Via Guitcillo da Montanar

I rode down Via Pedemontane to Caneva, with a guy drafting on me from Coltura to Caneva.  This surprised me because I usually get passed, but I didn't mind because it helped me concentrate on my riding.  My mind usually wanders on the flats and I slow down too much.  From Caneva I continued to Sarmede and Montaner, where the killer climb begins.

I've climbed this on a MTB a couple of times but never with a road bike.  Very hard: the worst bits I had to walk.  Still it was fun.  The dirt and grass surface higher up was no problem.  Great views from up there: less haze than usual.  On the descent I came around a bend and a camoscio (chamois) in the road jumped about 3 meters straight up onto a cliff face.  Pretty amazing.

On the ride home I was in a daze.  I tanked up on water at Caneva so hydration wasn't a problem.  Maybe lack of electrolytes?

Anyway I'll return soon on MTB to investigate Via Val Borgo, a dirt road which also climbs up into this zone.  The easy access and remoteness of this area keep luring me back. 

Chiesa di Montaner from 500 meters

The road bike by lovely restored stone farmhouse

Chiesa di Montaner from 700 meters

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

Col Alt

I rode the lower part of this climb to Chiesetta Alpina on Monte Castelir in January and vowed to return on my MTB to try the upper portion.  Unfortunately my MTB is waiting for a brake bleed kit, so I took the road bike instead.  After warming up on the ride to Caneva and Sarmede I turned toward Rugolo and climbed up to 250 meters.  Then turned right toward Rugoletto and Villa di Villa.  Quickly turned again, left this time at the Chiesetta Alpina sign.  Be sure to turn right at 310 meters instead of going straight ahead on a 15% stub that dead ends, like I did.

Now a pleasant surprise: the pavement on this climb was horrible last January.  As luck would have it they have paved this with fresh smooth asphalt up to 780 meters.  Miraculous really, and makes this into a road bikeable climb.  The new pavement improves traction tremendously and avoids much wasted power.  Unfortunately not enough for me though because at 530 meters I stopped to hyperventilate awhile.  Good thing too because the remaining killer gradient to Chiesetta Alpina crushed me.  I barely kept from falling over, and once I stopped my stomach felt twisted in a knot while I recovered- I couldn't drink or eat.

Finally I returned to the land of the living and resumed the climb toward Col Alt.  This road winds up through beautiful forest and a settlement of restored stone houses till 780 meters.  Here the climb leveled out and the road grew rougher to about 806 meters (Casera Dal Cin).  Then the road turned to gravel: I rode some of it, and then put on cleat covers and hiked.  After cresting at 820 meters it turned downward, passing a nice alpine pond with lily pads and very loud frogs at 798 meters.  The road winds past more restored stone houses and finally reaches Parco Carbonai and Strada del Patriarca, the old paved road from Villa di Villa to Il Cansiglio.  Fun descent to Villa di Villa, then home.  I will return on the mountain bike soon and ride up to the summit of Col Alt (866 meters) and visit the monument to resistance fighters who fought the Nazis. 

Info about the adjacent trail: http://www.prealpitrevigiane.it/descsentiero.asp?id=22

The fresh asphalt from Chiesetta Alpina to Col Alt

One of the restored stone houses above 700 meters

Trees near 780 meters

Casera Dal Cin

Beautiful decoration on the casera's door

Stella alpina and ginziana painted on shutters

Parco Carbonai picnic ground

Junction with paved Strada del Patriarca

Col Alt (866m) with monument at the summit

Castello di Cordignano ruins above Villa di Villa

Via Guitcillo da Montanara II MTB

I tried climbing up this road from Montaner to Cansiglio last month but couldn't find the trail above 830 meters.  Today I tried again.  The steep paved climb went much better this time- didn't have to stop to rest.  I don't know if this is a fitness improvement after climbing Zoncolan or if I just learned how to beat it from my experience last time.

Around 800 meters I turned right onto a dirt road I'd seen on the OSM cycle map.  It dead ended at an old farmhouse after a few hundred meters.  Then I tried a branch that went south to a beautifully restored farmhouse (another dead end).  As I headed back toward Via Guitcillo da Montanara I saw another branch near the turn off.  It looked promising but ended in a hollow full of ortica (stinging nettles).  I was wearing bike shorts so my legs felt like pincushions full of tingling needles.  Still do, a little.

