Col Grande

After a week of rain (and painting Marilyn's bedroom) I finally saw a chance to escape.  Col Grande is another of our highest local spots reachable on a road bike.  This climb starts at Coltura (by Polcenigo), climbs up to Mezzomonte on the main road, then follows a narrow mountain lane from Mezzomonte cemetery to Col delle Palse at 1360 meters.  Then you take a right on the ridge road, riding on rough rocks for 100 meters until pavement resumes (you could carry or push your bike over this stretch if rims/tires are a worry).  You climb on the paved road to 1460 meters where pavement ends again.  The road continues (if you're on a MTB) to Valle Friz and Piancavallo.

On the way down it got cold so I put on my arm warmers and vest.  I wished I had my leg warmers too.  There was a group of mountain bikers coming up and later, to my amazement, a road biker.  That's the first time I've seen another road biker up here in the past year or two.  Maybe word is spreading.  

Be careful of the drainage channels- they are numerous.

Fun ride.  Now if this rain will go away!

Road continues from end of pavement to Valle Friz

Beautiful view of the hillside, the pianura,
and the Adriatico shimmering in the distance.

View of northeast coast of Adriatico (Trieste, Grado) 

Val de Lama MTB

I rode down to Dardago then climbed up past San Tome to the trailhead for Val de Lama at 550 meters.  The trail is too steep so I pushed the bike uphill.  The trail did get somewhat less steep later but it was technical and I thought I'd fall and break the bike or my body.  So I kept pushing.  This continued past the turn off for Troi dei Mui at 750 meters which descends to Mezzomonte, past the  ruins at Ciavalir (1019 meters), until the pastures just below Casera Val de Lama at 1100 meters.  A good MTBer could probably have ridden some or most of that.

The pastures are gorgeous, with wild roses, karst stone, free ranging asini, wildflowers and grass.  I rode to the junction with the paved road descending from Col di Palse.  From here I rode down nice and easy, as the front disc brake was a little gimpy.  I need to work on that.  Anyway I made it down the hill and then home.  I would not recommend biking up this trail, although a skilled technical rider should be able to descend most of it.  Still I enjoyed the fantastic scenery and got a good workout.   Not a bad day.

The cliffs above San Tome.

Too steep to ride up the trailhead

Turn off for Troi dei Mui at 750 meters

Old house ruins at Ciavalir (1019 meters)

Wild rose 1100 meters

Little herd of asini at 1100 meters

Casera Val de Lama 1100 meters

View southwest from casera

The dirt road from the casera joins the paved road to Mezzomonte

Col delle Palse

The forecast called for rain in the afternoon so I tried to sneak in a local ride this morning.  After warming up to Coltura I turned off for Mezzomonte and headed up.  At 460 meters (by the cemetery) I turned left onto this steep mountain road.  Beautiful sunny climb up to 1358 meters where you join the gravel road from Piancavallo to Il Cansiglio.  I turned right and after 100 meters turned left onto a steep concrete road, which goes up the east flank of Col delle Palse.  I stopped before long because the rocky road wasn't working out with my skinny tires.  Looking at the GPS track I was only a hundred meters or so from joining the trail I MTB'd last year from Valle Friz to Casera Ceresera.

Low-flying clouds had moved in below, and the ride down was chilly.  Lots of drainage channels to keep you from building up speed (probably a good thing).  Back at Mezzomonte I began seeing bikers; they were all over the descent to Coltura and on Via Pedemontana toward home.   

This is a great climb.  I think it's harder and more peaceful than Aviano-Piancavallo, though much less fun to descend because of the rough pavement and drainage channels. 

I stopped here; trail to Casera Ceresera shortly ahead

Forested hills of the alpine zone

Down the concrete ramp toward Piancavallo-Il Cansiglio road

Beautiful scenery you climb through around 1300 meters

Curious horses in the road near turnoff toward Val di Lama

Dardago, Mezzomonte, Santa Lucia in Colle MTB

First mountain bike ride of 2014: rode up through Dardago to the left turn for Al Ciastelat.  Steeply up the paved road, past the restaurant driveway, then continue to end of pavement, where you take the gravel road to your left.  The dirt road (marked Tagliafuoco on the map) continuously varies from climbing steeply  to descending a bit and even levels off at times.  Some of the steeper bits have been concreted.  Eventually you end up climbing up to Mezzomonte at almost 500 meters and reach pavement again.   I sped downhill to Coltura, then crossed though Polcenigo and Santa Lucia.  Here I got a sudden urge to try and find the way to the church on the wooded hill, Santa Lucia in Colle.  This was a steep concrete road but I made it.  Then I decided to go over the top of the hill, which was even steeper concrete.  The rest of the woodland trails were dirt and moderately inclined.  Looks like a great place for Sunday walks/hikes.

