Col Alt

I spun down down to Sarmede, then stood in the pedals on the short climb to Rugolo.  Here I turned right on the road toward Villa di Villa, and climbed to the left turnoff marked Chiesetta Alpina Monte Castelir.  Almost immediately you start hitting 18-20% ramps, interspersed with restful 15% stretches here and there.  I almost made it up the first ramp but a little car came up behind me and the road is so narrow if you wobble you fall.  I graciously stopped, allowing him to overtake me while I hung my head over the bars and gasped for air.  After a very brief respite the road turns north for the hardest ramp: 1.4 km averaging 15.8%, with stretches of 22.6%.  I stopped to "rest" 3 or 4 times: it's all a blur.  At 600 meters you pass the turnoff for Chiesetta Alpina and begin the next phase, still often reaching into the teens but with merciful resting ramps of 10-12%.  The road winds around through some restored stone houses until eventually reaching Casera dal Cin around 800 meters.  

Here the well-paved road ends and I did some gravel biking for awhile.  I stopped at the little alpine wetland which was completely grown over and full of loud frogs last summer.  I continued down to Casera Col Alt and then began hiking/carrying the bike on CAI 1060.  I was hoping to find the war memorial but that will have to wait for another day.  After maybe a km of hiking I regained a dirt road at a restored stone house at 750 meters.  This road eventually reached Strada della Patriarca, the paved road connecting Villa di Villa to Il Cansglio.  The ride home was fun: I wasn't as tired as I expected.  Must return soon to explore some more.

Alpine wetland

The stone house where I emerged
from the wilderness carrying my road bike

Junction of dirt road with Strada della Patriarca