I continued up the climb to the farmhouse at 830 meters, and followed the grassy ride to the right like last month.  I tried the same barely visible path I tried last month, but continued going even when it seemed to disappear.   Voila! I reached the elusive dirt road which descends from Il Cansiglio.  This road alternates between concrete and dirt, descending and climbing again.  Quite a fun ride- I'll have to try it from the top next time.  

I finally reached the paved main road from Vittorio Veneto to Il Cansiglio.  I turned right and ascended, skipped the first right turn to Nino Bixio and continued to the next right turn, for Col Oliver picnic area.  This is another fun climbing and descending dirt and concrete road.  Eventually you reach La Strada del Patriarca, which climbs up from Cordignano (Villa di Villa).  Shortly you reach the main Cansiglio road coming up from Sarone and Caneva.  I cruised down and rode Via Pedemontana  home.  Good climb through lovely landscape.

The house where I gave up looking for the trail last month; 

note the big tree my bike is parked against

Seen from the tree by my bike in the previous photo, this is
where the faint trail heads uphill (marked by my backpack)

Hike up to a ridge and you enter this clearing (there's a hunting
 blind to your left); head toward your upper right

Finally you reach this road; turn left

The big house where you emerge from the forest onto the main road

The main road from Vittorio Veneto; turn right

Turn right off the main road on this dirt road
toward Col Oliver picnic ground

This is where La Strada del Patriarca meets the main
Cansiglio road from Sarone and Caneva

Via Guitcillo da Montanara MTB

This is another farm road climbing from the foothills high up to the Cansiglio.  Like the others it's crazily steep, remote and beautiful.  Via Guitcillo da Montanara starts in Montaner, a short, steep climb from the plain near Sarmede itself.  The concrete roadway steepens immediately and stays that way more or less continuously for 4 or 5 km.  At first I stopped at most of the switchback ends to pant and moan, but after a while I started going longer between stops, which felt like an accomplishment even in 24-36 gear.  The gradient finally slackens above 800 meters and then pavement ends.  In a few minutes you reach a farmhouse and the surface turns to grass.  This was very pleasant, like the grassy rides through English woods.  Unfortunately the various paths I had read about all ended in dense thickets of thorny underbrush and turned me back.  I even tried going back to the farmhouse and heading up the grassy ride west of there,  but it turned into steep karst single track.  So I decided to roll back down the hill and try this from the top next time.  The top end of the trail apparently departs from the Vittorio Veneto- Cansiglio road  around 900 meters.  Maybe in a few weeks.

Looking down at Montaner's church

Steep steep steep

The hillside trees are flowering and sprouting leaves 

This is the farmhouse at 830m where the road faded out

Orchard and pens (for goats?) at farmhouse

The woods and mountains to the west

Col Visentin  to left of spruce, Monte Pizzoc to the right

Monte Castelir

I noticed this side road heading up the mountain near Rugolo last week.  So today when the sun finally popped back out I headed over to try it.  After warming up riding to Caneva I turned uphill at Villa di Villa, climbed past Castello di Cordignano, over the hill and down towards Rugolo.  Just before you descend to Rugolo turn right on the road marked Chiesetta Alpina di Monte Castelir.  It's steep immediately but not too bad.  Then the nice smooth pavement ends, and it becomes crumbling concrete alternating with rocks stuck in tar, tilting up into the +20% range.   This would be a good workout on a mountain bike.  In fact, during one of my numerous stops to hang my head over the handlebars to gasp, sputter, and pant, a mountain biker wobbled by me and appeared to be struggling with the hellish gradient as well.  Eventually I made it to the closed church gate and walked up from there.  I was having trouble even walking this stretch, having forgotten my cleat covers.

The little church at 626 meters and surroundings were beautiful and I really enjoyed the visit.  Then I descended with brakes in a death grip: going fast on this broken surface would likely send me flying headfirst over an embankment.  When I reached Rugolo my legs felt rubbery so I went home the easiest way possible.   Arrived just in time for a nice cool down walk with Marilyn, Teddi and Honey.  Will return soon with MTB- from Monte Castelir a trail continues to Col Alt and the Strada della Patriarca (the ancient road from Villa di Villa to il Cansiglio).