Budoia from almost 400 meters

Dardago from around 400 meters

Santa Lucia in Colle

This church is in a secluded wooded area; you may be startled when the bells start pealing 

The front end of the church

Col Grande

I thought I knew pretty much all the climbs in our area but I was wrong.  The climb up to Mezzomonte starts only 15 km from home, and it's familiar enough.  But in December I found a "new" road climbing from Mezzomonte's cemetery up the mountain.  I was stopped by snow at 830 meters and vowed to return.

Today I climbed the road to end of pavement at 1450 meters.  It's very steep, comparable to some of the best climbs in Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige.  With an altitude gain of 1,400 meters, traffic-free road and gorgeous environment at the top, it's tough to match.

A few caveats- there are metal drain gutters crossing the road every 50-100 meters so  pay attention to wheel angle when crossing.  I bunny hopped most of them on descent.  The stretch between 1200-1300 meters is very steep, with a 200 meter 18% concrete ramp.  I had to get off to rest  a couple of times, then gave up and pushed my bike for several hundred meters.  When you reach the junction at 1345 meters, taking a right there is a rough gravel road for maybe 100 meters, then it's paved until you reach 1450 meters altitude.   

I will return to explore this area- I think it may be possible to reach Il Cansiglio by turning left at the 1345m junction.  Also a concrete road climbs north which I think goes to Col delle Tiede.  And the road I stopped at end of pavement 1450m goes to Valle Friz, Casera Campo, and Piancavallo.  Not sure if these are rideable on a road bike, but I'll bring sneakers and walk if necessary. 

A view from1250 meters of a few of the switchbacks below

A view of the steepness around 1200 meters

The dirt road to left at 1345m- maybe goes to Cansiglio?

End of pavement 1450 meters

Piancavallo area on left, Castaldia antennas are on second ridge
on the right (obscured by clouds)

View of Cansiglio area in distance from around 1400 meters

Carved wood shrine at Alpini memorial above Mezzomonte 

Altimetria up to 1320 meters

Col Scussat

Test ride for new FSA integrated seat pillar on the Viner Maxima- works great.  This one is a bit heavier and beefier than the original which broke a few weeks ago.  I don't mind an extra ounce if it keeps my saddle from falling off on a high-speed descent.

I intended to do the usual climb up to Mezzomonte with its 4.2 km averaging 9%.  Then I reached the cemetery at 468m and had an overwhelming urge to turn off and follow the little mountain road I "discovered" in December.  This time at 534m I turned right onto a side road.  It climbed some more and then, above Mezzomonte's campanile, turned into a dirt road.  The road wasn't too bad, but too rocky for 23mm slicks.  Still I kept going until around 640m when the dirt road turned into a hiking trail, Troi dei Mui.  You could do it on a mountain bike but I think I'll go back and hike it from the opposite end.  It connects to the road above San Tome and Dardago, then climbs up to Col Scussat at 711 meters, then down to the dirt road I travelled today.

The descent was very fun as always.  Great ride.

Troi dei Mui starts here and climbs Col Scussat

Looking down from the dirt road at Mezzomonte's campanile 

New FSA integrated seat pillar 

Valle Pedreit (Mezzomonte)

Mezzomonte is a favorite local climb, a good 2-hour ride after work in summer or weekend mornings.  It's steep enough to be challenging but not so long that you end up knackered.  Today as usual I stood for the first steep half-kilometer above Coltura and then remained seated for the remaining series of switchbacks up to Mezzomonte (475m).  It's a dead end so I turned around to begin the ride home.  A lady joked that I should stop, I'd already won the prize money.  They must find us odd riding up this steep road to their village then immediately returning. 

