Lama di Som - Valle Friz MTB

I've ridden these two routes previously, but separately and in the opposite direction.  Weather looked promising this morning so I gave it a try.  I warmed up on Via Pedemontane to Coltura, near Polcenigo.   I turned north through town, then turned west on Via San Michele.  This street soon leaves town climbing, then turns to a dirt road.  It switchbacks back and forth, climbing all the way up to 612 meters near Lama di Som's pastures.  Here you turn right on the paved road and soon arrive at a left turn marked Malga Pizzoc.

This is a remote road in forest, with some steep sections concreted.  Eventually you reach a little house where you ride through the folks' front yard (marked Private Property) but they didn't mind, they were busy trying to herd their pugs, chihuahuas, and mixed breed cagnetti which were running everywhere.  Afterward at the junction you turn right toward Malga Pizzoc, and shortly after that Malga Brusada.

The road continues winding upward, sometimes concreted, to Malga Fossa di Sarone.  Here is beautiful open pastureland surrounded at a distance by forested mountains.  Higher still are Malga Folador, Casera Costa Cervera, and Casera Busa Bernart.  Eventually you leave this zone of dairies and cheese makers and arrive on the forested ridge.  About this time the cool clear weather turned into clouds and fog- quite chilly.  The road deteriorates into a stony, washed out forest road.  Before long you reach Col delle Palse where the paved road from Mezzomonte arrives.  

After the brief concrete and asphalt section near Col Grande (I had road biked it last week http://dolomiti-friulane.blogspot.it/2014/08/col-grande.html ) the road again turned bad.  There was a friendly group of horses walking alongside the road but they wisely used the only decent path, so I hopped off and churned through the rock pile awhile.  Eventually you reach Casera Valle Friz at 1520 meters and continue roughly until reaching the concrete road down to Casera Campo and Sauc.  The brief paved climb to Piancavallo was followed by a plummet down to Rifugio Bornass.  Somewhere before Madonna della Monte the sun came back out and it warmed up.   I was very tired and glad to get home.    

View of area west of Polcenigo: Palu di Livenza

Little valley between morainic hills and the mountains:
a characteristic of the Pedemontane

Horses feeding in pastures at Malga Brusada

Beautiful Malga Fossa di Sarone

Malga Fossa di Sarone dairy and pond

West of Col delle Palse; the channels dug into these steep slopes
let loggers slide tree trunks down to the valley

Further downhill, the road coming up from Cultura to Mezzomonte

Some of the very sweet horses foraging along the road near Col Grande.
I will remember to bring them an apple or carrot next time.