding for months in the mountains, many miles from home, with no spare tube.  Somebody up there is looking out for me.

3 Sep 09
New yellow stripe michelin carbon on back, rode to Vivaro, San Foca hard, then easier home.  A squawking aquila floated above me before the train tracks at Malnisio.  42km  in 1.5 hours = 28kph

5 Sep 09
Best ride of the year (so far). Started off from Pinzano up to Lago Cavazzo like before. It was very windy following last nights storm so the grifoni weren't circling around- they had the sense to stay in their nests. Lago Cavazzo actually had some whitecaps. 

A nice Italian guy joined me for a few km. He asked if I was tedesco (I get that a lot) and when I told him American, he said his son had gone to university in Boston for a year, his daughter-in-law had relatives in the US. Then he showed me his bandana under his helmet was a US flag. When we parted ways, he said "God Bless America!" Hey, somebody likes us.

I headed up the climb to Selle Chianzutan. It's a good smooth road through beautiful forest, steep uphill. In May every year they have a car race up the road (unless there's snow). I made it to the top (954m) without stopping, but barely- my right lower back was crying to stop.
Here's Selle Chianzutan from above:


The descent was exhilarating- long sweeping curves so you could easily spinout top gear and not brake often. Val d'Arzino is a spectacular gorge, the slopes covered in trees and the white water river far below.

This is a ride I want to repeat soon. Awesome!  About 77km.
I forgot to mention the ride from Lago Di Cavazzo to Verzegnis.  It’s a long series of 8-9% climbs followed by downhills.  Even without the Selle Chianzutan it would have been a vigorous ride, definitely not a pedalata in the park.   

7 Sep 09
Fast ride to Castello d’Aviano, Ceolino, Villadolt, Nave, Santa Lucia, home.  Up the hill from the upturn in Marsure to he Royal in 2nd gear, and the upper hill in 3rd.  Felt great!

10 Sep 09
Poffabro-Navarons.  Rode Val Muié slowly, enjoying the streams, woods and surrounding mountains.  Stopped by a vineyard and could smell the grapes in the sun.  Rode as fast as I could from Meduno to home.  Good ride.

12 Sep 09
Rode to Lago di Barcis via the 4km galleria, up Val Cellina, then turned, rode across the dam and along the undeveloped side of the lake:


Then turned onto the back road to Piancavallo. Beautiful climb through wilderness, almost no traffic, with the Torrente Caltea whispering from the bottom of the gorge. Eventually got up into the fog (clouds?) which made everything wet and cool. The climb ends in mountain meadows with grazing cows, surrounded by higher rocky peaks (partially obscured by fog (1267m). There's also a ski village, almost deserted this time of year.


Headed down the main road, which is well-paved and has banked tornanti, so you can fly (and freeze!). Awesome panorama of the pianura, the Adriatico, the hilly peninsula south of Trieste (Slovenia and Croatia).

55km total 

15 Oct 09
After 2 days of steady rain, cleared today so I took a fast mostly flat, short ride. Rode to Fanna then Cavasso Nuovo and Meduno. It's beautiful stretch along the pedemontana and then down into the Fiume Meduna gorge to cross the river.

A couple of parapendio had already launched off of Monte Valsinis and lazily looping around above.
At Meduno turned south along the river bank, then over the colline to Sequals. 

Then across the Meduno again to Colle, down to Arba, Campagna and home. About 54km.

18 Sep 09
Rain stopped last night so this morning I rode up through the Bus della Colvera gorge to Frisanco. Beautiful town, narrow alleys, with houses made of the local tawny-colored stone, wooden balconies and geraniums.


Continued up to the top of the ridge of Monte Zouf (about 600m), then along the ridge for a few km. Stopped by a pretty little church with tower all by itself in the woods. I'll try to get a pic and post it.

The road ends at Valdistali, not far from the Fiume Meduna (you'd have to hike down to it though).

20 Sep 09
Headed down Via Pedemontane Occidentale, past Gargazo, where they appeared to be having a marathon- lots of folks in running shorts swarming around. Here's a picture of the spring where the Livenza River comes out of a cave in the mountainside:


Turned at Sarone and headed up the climb to Bivio di Cansiglio (220m) then down to Castello di Caneva:  
From there it's a steep descent down to Caneva then undulating but generally rising to home (300m). Lots of bikers out enjoying the pretty weather. Maybe more bikes than cars?

