Cima della Cima

Rode into a headwind all the way to Villa di Villa then climbed up to Castello di Cordignano and over the new bridge above Rugolo.  At the sign to Castellir and Alpini church headed more steeply upward.  I struggled to within a few hundred meters of the church and conked out.  I rested awhile and reached the next climb up to Cima della Cima.  This winds upward to a rifugio and pretty old house.  Continued on dirt road up past the Alpine wetland and eventually reached  Strada del Patriarca.   Coasted back down to Villa di Villa and rode the tailwind all the way home.  Killer climb

Alpine wetland at Cima della Cima

Torrente Meschio from
Strada dei Patriarca

i Fanghi

Best climb up the front range of the pre-alpi from il Cansiglio to il Tagliamento.  It’s wild, remote and physically challenging.  The altimetria below ends at the junction with the Panoramica  Cansiglio-Piancavallo but the actual highest point is 1500 meters at i Fanghi, a clay outcropping.

I descended to Piancavallo today but the road to il Cansiglio is another option  (Remember there is a rocky stretch if you have delicate wheels).  Another option is returning via Mezzomonte but I don’t recommend it on a roadbike because of all the deep drainage channels.

 Must try this if you’re in the area.

View from i Fanghi north

Challenging 

From Coltura to Panoramica Cansiglio-Piancavallo

Bibione Pineda

Another rare sunny day so I headed south to Bibione.  This time I continued westward to Pineda which has some lovely public beaches.  I arrived early enough to avoid the crowds, only a few runners and bikers.  Never bonked on the ride home but I did take a couple of rolling recovery breaks which give your energy output a chance to rebound.  Good ride.

San Leonardo Loop

Finally a couple of hours without rain.  I got about halfway across the Valcellina bridge and decided the huge fog bank on the other side was too dangerous so turned around and rode to San Leonardo, almost to San Martino, and home.  Felt good to be pedaling again. 

Prosecco Hills

Cruised down to Vittorio Veneto and up into the prosecco vineyards.  Hills covered with grape vines as far as you can see.  The climbing wore me out but luckily a nice tailwind pushed me all the back to Budoia.  More fatigued than usual after 2 weeks of rain delay.

San Procrazio

Prosecco vineyards San Pietro di Filetto

Puntic

After 2 weeks of cold rain and howling bora winds I finally can ride!  I headed east toTravesio and visited Puntic, a restored Roman bridge over Torrente Cosa.  Lovely spot, which I’ll revisit to ride  the MTB trails.  On the ride home the wind was in my face, opposite to the bora.  Not too bad, like a climb it gives your muscles some resistance to strain against.  Fun ride.

Torrente Cosa

Restored Roman bridge

Torrente Cosa

Passo San Boldo

A classic front range climb west of  Vittorio Veneto, Passo San Boldo is always interesting, with its vertical stack of switchbacks, each ending in an 180 degree tunnel.  Today is Labor Day so there was an unusually large crowd of riders grappling up the gradient.   Maybe also the transit of this climb by the Giro’Italia on 31 May has heightened interest.  Fun climb.