Monte San Simeone

One of my all-time favorite climbs, Monte San Simeone rises like an island between the Tagliamento River and Lago Cavazzo.  It is completely wild, with a fantastic wild flower "garden" covering the meadows near end of pavement.  The road itself was built by the Italian army before World War I, and has a mostly steady (though steep) gradient for its 13km. 

I left home around 0600 and felt kind of sluggish- just need to synchronize my Circadian rhythm with my "ride before it gets hot" program.  After Pinzano I passed by the Grifone Rifugio at Lago Cornino, but no one was flying.  The sun hadn't yet heated the cliffs to create updrafts so the giant birds couldn't launch from their nests.

I climbed above Lago Cavazzo up past Interneppo with its beautiful murals to the little pass at 315m.  Here you turn off onto the climb proper.  It's shady and moderately steep at first, then past the turn off for Monte Festa (another WW I fortress), followed by gradually increasing sun exposure and steepness.  At 500m begins a neat series of tornanti, with U-shaped tunnels at the northeast ends.  After this series, you start longer, steeper meandering switchbacks.  There are some shady sections but mostly sun-exposed, so I felt quite clever climbing before 10 AM.   

Eventually you leave the climb up the sheer slopes on the mountainside and begin to climb across and up alpine meadows.  Lots of wildflowers.  Some great views of the surrounding mountain ranges and valleys here, though it was hazy today.  I rode up to the turn-off for the quaint stone church San Simeone (built in 1330).  But the paved road didn't end here at 1180m like last year- they've laid concrete roadway over the next ridge and down to the edge of Pian dai Purcei, a flattish area of grassy meadows and woods.  Behind and above this is the summit at 1505m, which can be reached on foot. 

I descended fairly quickly, though never wide-open: there are no guard rails, so the slightest error and you will be base jumping without a parachute.  I had a pinch flat and changed it: mis-timed my bunny hop on one of the abrupt transitions.

Ride home was hot but not unbearable.  I was very tired when I finished,  not to mention hungry and thirsty.  Next stop Sella Ronda!

Pieve di Santo Stefano on ridge, Lago Cavazzo below

Close up Santo Stefano

Pian dai Purcei at end of new concrete road;
summit Monte San Simeone in background

Wild roses in alpine meadow

Close-up wild rose

Tagliamento River near Bordano

Some of the steeper spikes

Strada del Taffarel

I left home intending to climb up to Altopiano del Cansiglio, and then continue with the short steep climb from Piancansiglio to Monte Candaglia.  I reached Sarone and headed upward- it was already uncomfortably hot at 0830.  The climb went well despite the heat, and I survived to reach the cool beech forest at 850 meters.  From here things got easier on up to La Crosetta at 1118m.  I noticed traffic was unusually heavy on this beautiful June Sunday and began doubting my plan of climbing the narrow lane to Monte Candaglia.  The prospect of descending through a swarm of hikers headed upstream wasn't inviting.  So on a whim I continued to Campon at the north end of il Cansiglio to check out a side road I'd seen on a map.

At Campon you turn left on a narrow road signed Mezzomiglio.  I've climbed to Mezzomiglio from Lago Santa Croce previously, but never knew there was another way.  This paved road continues left at the next junction, ascending steeply.  The pavement ends, then there is a fork, with the right signed Mezzomoglio and the left marked simply Sentiero Naturalistico.  I impulsively went left.  The dirt road was well-packed and not bad at all on 23mm slicks.  After awhile it leveled out around 1300 meters and a mountain biker caught up with me from behind.  He was very friendly and we laughed about me riding this bici di corsa on a mountain dirt road.  I asked on a hunch if it went to Monte Pizzoc and he said si, and confirmed that the strada was bene all the way.  He urged me on "Forte!" and rode away.  

For several years I've eyed a nice dirt road turning off the Monte Pizzoc paved road around 1340 meters.  I figured I'd hike it or mountain bike it someday.  Now I was on it, though starting from the opposite end, pedaling through solitary, dense beech forest, going slow so I wouldn't hit a random boulder or gully.  It continued uninterrupted like this for 8.5 km of pure joy.  There was only one tough patch, just before joining the Monte Pizzoc paved road there's maybe 100 meters of 12%, big rocks, loose gravel.  I stood, kept loosing traction, sat and mashed the pedals over the obstacles.  Then it gets nice and gentle again.  I did have a sort of mechanical problem- the rear water bottle cage kept loosening from all the shaking.  I'll Loctite the bolts- don't want to overtorque those inserts in the carbon. 

