Passo Praderadego da Gus

A few weeks ago I climbed from Valmareno to Passo Praderadego- it was fantastic.  But I was fascinated by the descent from the pass to Gus, near the Piave River.  In contrast to the other side of the pass, this road was steep with hardly any switchbacks.  The upper half was engulfed in dense forest, the lower half was steep meadows.  I had to try it.

So this morning I left early and parked at Vittorio Veneto.  I road the Strada del Prosecco to Tovena (239m) and headed up toward Passo San Boldo.  Beautiful climb with 18 tornanti.  I passed a pack of older guys on a club ride.  I could hear them discussing that I was francese.  That was new- I'm usually presumed to be tedesco (German).  At 630m begins a series of switchbacks built into a cliff face with semicircular tunnels drilled into the rock at each end.  Very unusual road.  At the passo (706m) I headed down through beautiful meadowy slopes to 512m, climbed the 10% slope  up to San Antonio Tortal, and then continued down to the main road along the Piave River at Trichiana (347m).

I turned left and headed west toward Mel and a frazione called Gus (love these town names).  At Gus I took another left, toward Carve and Passo Praderadego.  Immediately you hit a 10% wall, which later  hits 14%.  That was a wake-up call.  It mellows then steepens again to 10% for a half km, then 8% for another half km.  I was hanging in there, but I knew what was coming.  After Carve you descend to Valmaor, losing about 70 meters of altitude.  Now the hard part begins- almost a km of 15-16%, with no let up.  I stood, of course, pulling up on the handlebars with each pedal stroke, concentrating on belly breathing and inter-costal breathing, exhaling as completely as I could with each breath, then gasping to fill my lungs as quickly as possible.  This worked and I eventually reached the more-restful 12% section.  After another half km, the grade finally slackened enough that I could catch my breath.  I continued in this mode, briefly enjoying the shady forest until reaching a few more steep ramps before passo Praderadego (915m).

Like last time, there were quite a few people who had driven up and were enjoying pit-cooked barbeque etc.  I began the descent and soon reached the level dirt section.  It was rideable, though with all the rain the mud puddles were larger.  Rejoining the pavement, I descended as quickly as possible down the switchbacks.  At Valmareno I took a left on the Strada del Prosecco and returned to Vittorio Veneto.  Nice drive home with lots of cycling clubs out in force- everyone wants to get a ride in before the rain resumes. 

Tovena, lit by hole in the clouds, at mouth of the valley

The awesome switchbacks/tunnels at the valley head

Looking back toward Passo San Boldo from San Antonio Tortal

Valmareno from the dirt road below Passo Praderadeo

San Boldo left, Praderadego right

A couple of steep bits above Valmaor

The climb from Tovena and descent to Trichiana

Climb from Gus and descent to Valmareno

Close up of climb from Gus to Valmaor

Continuing from Valmaor to Praderadego

Monte Grappa da Pederobba

After reading about Monte Grappa on Italian Cycling Journal and www.cycloclimbing.com I got curious and decided to check it out.  The closest climb I've done previously was Valdobbiadene to Rifugio Mariech (1510m) on Monte Cesen.  So I thought I'd ride from Valdobbiadene to nearby Pederobba and start the climb there.

Left home at 5:30 AM and arrived in Valdobbiadene a couple hours later.  I noticed the signs weren't too clear on which way to go, so I decided to drive to find the way, rather than getting lost on the bike.  After driving around aimlessly awhile, I saw a road for Padova which crossed the Piave River so I took that. Luckily this went through Pederobba, so I parked and started the climb.

This is an odd climb because it's actually 3 climbs strung together.  The first, from Pederobba (213m) to Passo del Tomba (861m), ascends 11 tornanti through cool shady forest.  The average grade on the tornanti section is about 9%, with 3 steep ramps in a row near the top, one at 18%.   This ends in a natural meadowy area at the passo (grazing is forbidden, so lots of wildflowers), with some gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside.  The view ahead was more troubling- the second climb up the slopes of Bocca di Forca and Monte Palon to La Vedetta at 1445 meters.

After a short descent you begin 5km of tornanti averaging 11%, with stretches of 15-16%.  It's mostly exposed to the sun, so it would be very hot later in the day in summer.  This is the hardest part of the climb.  Eventually the gradient eases a bit, with fantastic views down the sheer slopes to the pianura.  The cliff walls along the road have dozens of tunnel openings, which seem to lead upward to fortifications along the cliff tops.

Now another descent carries you away from the cliffs to an area of lovely rolling meadows, Pian della Bala (1300m), surrounded by mountains.  I was lucky and managed to traverse the lane before a herd of Holsteins wearing bells crossed on their way to pasture.  Dozens (hundreds?) of cowbells ringing in unison sounded like a large gamelan orchestra.  I will try to record this with my camera next time- really striking.

The mountain lane winds through an area with many World War I landmarks and hikers exploring them.  Now it traverses cliffs above heavily eroded slopes, then climbs more tornanti up the final push to Monte Grappa, at 1732 meters.  This section has an overall gentle average grade of 5.5%, but the steepness is skewed toward the final 3.3 km, which averages 10%.  At the top clouds were swirling, the huge WW I monuments silent in the cold wind.  I donned my windjacket and photographed some of the spectacular scenery.

