Monte Crostis

It's been a couple of years since I last visited Monte Crostis, Panaramica delle Vette, and the descent to Ravascletto,  one of the most beautiful areas in Friuli IMO.  The climb is hard but the huge fir trees and scenic views of valleys and surrounding mountains keep you motivated.  At the top you descend a bit then join the panaramica, with miles of packed red gravel traversing steep grassy slopes, shrieking marmots, waterfalls and wildflowers.  Eventually you reach the paved descent to Ravascletto, yet more spectacular scenery.  This descent was a good check ride for retorque of the Fedaia's front brake rotor center lock ring.  It was clunking under hard braking, presumable snugged down with a gear cluster tool but never torqued.  Now it's rock solid.   

If you're in the area check Crostis out.  Really an outstanding ride. 

Looking back toward Comeglians and Valdegana

View back toward the top of the climb

Gorgeous grassy slopes surrounding an old casera

Marmots loudly spreading news of danger

The ridge coming up from Val delle  Streghe; last year
I tried to MTB from  Paluzza to the panaramica.  Must try again.  

I'm guessing WW I tunnel entrance
near start of descent to Ravascletto 

Max grade is wrong; should read 18%

Malga Fara

Partly cloudy this morning and the previsione called for mountain thunderstorms in the afternoon so I picked a short ride.  Up through the 4 km tunnel, right toward Andreis and then onto the road for Pala Barzana.  Just above Bosplans I took a right for Malga Fara.  This road doesn't mess around with switchbacks, etc: it just heads up.  I stood on the pedals for everything harder than 15% and the rest I just gutted out.  At the top I snapped some fotos and headed down.  When you rejoin the Pala Barzana road gradients are again are in the 14% - 16% range but soon let  up and you reach the top. Fun glide down to Valdifrina, Valcolvera, Maniago and home. Didn't get rained on.

View from Malga Fara to west 

View northwest

View north

View northeast

Andreis to Malga Fara climb

Cuel di Forchia

This is a tough climb starting at Avesinis, near Lago di Cavazzo.  It's hard enough to have been included in the 2006 Giro d'Italia.  On the plus side, it's mostly shady so even in August you don't vaporlock.  I made it to the top without stopping, which may be a first for me.  After the top you descend a bit and climb to Cuel di Forchia, a little pass with trailhead for MTBers/hikers to Monte Cuar and Monte Flagjel.  After a bit more descending you reach the junction to Pielungo and Monte Prat, site of 2015 Italian Cyclocross National Championship.

At Monte Prat you descend on beautiful switchbacks to Forgaria.  Fedaia brakes worked perfectly and the handling on the twisties was splendid.  Maybe my imagination but the rolling ride home seemed easier on the new bike.  Could be the fit.

Monte Ragogna across the Tagliamento from Monte Prat.

The fontana north of Pinzano: potable water!

The climb

Col Visentin

Rode Fedaia to Vittorio Veneto, then from Longhere to Piani di Grassi.  Was glad to see the start of the Col Visentin dirt road at 1100 meters has been paved.  Alas, the asfalt ends at 1400 meters.  From here the road is as rough as ever.  Despite my best attempt to emulate Jack the Cyclocross Racer I could only ride about a fifth of the remaining distance to Col Visentin.  I walked the other bits.  I was able to ride down though, providing amusement for passing MTBers.    

The Legend Fedaia was again a joy to ride.  Very smooth and easy to toss into a curve on a good line. Makes the miles seem to pass almost effortlessly.

North toward Dolomiti Bellunese 

On the right the green meadows of
Mezzomiglio, above Il Cansiglio

Northeast is Belluno and Piave Valley leading to Cadore

West toward Monte Grappa

Start of the newly paved road: looks white because
the asfalt is surfaced with lentil-sized gravel

Tough climb (I didn't include the gravel
section from 1400 meters to Col Visentin)

Zuglio - Val Lauco

I parked at Tolmezzo, rode Fedaia across Torrente But and warmed up on the ride to Zuglio.   There's a church above town I've been wanting to check out, so I headed steeply upward to the village of  Fielis.  San Pietro church is the main attraction, but also many Ferragosto holidayers.  I headed back down: the front brake honking goose is gone after repeatedly scrubbing the disc with alcohol.  It  was pretty oiley.

Next I found the road for Sezza and headed upward again.  Above Sezza it becomes a rolling forest road eventually reaching Fusea.  The Giro rode this route in the opposite direction in 2003 enroute to Zoncolan via Sutrio.  Hard to imagine now it's so deserted.  After Fusea more climbing to Curiedi, down into a ravine at Rio Chiantone, climb back out of ravine to Buttea, descend to Rio Dongieaga, climb to Vinaio, then the big climb to Val di Lauco, descending to end of pavement at Trischiamps.  After returning to Vinaio even the easy climb to Lauco seemed hard.  Wonderful switchbacks down to Villa Santina: the 28mm Michelin Pro 4s are a joy to ride, feel like full suspension after years on 23mm tires pumped rock-hard to avoid pinch flats.   Back to Tolmezzo on the flat main road and then drove home, utterly knackered.