22 Sep 09
Rode Vivaro, Rauscedo, Domanins, Cordenons home.  Went fast- felt great.  Had to wash cement off my bike when I got home- I got lost by Rauscedo and ended by a cement plant.

24 Sep 09The closest paved climb near my house starts 3km away in Grizzo- Via Monte Spia. It winds steeply through the forest up the side of Monte Spia, above the red roof tops of Montereale and under the looming mass of Monte Fara. After a couple of tortuous kilometri, you get a few seconds of relief as the road zooms down the gap between Monte Spia and Pala d'Altei, but bad news, now you must gain the elevation back, and then some. Off to the north are gorgeous views of the Valcellina gorge, and surrounding peaks. After more steepness you arrive at the end of the asfalto at 670 meters, and the L' osservatorio astronomico Montereale Valcellina. 


From the grassy meadow by the osservatorio are great views of the pianura, Montereale, Giais and beyond


Above you, up the grassy slopes is the summit of Pala d'Altei. A few years ago I hiked with my dog up the trail to the top, and then down through a pass (Forcella di Forador). A flock of sheep was grazing there, with no human shepherd, only a big Pastore Tedesco. Never seen that before.

26 Sep 09
This is a pretty climb from Meduno, up over the 663m gap between Monte Valinis and Monte Chiarandeit. Monte Valinis is a big parapendio launch site, and a van full of jumpers with their gear passed by while I was climbing. There are beautiful views across Fiume Meduna, up the Val Muie, to Frisanco, Casasola, and Monte Raut. 

The road became less steep at Forchia Meduno, in a lovely fir tree forest, finally reaching Forchia Piccola. Then the road descends steeply, very bad pavement, so you must hold the brakes continuously and unweight the saddle. On this side of the mountain, there are less firs and more hardwoods, with leaves beginning to turn. Also outcroppings of karst, a type of limestone eroded into grotesque shapes by flowing water in caves. 

Arrived at Val Chiarzo, near Campone. Very peaceful ride slightly downhill to Lago de Redona. The mainroad from Monte Rest through Tramonti to Meduno has been freshly paved, very smooth. From Meduno rode fast on the pianura home.


28 Sep 09
Rode on Mountain Hiway to Caneva, Then Villa Villa, Sarmede.  Didn’t stop and walk on the climb to Rugolo, instead I stood and climbed from the first tornante to the top.  Wasn’t too hard.  Beautiful ride to Montaner, Borgo, Fregona, then down to Villa Borgo, Sarmede and home.  Ran out of water so was very thirsty, tired.  Recovered around Aviano and rode 2nd gear up past Royal, then third.  100km

30 Sep 09
Beautiful climb to the altopiano of Monte Prat.

I parked in Pinzano then rode up the Val Arzino to the turn for Forgaria. After a few tornanti arrived in the town, which is built on the side of Monte Prat. The road heads upward to San Rocco, and a few km later becomes a beautiful smooth, wide, recently-paved road. I don't know if that was done f to encourage tourists to the agriturismi in the altopiano. Continued upward to the beautiful alpine meadows. Then the road becomes a peaceful, narrow mountain lane, ascending gradually through dense forest. Beautiful views here and there of the altopiano below, grazing cows with cowbells clanking softly. Also chocolate-brown sheep with horns that curl all the way around. Finally the lane comes out into the open in a big meadow, with gorgeous views of Monte Cuar. At 900 meters, it's the end of the line for road bikes, but for mountain bikes there are several dirt roads descending from that point.

Before starting the descent I put on a windbreaker, hoping to avoid my mistake at Piancavallo, where I think I got a touch of hypothermia on the way down (tunnel vision is not good when descending fast).

The new section of road from altopiano to San Rocco was wonderful to ride down- many super smooth tornanti to bend through.

Here's Monte Prat (Forgaria is the town on the left):


2 Oct 09
This is a steep climb (8-10% for 4 km) to Mezzomonte, a little town on the lower flank of Monte Cavallo. I rode down Via Pedemontane from the house, turned at Coltura, and immediately hit a 0,5 km wall of 10,1%. Had to get out of the saddle for that. A middle-aged man and his wife saw me and he laughed, pointed downslope and said "Va dietro". Then his wife chimed in on the joke, beseeching me "Perché?" I laughed (while panting) and continued on. 