I stopped by the walled cemetery on the edge of town to see if I could get a photo, and noticed the turn for the cemetery didn't stop there, it kept going.  Intrigued I followed the narrow paved road, which quickly turned steep and began switchbacking.  There are galvanized steel drainage troughs every 50 meters or so, very slippery (I was inattentive and almost fell over in one).  I had no idea where I was headed but the road just kept going up and up- it was clear it was headed for the top of the ridge, which connects Piancavallo and Il Cansiglio.  Above 800 meters there were increasingly snowy patches where small trees shaded the roadway, but with a little care they were easy to traverse.  Finally at a tornante at 890 meters the snow looked like 23mm slicks wouldn't be adequate- I'd need some wider knobbier tires.  So I turned around and gingerly returned to the cemetery, then descended rapidly down the switchbacks.  

On the way home I was climbing the hill toward Budoia when I heard a strange wheezing behind me, similar to the sound the stray cat in our cortile makes.  It got louder and I realized someone was drafting on me and possibly in respiratory distress.  I pulled out of the way and slowed and a fellow in GC Meschio garb passed on my right.  I was very impressed by his bike, a Bottecchia Ottavio carbon frame, handmade by Sarto near Venezia.  Beautiful frame!

Here's a hiking site describing the road I "discovered"- I may try walking it soon with the dogs- they'd love it!    http://www.magichedolomiti.it/ilpalo/mezzo/mezzo1.htm

I gave up here at 890 meters

Looking down at the switchbacks on the road down to Coltura

Mezzomonte

I changed the Merckx's pedals and my cleats this morning and started working on the Viner as well, when my neighbor Nerina asked from her balcony if I was going for a ride. I wasn't planning to but she pointed out the weather was splendid and I needed to mantenere forma, and soon I couldn't resist. So I tried out the pedals with a quick ride up Mezzomonte and back. I felt great and had a wonderful time. Nerina was absolutely right- I needed a ride!

The lovely well-paved switchbacks

Presepio di Lamont

Another perfect day- crystal clear, dead calm, and cold but not freezin'. I headed to Polcenigo and turned off for Coltura, then stood to climb a kilometer of >12%. This levels out for a moment, then you climb a series of 11 switchbacks for 4 km averaging 9%. Finally you reach the flat-to-slightly-upgrade final stretch into Mezzomonte.


At the end of the road I was about to turn around but saw something new- a beautiful presepio on the hillside. Maybe I was high on endorphins from the climb, but the nativity scene seemed perfect here on the mountainside this late December morning. On the ride home I couldn't get this song out of my head:  Amahl and the Night Visitors

Presepio di Lamont

The manger

A couple of wise men and their camels

I see present-day shepherds carrying lambs this way sometimes

Asino in the manger

The three kings

Snowcapped peaks of Giulian Alps to northeast

Monte Canin (2587m) gruppo along the Slovenian border

Mezzomonte, Val de Croda, Rifugio Bornass

No time for a long ride today so I tried to string together a few local climbs.  A heavy rain last night  cleared away the clouds, so it's sunny and mild.  I warmed up with a ride down Via Pedemontane past Polcenigo to Coltura (50m), and then climbed up to Mezzomonte (475m). 

Next I descended back to Polcenigo and climbed up past Budoia to Dardago.  From here a nice steady climb up Val de Croda to end of pavement at 535m.

Then I returned to Via Pedemontane and climbed past Aviano to Costa (205m).   From here I climbed past Madonna della Monte to Rifugio Bornass (767m).  Descending down the switchbacks toward Pedemonte gave me a chance to test my new brake pads.  My old Campagnolo pads were finally roasted after 3 years, so yesterday I switched them out for some aftermarket pads I bought awhile ago.  They worked ok, but not as powerful as Campy- they seem to require a bit more distance to stop.  On the fast stretch with double chicane, I got up to about 50 mph before hitting the brakes hard when rapidly approaching a  tornante and got a loud squeal from the front brake.  No problem, they'll work fine until new Campy pads arrive in the mail.

Good workout, close to home on a lovely sunny morning.  Love it here!  

Elevation of the 3 climbs

Mezzomonte and Val de Croda climbs

Rifugio Bornass climb and descent to Pedemonte