San Pietro church with mountains to east

Crucifix carved from a tree trunk, Fielis 

San Pietro church from the southeast

Wild backcountry above Trischiamps

Over these hills is Monte Arvenis (near Zoncolan)

Goodbye, Old Paint

Bought my used Merckx Bound in 2007 from a fellow in Porto Sant'Elpidio, Le Marche.  It was carbon, 10-speed Chorus, very posh for me.  I was just getting over a long illness and this bike got me going places and accomplishing feats I would never have dreamed of.  More than a bike for me, it was therapist, rehab department, up to every challenge, and never saying no, you can't do that.  But there's no room left in the stable now and the old girl has to go to a new owner.  So long, faithful companion. 

Monte Valinis paved

Artisan framebuilder Marco Bertoletti arrived at my house (!) to investigate my brake issue.  The brakes needed to be filled with fluid as it turned out, so he did that and now they work great (though they honk like an air horn when applied hard).  I think the pads maybe were contaminated with fluid so I'll sort that.  

To test them I tried a nearby climb I've neglected lately, Monte Valinis.   The weather is warm again and the haze has begun returning.  At Meduno I climbed up to the forcella and then started the Valinis climb.  When I reached the cattle gate at 900 meters I was startled to see they've now paved the road all the way to the hang glider launch ramp.  Much easier now without the big round rocks.  In fact it was crowded with parapendio pilots, fun to watch.

Good ride and thank you Marco!

  

Colline di Sequals far below

A small sample of the parapendi and hangliders
zooming around Monte Valinis

The malga and mountainous backdrop

From a different angle

It's a good workout too

Le Malghe

A wonderful storm blew through yesterday and washed away all the haze.  Spectacular "seeing" for August in Italy.  I hopped on Maxima and headed down to Coltura,  then resumed the climb to Mezzomonte so rudely interrupted by the previous windstorm last weekend.  Then I continued climbing past 1300 meters to the ridgeline connecting Piancavallo with Il Cansiglio.  I decided to try the gravel ridge road on my road bike despite running 23mm slicks.  I made it but I really need fatter tires.

Lots of MTBers up here but no one else.  I'd forgotten how many malghe and casere are along this road.  It still seems wild though despite this contact with civilization.  Eventually I rejoined the descent road from Il Cansiglio to Caneva/Sarone, got down to Via Pedemontane and sped home.  There are several other variations of this ride with other malghe to revisit: must return soon.

View from the 1300 meter ridgeline;
il Adriatico is visible on the horizon

Casera Busa Bernart

Spectacular panorama above La Santissima spring

Looking down at Mezzomonte with
the Adriatic Sea in the background 

Lovely casera

The climb from Coltura to ridgeline at 1300 m

Map listing some of the malghe

Bohinju

Been wanting to try this Slovenian adventure for a long time.  After driving to Most Na Soci I parked at Postaya, then started pedaling along the River Baci northeast on the rolling ride to Podbrdo.  Here serious climbing begins, finally topping out at 1280 meters at Soriska Planina.  Had a rear flat shortly before the summit, and found a very stiff piece of steel wire pushed through the casing (from a steel belted truck tire?)  Once that was sorted I went over the top and headed down.  To my dismay the front disc brake wasn't working on the 12% descent so I quickly locked up the rear brake.  The front brake would not regain pressure so I just pulsed the rear and tried to keep from overheating it.  

After the flattish area around lovely Lake Bohinju I turned around and reversed my tracks.  Even steeper this direction, but at least it was uphill so no death-defying thrills.  After the summit several miles of white-knuckle rear brake descending were followed by more fun rollers back to the start.  Strange ride but fun in its own way.

Petrovo Brdo

Below Soriska Planina

Spodnya Sorica

East end of Lake Bohinju 

Church by the lake 

Pobrdo to Soriska Planina

Bohinjska Bistrika to Soriska Planina

Monte San Simeone

I skipped this favorite climb last year so I could MTB nearby Monte Festa instead.   Today I returned via Strada del Bottecchia to Lago Cavazzo and started climbing.  The Legend Fedaia is a natural climber, it feels eager to ascend.  At 1200 meters I reached the top of the climb (you can continue on foot up to 1450 meters).  It's quiet (except for birds), peaceful and beautiful here.

Descent was fun.  Great ride.

A couple of notes: the disc brakes are good but you don't need them if you rarely ride where you'll get your rims wet or dusty or sandy.  In dry, clean conditions they're no better than good rim brakes.

Di2 is fantastic.  I'm addicted.  If you remember the days of reaching down to your down tube to push your friction shifter levers, then you'll recall how awesome it was to do it all right from the ergopower hoods.  Di2 is the same sort of quantum leap.  
    

This is the top of Monte San Simeone 1450 metres

Chiesa di San Simeone

Consecrated in the 1350's

The round end where altar is located

Monte Palantarins MTB ride

Mountains near Tolmezzo

Mountains above Venzone

Walled medieval town of Venzone

Gemona on the Tagliamento

12 km of 8.3%.  Good workout