Preplans

Again the waters have parted and people are daring to venture outside.  I rode the spare Merckx (the Viner is awaiting a new set of cables) and it worked fine.  After Meduno I rode northwest briefly until the left turn for Preplans.  This little road passes a hydroelectric plant, then descends steeply to Torrente Meduna  at Ponte Paludana.  This is a narrow bridge, but it's paved and has guard rails- not bad.  After the bridge you head steeply up a couple of switchbacks: half a kilometer reaching 18%.  At the end of the road is Borgo Preplans, a group of stone houses.  I had tried reaching this from above  earlier this year but the trail turned into a steep slide- hate to think what going up would be like.

After taking some pictures I recrossed the bridge and went up the steep east bank: this one is merely 14%.  My intention of returning via Val Muie and Valcolvera fell through when I noticed the front brake sticking: I had to reach down to reopen the caliper after each stop.  Started working on it when I got home: heavily corroded.  I may cannibalize the brake from my Trek 1220 (originally on 1995 Pinarello Dyna).   

Churning Torrente Meduna north of bridge

Ponte Paludana with switchbacks

View north toward Monte Rest

Snowy Monte Raut

Navarons across Val Muie