The descent was fun- a welcome rest after all the grappling.  I had to re-ascend the 10% grade from Pian della Bala back up to Monte Palon,  but it wasn't that bad.  Reached the car again about 4 hours after starting, including stops to take pictures.  

I would definitely recommend this climb.  The scenery is wonderful and constantly changing- from dense spruce forest to rocky cliffsides, verdant alpine meadows, and finally a stark, windy summit.  All of this interspersed with dozens of historical sites from World War I.  Really fantastic ride. 

Monte Palon ascent (1445m) looming ahead from Passo Tomba (861m)

Colline Asolane rise from the plain south of Passo Tomba 

The slope of Monte Palon with tornanti

 Dolomiti Bellunese to the north 

Goat sign at junction with climb from Paderno del Grappa
(Salto della Capra)

WW I memorial at summit

Ossuary with remains of the fallen from the battles on Monte Grappa

View of the beautiful alpine meadows of Pian della Bala

Cool peaceful spruce forest on the tornanti of
Passo Tomba

9% average grade on tornanti climbing to Passo Tomba

11% average on the tough tornanti up Monte Palon

Easy average grade on climb to Monte Grappa,
but the top 3 km are 10%

Some of the steep 16-18% stretches

Aerial view of the climb

The beginning- from Pederobba up Monfenera to Passo Tomba

Passo Tomba meadows and the first series of tornanti up Bocca di Forca

Traverse of Monte Palon to La Vedetta (1445m)

Beautiful alpine meadows of Pian della Bala

The windblown expanse of Monte Grappa's summit (1732m)

Kolovrat

Kolovrat ridge is a mountainous fortification dug by the Italians in WW I.  It faced Austrio-Hungarian forces to the northeast, with a network of roads on the southwest side of the ridge to supply the artillery emplacements through tunnels.  Today I visited the Italy-facing side of Kolovrat via the spectacular bowl-shaped valley of Drenchia.

I left very early because of rain in the forecast, and started the ride from Ponte San Quirino east of Cividale at 7 AM.  The ride up  the valley of Torrente Cosizza was very green and cool.  A herd of cows rang their bells while munching fresh grass.  As I rounded a curve entering Clodig, a gaggle of geese in the road stopped me in my tracks.  The leading goose seemed to be looking into the parabolic mirror alongside the road- not sure if he was looking at himself or the other geese.  I weaved around the gaggle and continued.  

After Clodig I turned left for Drenchia and the narrow lane soon pitched upward.  It continues steeply (averaging 10%) for the next 3 km, through a dense mixed forest of beech, oak, and chestnut trees.  The pavement was damp; on the steeper parts the rear wheel slipped when climbing out of saddle.  This section ended at Trusgne and the road became rolling to almost level.  On the right, views of the conch valley of Drenchia captured my attention- tough to keep your eyes on the road here. 

After completing a semi-circle along the eastern escarpment of the valley, I reached the turn-off for Rifugio Solarie.  This short road starts with a half kilometer averaging 11.7%, then gradually decreases in steepness. The rifugio at 956 meters didn't seem like the end of the road.  In fact, it continues into Slovenia and then descends to Tolmin.  This would be a good climb to try from the Slovenian side.

But my attention was drawn to a small lane climbing to the north.  Signs along the road described the events here at Kolovrat in WW I.  Cave-like tunnel entrances disappeared into the ridge.  Breathtaking views of Val di Cosizza and the rolling mountains to the south (with a backdrop on clear days of the shimmering Adriatic Sea).  The lane continues climbing to 1200 meters altitude.  After 4 km pavement ends, but you could continue on the strada sterrata carefully and reach the paved road to Livek and Idresca in Slovenia.  This would be a great climb in the opposite direction.

After returning to Rifugio Solarie, I descended via the road to Lombai. The rain held back well into my descent, but finally cut loose and started pouring above Clodig.  Luckily the forest was so dense that I didn't get very wet.  Then on the open 12 km stretch from Clodig to Ponte San Quirino, the bike and I got a true bagno gratis.  I neglected to bring dry clothing to change into, so drove home wrapped only in a blanket.  Luckily I wasn't stopped by the police for anything and no tour buses pulled up alongside me at a light.

View of the bowl valley of Drenchia

Peaks along south flank of Val di Cosizza

From Kolovrat ridge road, misty mountains to the south

After 4km pavement ends on the small road along Kolovrat ridge;
still looks rideable with a road bike though 

Paved road coming up from Livek in Slovenia  

Above Rifugio Solarie, the main road continues
to Tolmin in Slovenia

10% average section above Clodig

A good workout as well as beautiful scenery

Artigianato su due ruote

To celebrate the Giro d'Italia stage passing through Aviano (and up Piancavallo), local collectors staged an exhibition of antique bikes, gadgets, jerseys, etc.  The Craftsmanship on Two Wheels show was held at a local historic site, Palazzo Menegozzi.  Great exhibit- especially enjoyed the old work bikes: a postino's bike, a fireman's bike and a knife sharpener's bike.

Moser time trial frame

Early gear changer on Bianchi bike

Lovely Colnago Master Olympic bike

Gelateria on wheels

Heavy duty postino's bike.  Love the helmet.

Pompiera (fireman's) bike

Knife sharpener's bike, with chain-drive grindstone.
These are still in use.

Ottavio Bottecchia's track bike 

Fagin track bike- the frame tubes have been flattened to reduce  drag