Descending on the paved Monte Pizzoc road was crowded with gawking cars and motorbikes.  Sad to see Italian vehicles have now gotten so fat that two of them can't pass without one or both going onto the verge along the pavement.  Why so big?

The descent from La Crosetta was much better- no traffic problems.  The ride home felt like I had a tailwind (despite the heat).  This is a wonderful ride- I'll do it the opposite direction next time.

Strada del Taffarel through beech forest

360˚ of beech tree forest

The road passes through several nature reserves

Steep paved road from Campon up to start of more-level dirt road

Strada del Taffarel from Km 49 to 57.5

Kolovrat da Volče

Drove to Ponte San Quirino just past Cividale and warmed up on the bike through Val di Natisone.  This is an easy gradient over the border to Slovenia, with scarce traffic and great scenery to get you into a Slovenian state of mind.  In Slovenia the valley widens out into wide meadows, where farmers were turning their drying hay by hand with pitchforks.  This area feels like 70 years ago, except a newish casino in the middle of nowhere, which seems as out of place as a bear in a glass factory.  

At Kobarid I turned right along the Soča River, and followed a luscious green valley through the surrounding forested mountains.  At Tolmin, I turned right through the little village of Volče, and began to climb.  This is a great road, wide and well-paved,  engulfed in shade for the first few kilometers.  The shade felt great today, with the sun already warm at 0930.  After around 3 km of average 10%, you get a break for a kilometer or so, then it tilts upwards again at 570m.  The big shade trees thin out now, and the heat from climbing exposed to the sun adds to the challenge.  I was lucky today- partly cloudy skies rolled in, keeping me out of vapor-lock.  I'd recommend climbing this hill very early in the morning in summer.

Eventually at 975m you reach the ridge road of Kolovrat, a World War I fortress the Italians tunneled into the mountain's cliff face.  The ridge road continues climbing up to 1165m, with spectacular views of Soča River valley and mountains in all directions.

Sadly the great pavement degenerates here, and you must death-grip your brakes down the pot-holed slope to Livek 675m.  Back over the border into Italy, a steep descent and then brief climb up to Cepletischis.  Don't take the left turn marked Drenchia- it's the wrong road and is hard to climb back up when your legs are already rubbery (don't ask).  From Cepletischis the road becomes wonderful again: well-paved, steep and curvy.  Very fun.  Before long I was back in Ponte San Quirino and began the leisurely drive home. 

Val di Natisone near the border crossing

 Kobarid's Chiesa San Antonio atop ossario
where 7,000 Italian soldiers are entombed

Eastward view of Soča River

Southeast: mountains surrounding Most in Soči 

From 1160m: northward up Soča River 

Meadows to the south at Livske Ravne 1045m

Mulino di Cepletischis

Clockwise ride

The ascent

Descent

17%, 19% early in the climb

Valdobbiadene-Rifugio Mariech-Casera Budui

First dry day in almost a week.  I did sneak in a commute to Pordenone Friday morning (our last lesson! ), but otherwise I've been housebound.  This morning I drove early to Vittorio Veneto then started biking west toward Valdobbiadene.  The cool front that came in yesterday blew all the clouds and haze away so the vineyards and mountains looked crystal-clear.

At the piazza in Valdobbiadene I started upward toward Pianezze (1076m).  This is their local big climb everyone trains on, similar to our Piancavallo.  It's a wonderfully shaded ascent, cool even on bright summer days.  After the initial wall of 9-10% the gradient averages 7-8%.  Not bad.  Favorite moment of the climb was watching a hawk (with one meter wingspread) floating in place on an updraft about 20 meters away as I pedaled up the road.  I've seen smaller birds like kites and kestrels do this but never one this big.  Magical. 

At the Pianezze ski area most cyclists turn around and descend, their training complete.  But a few other mountain goats continued up toward Rifugio Mariech (1510m).  This upper portion is much different- exposed to sun, long straight stretches rather than switchbacks, and a steeper average gradient including 3 km at 10-11%.  Still not too bad, especially on this fresca June morning.

From here a fast descent to Pianezze, then a traverse of several km gaining 150 meters to Casere Budui (1218m).  This is a pretty torn up road- needs paving, so go slow.  From Casere Budui a fast fun descent of Madean to Combai, Miane, and Cison Valmarino.  Fantastic ride on a beautiful day!