After Coltura the steepness briefly subsided, then resumed 9,9%. I was able to remain seated and grind upward for a km or so, had to get out of the saddle for awhile, and so on repeatedly for 4 km. Then the grade flattened out, I entered the old town of stone houses and continued to the end of the road. I stopped, enjoyed the panorama (though a bit hazy today) and headed back down. It's very smooth and wide with nice tornanti, so you can really haul a**. Very fun. After that it was about 10 km home with repeated ups and downs, though gaining 250m overall.

4 Oct 09
Did the Vivaro, Rauscedo and Cordenons ride. Perfect riding day- cool, clear, calm autumn day. Lots of folks out on their city bikes enjoying the gorgeous weather.
Good news- they've repaved the guadi between Rauscedo and Vivaro, also Rauscedo and Cordenons. So until the snowmelt fills the torrente and washes away the new asphalt next spring, this ride is all paved- no worries about rocks kicked up by trucks, etc.
Flipped the stem before starting- really didn’t notice a difference.  But at least tightened the threadless headset- which I noticed had a bit of play on the past few descents.  Feels solid now. 
6 Oct 09
Frisanco, Navarons, Meduno rode this again today but tried the turn off for Casasola- two or three hundred meters of out-of-saddle grinding later, I reached the town:

These hillside towns must have been hell to bring stone and supplies to with horse or ox and wagon. My hats off to them for pulling it off.

Front tire felt a little squirrely at Maniago so stopped and pumped it up.  Also on the descent into Val Muie I sat up hands off bars and the front fork started oscillating.  The headset is loose again.  Got home changed tube (small leak), installed old Michelin Pro Race tire on front.  Put 5mm spacer between stem and FSA headset compressor cap. Guttentite for now.
11 Oct 09
After a couple days of rain, today was crystal clear, cool, autumn day. Drove to Meduno and then hopped on the bike, rode up the Val Meduna along Lago Redona, through the 3 villages of Tramonti, and headed up the tornanti to Passo Rest, 1060 meters. Beautiful, peaceful ride through tree-covered mountains, along the white water of Torrente Viellia, through a gorge with high, sheer cliffs. Perfect.


14 Oct 09
Still clear and dry this morning, but temps have dropped down into the low teens (my neighbor said it was 6 when he woke this morning). Rode down Via Pedemontane to Dardago, and headed uphill. It's another beautiful gorge with a white water stream, through the forest, stony cliffs- gorgeous. The climb continues upward nonstop to 530 meters, where the asfalto ends. Utterly silent except for the breeze in the trees. The descent is rough at the top but later becomes wide, smooth, straight and steep- you spin out top gear, get in a tuck and just keep accelerating. 
Looking back down the valley from the top:



18 Oct 09
Yes, autumn is definitely in the air, cool and crisp. Today it was around 10 at noon so I put on the cool weather gear and headed out for a fast, flat ride. Went from Maniago, down through Campagna, Tesis to Vivaro, across the Magredi to San Foca and home. Saw a cacciatore in the Magredi toting a double barrel shotgun and a big lepre. Startled to see him wearing an Elmer Fudd hat- haven't noticed those in Italy before.

20 Oct 09
About 5 but the sun was out in the morning. Did the Meduno-Campone-Clauzetto ride again, but added a ride along the ridge from Clauzetto to Vito d'Asio down the tornanti to Anduins, and then down more tornanti to Pinzano, then home. Beautiful, uncrowded ride- all the summer folks have gone home for the season. Around 90km, with a good 679 meter climb in the middle.  Finally got the fork top cap tight enough- didn’t rattle during all those tornanti (man they were fun).


