On Sunday morning really early I left Austria with the rain pelting down but as I drove south I was pleased to see the weather cleared up and so I was all set for a quick trial of the TT course I am to ride near Trento on 20/9...then the traffic and the queues came out to play. Then the exit I needed was blocked off...then the emergency traffic started wailing. I ditched plan A and drove straight to Feltre..
1st
stop...the laundrette! The set up is really good here...for 4 euros you
not only get the wash but the soap is provided...no dramas about what type and
how much. 2nd stop the apartment to unpack then back to the laundrette on
the bike and finally on to the 1 shop open on a Sunday to stock up the fridge
and the "larder/pantry".
So it was
back to school on Monday to find myself in a class of 3 with 2 Dutch
guys. In the afternoon, following a morning of checking the clouds, I
rode up to the Passo Croce D'Aune. The ride is a steady one ascending
from Pedavena for ~10km. It was
non too warm going up and downright cold coming down as it was mostly in the
shade.
this is
the monument to honour Tullio Campagnolo..professional cyclist, inventor,
engineer...at the location where the idea of a quick release skewer was born.
 |
| My climb began at Pedavena (the local mountain is Mt Avena) |
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| Pedavena and Feltre in the valley |
The irony
of the decade has to be that climbing is less of a problem for me than
descending. I enjoy hooning
downhill..a bit...but the combination of being alone, dicey Italian road
surface and my arthritic fingers has made it a bit of a production. All
photos are taken going downhill to give my hands a bit of a rest from gripping
the brake levers. Just a bit of a wuss actually.
Soooo...I have opted not to ride Monte Grappa unless I
can rustle up someone to ride with me...although even then the thought of 27km
downhill makes my hands ache! Instead...weather permitting, I'll do them
same Passo as yesterday from the other, steeper side and add Monte Avena into
the mix.
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