Cascata di Pradeldon

Fadaia's first wintery ride, through Toppo and Celante to Pradeldon.  I stopped to photograph the waterfalls then continued to Forgaria and Cornetto.  Here I explored the cliffside road some more before turning toward Pinzano and home.  The Ultegra di2 funtioned perfectly following my first derailleur adjustment using Shimano E Tube software with laptap.  Pretty easy to use.

Upper waterfall

The tallest cascade

The tunnel to Pradeldon

E Tube connection

Derailleur adjustment screen

San Pietro di Feletto

Thanksgiving ride in one of the prettiest places I know: the prosecco hills above Conegliano.  Rode from Vittorio Veneto to San Pancrazio, a church on the ridge line near San Giovanni.  A long downhill to Bagnolo then up to San Pietro di Feletto.  Here you descend some of the sweetest tornanti anywhere, so gentle you hardly need to brake.  Up through Corbanese and rolling down to Cozzuolo and Vittorio Veneto.  Riding this route will definitely make you give thanks.

Northwest from San Pancrazio 

San Pancrazio and campanile

The view to northeast

Monte Ragogna

The rain stopped and I rode to Monte Ragogna on the banks of the Tagliamento.  I ascended from the south, which is the gentler approach but still plenty steep.  After descending and crosing the Tagliamento at Cornino I was surprised to see a very steep concrete ramp through the forest to the upper fraction of Cornino.  Hard to keep the rear wheel from spinning on the wet leaves and muck but I made it.  From here a cliffside road takes you to Forgaria.  Beautiful ride. 

Tagliamento looking north from Ragogna bridge

South toward the Adriatico

Ragogna castello

Castello from higher up

Chiesetta San Giovanni  

Statue near cemetery

Monte Ragogna from Cornino bridge

Waterfall on climb to upper Cornino

Torrente Arzino at Fagogna bridge

Rain day

A couple of months ago I installed an 11-32 cassette on my Viner Maxima and have been riding it without any problems.  But a couple of times I've unintentionally shifted into the 50-32 gear, which jams up the short chain I've been running.  So far I've been lucky and not sheared anything off  but I'd hate to damage this wonderful frame.  So in today's rainy doldrums I experimented first with a too-long chain (worse), then with a Campy Potenza medium cage derailleur (very flimsy-feeling) and finally by dialing in the chain length with some KMC Missing Links.  I tried one length, took out a link, tried again, took out another link till I finally got the best compromise.  Now if I absent-mindedly shift into big-big gear no carbon frame destruction.  

Not pretty, but better than the consequences

Navarons - Forra Colvera

Sun popped out so I took my Legend Fedaia for a spin.  Wanted to checkout how she felt with 28mm tires (again) and an 11-32 cassette.  Also finally replaced front disc pads, which never seemed right since the fluid all leaked out on them in Slovenia.   Solid now.

Anyway this ride is a local favorite, though usually I ride it clockwise.  Seemed all new going the opposite way.

Monte Ciaurlec from Navarons

Frane (landslip) closed the road to traffic  

Monte Raut toward northwest

Monte Raut and Rodolino

Forra della Colvera suncatcher.
 
Note the lovely new steel handrails,
 which continue for 1.5 km along
the forra until the end of second tunnel

Surprise!  A bike/pedestrian overpass!  No more jumping
off your bike, running across the road dodging cars

The overpass joins palestra di roccia road
just before the second tunnel

32 tooth cog for my decrepit legs

Monte Cesen

An Autumn classic: colorful foliage, chestnut and mushroom gatherers roaming the forest, clear, cool, crisp air.  I rode from Vittorio Veneto to Valdobbiadene along the Strada del Prosecco.  At the piazza in Valdobbiadene I headed up the climb to Pianezze, a ski area awaiting first snow.  I continued briefly up the road toward Refugio Mariech but cold dense clouds were already enshrouding the summit, and I was already bone tired, so I turned around.  