Strada del Prosecco: Combai, right, Col San Martino, left

Looking back down valley toward Miane

Prosecco vineyards and wooded hills stretching for miles

Monte Grappa (1732m) from the Pianezze climb

The grassy bald of Monte Cesen;
the antennas are a bit below Rifugio Mariech 

Vineyards of Valdobbiadene from Pianezze climb

Steep uphill grassy meadows on the climb to Rifugio Mariech

The grassy meadows continuing downhill 

Strada del Prosecco, Laghi Revine, with Monte Pizzoc
and Monte Cavallo in background

 More cowbell!

Dolomiti Bellunese from Rifugio Mariech

Looking southwest toward Piave River 

Patchwork of vineyards

Abbazia di Santa Maria (Follina) built in 1268

Rode clockwise

Madean

Madean is a popular climb starting from Combai (between Vittorio Veneto and Valdobbiadene).  It ascends Monte Cesen up to Casera Budui (1218m), with the option of continuing down 200 meters to Pianezze and then up to Rifugio Mariech (1510m).  Today I just did the short version.

They've re-paved much of the narrow mountain lane, so it's now a joy to descend as well as climb.  Previously you had to hold the brakes with a death grip all the way down, lest you get a flat, slide down an embankment, or simply rattle your teeth to death.   It was cloudy and cool so thermal runaway wasn't a problem- perfect day for climbing through dense forest.  At the top it opens up into alpine meadows, with great views of surrounding villages apparently floating in a sea of prosecco vineyards.  The descent was very long, because after you reach Combai you continue downhill several more kilometers through Miane and on toward Cison Valmarino.  I was happy to reach some rolling  hills again so I could warm up a little.

Next time I'm out this way I'll try Valdobbiadene to Rifugio Mareich, Pianezze to Casera Budui, then down to Combai.  Should be a blast.

Hazy view toward Revine Lago, Passo San Lorenzo
(on right), and Monte Pizzoc in background

Combai (400m) seen from 1200 meters

Guia (Valdobbiadene), with its famous prosecco vineyards

My neighbor Silvano has noticed me riding a lot and is determined to slow me down.
When I got home he handed me this freshly made ciambella cake.

Col Alto June 2012

What a dilemma- you're dreaming of a climb in the mountains, but you need to take a family member to an appointment in the afternoon.  Then voilà, you remember you have a world-class climb 7 km from your house.  Col Alto/ Piancavallo gains 1200 meters in 15.5 km.  Not bad, but there's a 3.6 km stretch averaging 9.6% in the lower half, exposed to full sun surrounded by rock faces.  So try to start early morning in summer.

This morning was the first clearness we've seen after several days of rain.  At 0700 when I left there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the seeing was very crisp.  After the quick 7km roll down to Pedemonte I headed up.  It pretty quickly hits 10%, but didn't feel bad.  The "worst" stretch, on the long switchback before you turn toward Bornass, wasn't as tough as usual.  I thought I had misremembered and there must be another switchback, but no I'd already completed it.  From there on things get slightly easier.  Especially nice on the back road from Caldastia to Col Alto.   Everything bright green from the rain, the skies cobalt blue (with the beginning of some puffiness here and there).  A large flock of sheep was in the meadows and I got some fotos and video.  Then I realized they were headed for the road ahead and might block my way.   So I hurried and beat them by a nose.  On upward through the beech tree forest to Col Alto where I turned around. 

I descended and when I reached the sheep they were grazing on both sides of the road, with a few wandering on the pavement.  I asked the shepherd if it was ok to pass and he nodded yes.  Apparently he also imparted this to the on-rushing Belgian sheep dogs, who stopped just short of my leg, sniffing rather than chomping it.  These are big fluffy black dogs- our neighbor had one she called a Belgique, so I'm guessing they're called Pastore Belgique.

I continued on down the wonderful switchbacks and then cruised upward to home.  I looked back and the area where I'd ridden was now completely engulfed in cloud.

Meadow around 510 meters, looking west

Valle della Stua, from 1030 meters looking west

The dirt road from Dardago/Val Artugna winding toward Piancavallo

Valle della Stua toward Caldastia

Baracca del Sauc near Piancavallo

 Turn off for Col Alto left, Valle della Stua center

Rolling meadows to east from 1200 meters; the
helicopter is scanning the area above Giais-Malnisio firing range
to ensure no hikers, berry-pickers etc are in line of fire

Flock of sheep at 1200 meters