Pieve di Cadore

I was planning to ride to Auronzo and left at 0700, just after sunrise.  The Cellina River valley and Vajont dam area were cold, overcast and windy, so I was having doubts about completing the ride.  But Longarone  was sunny and the Piave River valley clear, so I forged on.  After Perarolo the sunny Cavallera switchbacks carried me up to just below Pieve, then on a back road through the forest to town.  This is where it got steep.  I followed the signs for Lunga Via delle Dolomiti (E1 of the European bikeway system) up above town until I arrived at the cemetery.  There was a "closed for maintenance" barrier blocking the path here but I hopped over it and kept going.  After an old railroad tunnel the bikeway turns into re-frozen snow ice rink, but I somehow avoided flipping over on 23mm slicks.  Some workmen were out in the February cold fixing our bike path, so I figured I'd have to try surviving the nearby main highway, but the guys told me I could continue on the path.  Very decent of them.  I finally reached the railway station, where trains from Belluno bring skiers in winter, hikers/biker in summer.  

On the ride back I had a sudden burst of energy, and went "fast" all the way home.  Even the climb from Longarone to Passo Sant' Osvaldo seemed easier.  Maybe fatigue-induced euphoria.   Good ride.     

Frozen Piave River with mountains to north

This peak rises to the east

The "bike path closed" barrier

Exiting old railway tunnel onto slippery icy snow

Pieve di Cadore railway station