25 Oct 09
This was the last of the 3 objectives I had for this season- Piancavallo, Monte Rest, and at last Il Cansiglio. Almost didn't get to it, but after a cold spell, l'estate di San Martino has arrived, and it's 18 on the pianura, and 10 up on the altopiano. Rode down to Sarone and headed up the hill. The climb starts at 50m and climbs to 1118m. Average 6.8% grade, with a few stretches of 15%. It's sunny, exposed switchbacks up to about 700m, then some lovely pastures, with low walls formed of piled white rocks separating the fields. After climbing higher and looking down at them they look like a green patchwork with white seams separating the patches. At 800m suddenly the road is immersed in a forest of beech trees, with greyish white bark and golden leaves. The terrain is tumbled karst boulders and caves, similar to Pradis, shady moss-covered understory. The steep climb mellows to a nice upgrade, topping out at 1118 meters. I stopped and donned my cold weather gear for the descent, then set off, sometimes blazing full speed down the escarpment, other times stopping to enjoy the panorama of the pianura, the snow-capped mountains along the Slovenian border. Wonderful ride.

I didn’t pace myself too well- rode too quickly the first 9 km of the climb, spinning and breathing hard, then standing and upshifting on the steepest bits.  I was too tired and stopped breathing hard, stopped spinning and just started slowly grinding lowest gear.  Right lower back was aching.  When the climb finally eased up a bit at 13 km, my back stopped hurting and I felt better.  Very fun descent, and then rode pretty fast from Santa Lucia home (after stripping off the hot clothes). 


29 Oct 09
Today's the last day of l'estate di San Martino- the previsione calls for temps to drop 10 degrees this weekend. So one last shorts and short sleeves ride, this time to Lago di Selva. Rode to Poffabro, down the Val Muiè, to Val Meduna. Then along the cliffs, across the dam at Lago dei Tramonti, along the shore to Chievolis. Then steeply upward along the wall of the Torrente Silisia gorge to 544 meters. Beautiful views of the silver river below, the forested gorge cloaked in orange, yellow, and red-leafed trees, and the surrounding rocky peaks. Descended to the dam at Lago di Selva and enjoyed the peace and quite awhile. Returned home fast via Meduno, Fanna, and Maniago. Wonderful wilderness ride. 
Chievolis


Rode to the top without stopping.  All you could hear was the white water hundreds of meters below- total silence.

1 Nov 09
Another gorgeous Autumn day, though temps are cooler- max was 12. Rode this ride in the opposite direction- from Montereale Valcellina, Barcis, Bosplans, Pala Barzana, Poffabro, Maniago. The climb was steeper but shorter, average grade 8%, with a stretch of 14%. Rode up the slope covered with beautiful yellow-leafed trees to 842 meters, then down the switchbacks through the forest to Poffabro. Stopped and enjoyed Bus di Colvere's white water sounds, spectacular cliffs. This is a great ride in either direction.

4 Nov 09
Bought a heart rate monitor and put the purple Trek on the trainer.  Very nice- then I’ll try to ride a bit everyday or so all winter.  Then again, might make the Trek into the rain bike with fenders and rack and ride to the gym every other day.

5 Nov 09
Rode to Rauscedo intending to return via Cordenons.  But there was a big black cloud dumping rain south of Rauscedo, so I headed north, via Provesano, Tauriano, San Foca.  Beautiful ride, felt great. 70km in 2.5 hrs.

7 Nov 09
Rode to San Leonardo and headed for San Foca.  After a couple km the road was closed for a rally race.  2 old guys waved me off- va dietro.  I followed them at a distance back to San Leonardo and over to the river road.  They were taking turns and going a little slow so I went by.  The drafted on me to San Quirino.  Glad to help- it was a good work out.  Continued to Villa d’Arco, over to Roveredo, Ceolino, Vigonovo, Ranzano, Fiaschetti, then Via Pedemontane.  Autumn trees were pretty, though the mountains were shrouded  in clouds.  Felt good going home- hills weren’t too bad.  3 guys zoomed by me going up the hill from Polcenigo to Budoia.  But then they went down to the pianura from Budoia.  I kept climbing.  Went up hill by Royal in 2nd.  Felt good.  Very nice ride. 60-70km. 

11 Nov 09
We've had a couple days of clear skies and not too cold (around 10) so I decided to do one more mountain ride. Drove to Tolmezzo and headed north on the bike, upward along the Torrente But, through Arte Terma and Sutrio to Sella Valcalda. The climb from Sutrio to Valcalda is beautiful, through autumn forest, above the whitewater Rio Gladegna, with a few patches of ice in the shady spots, up to the pass at 958 meters. There is a ski resort there, Ravascletto, with lifts and runs along the flanks of Monte Zoncolan.

