Passo Mauria

I've been wanting to ride the Monte Rest-Passo Mauria-Passo San Osvaldo loop but never got around to it.  Today was my chance.  After Monte Rest you descend and then climb through Ampezzo to Cima Corsa.  Next pass through the long tunnel to Forni di Sotto and climb to Forni di Sopra.  Here you start the climb up past Sorgente di Tagliamento fino a Passo Mauria.  Descend to Lorenzago and then Lozzo di Cadore.  The traffic was lighter than expected here, maybe still too early in the season.  

At Pieve I climbed up through town to avoid the busy tunnels below.  Descending to Sottocastello I joined the via ciclabile and headed south.  They have really fixed up this bike route, pretty impressive.  Down the Cavalera to Perarolo and south on the deserted old route of SS51.   This is shady and less hilly which I was very glad of because I was close to bonking.   Luckily I reached a bar in Ospitale where I bought 3 more liters of cold water.  I thought it might be too much but no, I drank it all on the way home.

The bike route again follows a new route down to Longarone, where they've added a stretch through the gorge of the  Piave.  This would be a great place for a walk/ride with the family.  Soon you reach the final challenge up the switchbacks to Vajont dam and the baking-hot rocky cliffs below Casso.  San Osvaldo was very easy by comparison.  Mostly-downhill Torrente Celina felt like a cool-down ride and  soon I was home.  My neighbor Silvano had arrived from Venezia and baked me a fresh ciambella.  A perfect ending.  

Torrente Chiarzo at Lago di Tramonti

Lago di Tramonti

Torrente Tagliamento from Monte Rest

Cascate above Torrent Tagliamento