Bosco delle Penne Mozze

A freak mid-May snowstorm blanketed the foothills/mountains in white yesterday. Doug went up to Piancavallo to run and said the snow was 9 inches deep. Today it was crystal clear, without haze, nice and cool for our ride.

Doug and I rode to Vittorio Veneto and then west on Strada del Prosecco to Cison di Valmarino. We turned off the main road and up through the lovely little town.  The narrow lane climbed steeply through the forest, past the Penne Mozze Alpini memorial, and finally to end of pavement at 512 meters. The gradient touches 18% on the last stretch of the climb. A hiking trail commences here, continuing upward to Rifugio di Loff at 1134m. A hiker told us the walk takes about 1.5 hours.

Very pleasant ride home. We even stopped at San Marco Cafe in Piazza Foro Boario in Vittorio Veneto for a caffè. I felt civilized for a change. We continued to Caneva via Anzano, Cappella Maggiore, Sarmede, and Villa di Villa. Much less traffic this way.

Stupendous weather, good ride and great company- more rides like this, please!

The view from my bedroom window this morning

Close up of Crodon del Gevero 1254m

Gap through ridgeline

Sculpture honoring Penne Mozze (gli Alpini morti) 

Casera Vallon Scuro 1286m

Stone arch ponte over Torrente Rujo

A view up the road toward Bosco delle Penne Mozze

Castello di Cison- a climb for next time