I intended to continue on the strada statale down to Comeglians, but a sign said it was closed and offered a deviazione. I thought about just turning around, but decided to risk it. The deviazione was a narrow paved road which continued upward a few km to a lovely town perched on the side of the mountain, Tualis. It looked like Austria (which is 10 km north), with houses with wooden gables, balconies, geraniums. As far I could see in all directions were snow-covered rocky peaks, heavily-forested slopes, and more Austrian-style villages hanging on the sides of nearby mountains. Then a steep descent down the narrow road down to Comeglians. Very cold. From Comeglians then Ovaro, the wide road follows the Torrente Degano down to Villa Santina, then the Tagliamento to Tolmezzo. Rode as fast as possible to generate some heat.

Come Primavera, I will definitely go back.

14 Nov 09
Rode to Villa d’Arco, Roveredo, Budoia, home.  Felt strong- rode as fast as I could (except for Roveredo to intersection for Castello d’Aviano). 48km

16 Nov 09
Meduno, Travesio, Sequals, Arba, home.  Overcast, 12, autumn trees were lovely. Rode fast- felt great!  Need to add second water bottle mount- got thirsty around Campagna.

18 Nov 09
Rode to Dardago and then up to San Tome.  Got very hot so carried jacket in jersey pocket from Dardago up climb- it’s 13 out and humid.  Rode a little too hard from home to Dardago so couldn’t go past the barrier (450m) to the end of asfalto .  Beautiful misty cloudy climb through autumn forest.  Got hot again at Aviano so stuffed jacket in pocket.  Rode up by Royal in 2nd, then the rest in 3rd.

20 Nov 09
Vivaro, Rauscedo, Cordenons, home. 70 km.  Good ride :-)

22 Nov 09
 I rode via Arba, Sequals, Travesio, up to Clauzetto (600m), down to Grotto Verde, up to Piani di Clauzetto (679m), down to Campone, down to Lago degli Tramonti, Meduno, Maniago and home (80km).  I've rode it in the opposite direction before but this was different- the Val di Cosa from Travesio to Clauzetto is really beautiful when you go slow and climb it- normally I zoom through it downhill and  see mostly a blur.

Just past Clauzetto I hit a freak pointed rock in the middle of the road and blew my front tire.  No biggee, I had a spare, but it was up in the clouds and around 5℃ so I got rather wet, cold, and numb because I wasn't pedaling for awhile.  Actually it may have been a blessing, because it slowed me down on the remaining curves- they were damp and leaf-covered and if I were less cautious could take a spill.  On the climb up to Piani di Clauzetto a herd of goats was crossing the road.  I slowed and they saw me,  then they all shuffled over to one side of the road, watched warily as I passed, and then resumed crossing- very cute.  They act like people.

28 Nov 09
Long break since last ride- did ride the trainer for about 30 minutes.  Also took the girls on several walks.

Today the sun came out so I rode down Via Pedemontane to the Sarone crossroad.  Turned around and rode home on the same road.  Felt good- climbed all the hills in 2nd or 3rd gear.  It’s over 300 meters dislevello on the return.  38km.

2 Dec 09
After days of rain, the clouds parted and I headed across the Fiume Tagliamento to Monte Rogogna. It's a cool little mountain because it rises up from the riverbed steeply up to 500m. The inside is full of tunnels etc from its days as fortress during WW1. 

The climb is pretty steep from San Pietro, averaging 7.4%, with several long stretches of 9-13%. It's a beautiful, forested climb with breaks in the trees where you can see the surrounding Tagliamento, San Daniele, Monte Prat and the snow covered peaks to the north and west. About a 100km ride


5 Dec 09
Castello, Roverdo, Villa d’Arco, San Quirino, San Foca, Malnisio home.  Felt strong. 
  
Thinking about goals for 2010.  I’d like to do 
Monte Reste- Sella Chiampon
Il Cansiglio-descend on the road to Fregona
Lago Santa Croce from home
Piancavallo from Pedemonte
Passo San Osvaldo- Longarone-Vittorio Veneto 
San Francesco-Sella Chianzutan   (maybe the day of the Giro stage?)
Passo della Mauria from Ampezzo
Ampezzo-Lago Sauris- Passo del Pura
Villa Santina-Sella di Razzo-Forcella di Lavardet-Comeglians
San Franceso-Cuel di Forchia-Forgaria
Clauzetto-Orton-Pielungo-Anduins-Clauzetto loop