The lovely start of the climb, with olive grove and prosecco vineyard

Chiesetta Alpina di Monte Castelir 626 meters

Front view

Hazy view west across Sarmede,Vittorio Veneto,
with Monte Cesen in background

Memorial to the Alpini (mountain soldiers)

Hillside town of Montaner with its huge campanile

Snow-capped Col Visentin

The killer climb

Castles and Caves Foothills Ride

Finally a sunny day for a favorite foothills ride.  No big climbs but plenty of shorter ones, some of them quite steep.  Tons of other bikers out- people have been going stir-crazy from the rain.

After warm up on Via Pedemontane you turn toward Sarone and continue up to the right turn for La Crosetta.  Instead of turning go straight, passing below Castello di Caneva.  Descend to Caneva and continue to Villa di Villa. Head up the hill toward the backroad to Il Cansiglio, but don't turn onto it: head for Rugolo instead.  Shortly you pass Castello di Cordignano on your left.  Lots of saliscendi on this road with some 15%.  At Rugolo turn right and ride through Montaner to Fregona.  Here turn right and climb up through Grotto di Caglieron to Colors.  Via Colors is a beautiful looping ride through pastureland with mountains above, ending in Vittorio Veneto.  Take a left to Anzano, then follow the signs for Il Cansiglio, climbing to Fratte.  Now descend to Cappella Maggiore, continuing to Sarmede, Caneva and home.  Wonderful ride.

Note: I didn't take many pictures because there was a cloud of wood smoke along much of the foothills.  In this weather it hangs in the air instead of blowing away- wood stoves becoming too popular!    

Monte Pizzoc from Via Colors

Fregona - Grotte del Calglieron

A brief break in the rain/snow this morning, but temps still below freezing.  Paul Kim contacted several of us about riding, so Naz, I and some Italian friends showed up.  We headed out through Caneva and Sarmede, and a couple of the fellows mentioned they were in their 50s-60s.  In the back of my mind I must have thought "Finally someone I can keep up with" but I would be wrong.  Both were in great shape for their age and broke away from our little pack soloing for considerable distances.  I've learned my lesson:  never underestimate an older Italian cyclist.

We took a new route up to Fregona, and it's my new favorite.  As you run into Vittorio Veneto  take a right on Via Pola.  It's wonderful, with switchbacks up the wooded hillside and views of the city and plains below.  Near the top it passes over the entrance of Grotte del Calglieron, which looks like a spectacular cave; we'll have to tour it this summer.  From here we descended to Fregona then climbed up to Osigo.  We continued along the cliffside road to Rugolo, then headed home.  Hopefully I'll get to ride with this bunch again soon- they were great companions.   

Anzano-Osigo

A few cyclists were out on this cold weekday. One young lady on a bike seemed so happy to see another biker she yelled "Ehilà!" at me across the road.

After an easy ride down Via Pedemontane Occidentale through Cordignano, I turned right after Pinidello at the Green River Bar (on Fiume Meschio).  Climbed gently to Anzano outside Vittorio Veneto, then turned right on the road marked Il Cansiglio.  This climbs fairly steeply up through Fergona to Osigo (359m).  Here turned right and curved along the cliffside road to Montaner, then at the stop sign turned right again and began the steep descent to Sarmede on a lovely switchbacked road.  From Sarmede it's a rolling ride to Caneva, then up Via Pedemontane again to home.

The drought continues- even Monte Visentins (1760m) has sparse snow- just a light dusting at the top.   Cold ride, but fun.   

 Fancy mobile goat feeder; they also have turkeys and chickens

Sarmede-Fregona-Cappella Maggiore

Lovely ride down Via Pedemontane Occidentale to Caneva, over to Sarmede, up to Fregona and home. Quite cold, but sunny and not too windy. Saw a lady walking 2 cute black and tan miniature chihuahuas near Villa Villa. The hill up to Rugolo was tough- I had to stand after the second switchback. At the top by the church maybe 20 people were sitting by the wall above the cliff with their dogs on leashes. Maybe a dog blessing? Then cruised along the mountainside to Montaner, Fregona, and down the hill to Cappella Maggiore. My legs were tired climbing home.

Montaner, as seen from Rugolo