Back at Pianezze I headed across the traverse to Budui, where the beautiful descent via Madean to Combai begins.  That was fun.  The remaining ride to Vittorio Veneto was lovely and I arrived very fatigued.  Good workout. 

Combai castagne gatherers, their bikes
laden with gunny sacks full of chestnuts

Steep grassy meadows above Pianezze

Landscape descending toward Segusino and the Piave

Gorgeous views along the traverse to Budui

The climb to Pianezze

Biotopo Magredi

A short ride down the flat road through San Quirino to Cordenons, then east toward Zoppolo.  Before I got there I turned north onto a gravel road, too-deep gravel at times.  Eventually reached a nature preserve called Biotopo Magredi with a display of photos of the many species of birds, mammals, reptiles and butterflies living there.  BTW  the Magredi is a huge alluvial fan of the Cellina and Meduno Rivers.  It's gravely with big floods in Spring so mostly uninhabited.  But many animals prefer this habitat so now they are protected in preserves.  I found out on the return it would have been easier to reach the preserve on the smooth strade bianca directly from San Quarino.

A good link:

Biotopo Magredi di San Quirino (Italy): Top Tips Before You Go ...

Deep gravel road

Beautiful preserved prarie

Colle Umberto

I pass by the turnoff for Colle Umberto often but rarely visit.  A shame because it's a lovely place.  Today I rode Fedaia down there and got a few photos.  This a ride for everyone, not too steep, with marked cycle routes showing you the way.  If you visit Conegliano or Vittorio Veneto check it out.

Chiesa di San Martino

Campanile di San Martino

Restored palazzo

Campanile by municipio

Castello

Castello

Prosecco vineyards with Col Visentin
and Monte Pizzoc in background

Another view of castello

Municipio campanile  from the descent

Memorial to Ottavio Bottecchia, greatest ever
Friulian cyclist.  He was born in Pinidello,
frazione di Colle Umberto  

Canal di Cuna

Finally done with vacation and back on my bike.  I rode Maxima up Valmeduna to Tramonti di Mezzo and started up the beautiful lane toward Canal di Cuna.  The road follows the gorge of Torrente Chiarchia to Pie' di Spineit, then shoots upward.  It's very steep with fallen leaves, drainage channels and broken pavement to complicate matters.  Needless to say I love this road.  At Selva Plana pavement ends but I was able to continue without much trouble with 28mm tires.  Finally the road ends at a tiny abandoned village of stone houses.  You can hike from here down to San Vincenzo, a restored church, and even onward to San Francesco in Val d'Arzino.  I think I will try that hike from the other end.  Also another track marked Malga Rossa, which I think is above Pielungo.

The ride down is very painstaking but I made it unscathed.  I rode home very tired: my good form has been lost in only one month.  But I'll try to gradually rebuild to avoid injury- maybe in a month or two I'll be good as new.

The lovely mountains to the west

I think this is Valcalda, not sure

In the shadows at bottom you can see Torrente Chiarchia's
churning white water

The climb

Monte Vesuvius Hike

Marilyn, the dogs and I started the Monte Vesuvio hike after parking at end of public road around 850 meters.  We then walked along the limited access road used by tour buses and taxis, not at all crowded on this off-season morning (more about this later).  The paved road ends at 950 meters and becomes a wide cinder track path, very well constructed, which it needs to be given the volume of foot traffic.   Around 1150 meters you reach the crater rim and continue on around.  Great views of the caldera, Sorrento, Capri and even a a glimpse of Pozzuoli and Ischia to the northwest.  Quite a few fumaroles venting today.

This is a road bikeable climb up to end of pavement which I'll return and try someday.  The one caveat when hiking is the tour bus traffic in the afternoon: very heavy even in off-season and quite unpleasant when they corner too close at speed.  A separate walking path is needed from parking to end of pavement.   

View from the rim

Lovely fumarole

Sorrento and Capri

The caldera