It seems like a lot, but look at this years rides- not bad for barely being able to pedal round the block 2 years ago:
Pala Barzana (from both sides)
Il Cansiglio from home
Barcis-Piancavallo
Monte Reste
Pinzano-Tolmezzo-Sella Chianzutan- Anduins
Forcella Meduno
Monte Prat
Monte Ragogna
Tolmezzo-Valcalda-Tualis-Comeglians-Villa Santina
Mezzomonte
Fregona from home
Travesio-Clauzetto-Campone from home (from both sides)
Campone-Anduins-Pinzano home 
From home to Poffabro to Lago di Selva 
Passo San Osvaldo from home

I think I’ll be able to do most of them, good Lord willing.


7 Dec 09
Rode to Tesis, Arba and home.  I noticed the clock at Grezzo bakery said 1330, so I checked it again on the way back- 1432.  So I went 33 kph for an hour.  That’s fast for me.  It was slightly downhill from Maniago to Tesis, then slightly uphill all the way home, so I think that’s a good  average speed.  Unlike Saturday, no other bikes.  Lots of goats by industrial zone.   



9 Dec 09
Clouds broke again, so hopped on the bike and headed for the hills. Rode up through Clauzetto (600m), then continued up to Pradis di Sopra (725m). Headed down through beautiful forested valley with waterfalls, a few pastures with sheep (and barking Great Pyrenees), flanked by Monte Pala and Monte Rossa. At Pielungo the road arrived in Val d'Arzino, an awesome gorge with more waterfalls, cliffs, etc. At Anduins (300 meters), headed back up to Clauzetto, then down Val Cosa to Travesio, Sequals and home. About 900 meters climbed, 108km distance.

My favorite moment of the ride was climbing up the Rio Molino gorge toward Clauzetto, total silence except for the whitewater below. Suddenly a big grey crane took off from a fir tree by the road. I was grinding up the slope, looking up at this 2-meter wingspread creature steadily flapping his big wings, doing a steep climb-out to get above the treetops. It was just beautiful.

13 Dec 09
Rode to Caneva, Sarmede, Cappella Maggiore, Vittorio Veneto.  Returned via Pinidello, Cordinagno, Via Pedemontane.  A guy on a Trek Madonna drafted on me from Caneva a Fiaschetta.  That kept me moving.  Did all the hills coming home in 2nd.  Felt good.  About 76km.

17 Dec 09
Vivaro, San Foca, home.  Quite nippy  (below 5℃) and my fingers got cold through the Pearl Izumi gloves and liners.  Also right foot got cold, despite new Louis Garneau Windtex shoe covers.

24 Dec 09
Finally got around to using the trainer- longest break in months- feels bad!  I did shovel snow one day, but that’s about the only work out.  The girls got a walk in the very cold weather (-11℃).  Now it is raining cats and dogs.  My max heart rate is definitely above 170 (that’s what the 220-50 gives me).  I’m doing 160 bpm and lightly sweating and panting- no way that’s 95% of max HR.  I’ll have to try the half hour time trial after warm up to get a better figure.  Maybe Campagna, Tesis, Arba, Campagna this Saturday. 

26 Dec 09
Campagna, Tesis, San Quirino, Villa d’Arco, Roveredo, Villadolt, Ranzano, Fiaschetti, home.  It was about 7℃, not too cold.  Felt like a time trial, the bike felt fast.  Saw some seagulls feeding in a field before Tesis.   A few flew along above me, squawking.  Slowed down a bit after Ranzano through Fiaschetti.  Felt pretty good on the hills, did the one up to Budoia in granny gear but all the others in 2nd.  My heart rate monitor got up to 188 by the Royal.  Average for 3 hours was 156 bpm.  85km.   

28 Dec 09
Campagna, Tesis, Barbeano, Pozzo- I was supposed to go to Valvasone but lost my way.  Ended up in San Giorgio, so went to Rauscedo, tried to cross the guado but the new asfalto is all washed away.  Got on the new road and went to Tauriano- it has a wide shoulder almost like a bike lane.  Wasn’t bad.  Rode back through Tesis.  Lots of water in the Cosa- very pretty.  85km  

1 Jan 2010
Got a late start so only rode to Coltura and back.  Got hot ascending the hill toward Budoia so stopped to peel off some layers.  My jacket zipper broke, so the down hill to the CRO and again before Marsure I had to steer one handed and hold my jacket shut to keep the wind out.  Did all the climbs in 2nd (the final bit in 3rd) but still wasn’t wore out.    I’ll try to go further next time.

3 Jan 2010
Malnisio to San Martino (on the nice new bypass), Villa d’Arco, San Quirino, San Leonardo, home.  Very cold (below freezing) so patches of ice on the road.  Saw some big chickens at Villa d’Arco.  Avg 166 for 1:40 

5 Jan 10
Campagna Tesis Arba.  Rode fast to Tesis- HR hit 192.  I slowed down to Arba and Campagna- tired.  Felt better going back to Giais.  Over an hour at 155.

7 Jan 10
Meduno, Travesio, Tauriano, Tesis, home.  Rode hard the whole way for 2 hours 20 minutes.  HR 161. 72 km

12 Jan 10
Rode to the crossroads of Via Pedemontane Occidentale and Polcenigo-Sarone road.  I tried to go fast on the way down there.  On the way back a guy on a Litespeed passed me near La Serenissima so I caught up and thought I’d draft on him.  He was pedaling at a slow pace in the big ring, and maintained the same pace up hill and down.  He pulled away on the hill up to Coltura but I caught him  on the way to Gorgazzo.  I kept up with him to the gas station after Range, but he walked away on the big hill to Budoia.   I stayed in 3rd all the way up and spun, HR hit 199.  I caught him on the way down to the CRO.  Between CRO and Aviano 3 guys in a German team’s jerseys caught up, and I pulled to the right and got on the small ring to avoid having a heart attack.  They cruised by and spoke with American accent.  They followed the guy on the Litespeed away as I struggled to remain conscious.  Rode slower pace but in 3rd gear all the way home (including hill by Royal).   HR 166 for 1.5hrs.  38km 

14 Jan 10
Tesis, then turned before Tauriano down the Plozner vineyard road.  Came out at Rauscedo, then down to the road to Cordenons.  The guado between Arzene and Cordenons was pretty much intact- only has maybe 10 meters of the pavement washed away.  Rode home through San Quirino.  The heart rate monitor helped- rode on the big ring all the way from home to Cordenons and HR stayed mainly in 160s.  I got tired north of Cordenons but felt better after San Leonardo.  Rode up the hill by Abraxos standing on the big ring- HR stayed below 180. 80km, 2.5 hrs, 162 bpm.

16 Jan 10
Arba, Sequals, Usago, Molevana, Mostacins, Valeriano, Spilimbergo, Tauriano, Tesis, home.  Wore my new Mavic Pro road shoes- very comfy.  Cold and clear day, no wind.  Enjoyed visiting Castelnuovo again- very cute asini at a house in Sottocolle.  Saw a big solar array on motorized drive, and falcon at Molevana.  Also kids in bright yellow reflective vets flagging down traffic on road to Usago  so dad could cut down tree.
76 km, 2.75hrs, 161 bpm 



18 Jan 10
Rode to San Leonardo, San Foca, San Quirino, Villa d’Arco, over to Roveredo, Ceolino, Vigonovo, Ranzano, Fiaschetti, then Via Pedemontane.  Rode up all the hills in 3rd, except by the Royal decided to upshift, stand and climb.   2’ 23” at 153 bpm, 60-70km.  Wore my new Cellini Bike windjacket.  Still hot when climbing, but less hot than the Draghi jacket.

20 Jan 10
Cavasso Nuovo, Toppo, Celante, down to Usago, Sequals, Arba and home.

The climb up to Celante wasn’t bad.  Beautiful view of Monte Prat, and a big snowy mountain in the distance behind it.  Startled a lady pushing a baby carriage when I said “Bon di” but she returned the greeting.  Monte Rossa’s snowy cliffs were gorgeous.  I was worried about ice on the descent on the Clauzetto road, but saw none.  Very beautiful white water in the Cosa.  78km, 2’ 45” @ 161 bpm

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