Bormio

The final heave up the Passo Forcola 2000m

I take a photo of this every time I pass it...just can't help myself!

I thought I should see if I was fit enough to manage some of the longer climbs further north...turns out I wasn't! but the trip to Bormio was worth it.

I hired a car from Monday to Friday so I was at Auogiusti by 0800 and took it back late on Friday afternoon.

To get from Feltre to Bormio there are 3 options.....unless you want to spend an entire day or 2 to get there. The 3 options are all over mountain passes..Stelvio, Gavia or Mortirolo. I've ridden all 3 and knew exactly what driving them would be like. Awful.

The car's navigation system took me up over the Stelvio on the way there. By the time I got to start it there were lines of cars, motorcycles and cyclists and 3 lots of road works. I knew 2 things at the end of the journey...I'd be going back a different way and I wouldn't be even attempting to climb it.

So I had 3 days to ride....but I only rode on 2 as the climbing and altitude made me very tired.

My apartment was good..the only problem was trying to find it...it's notice board was so environmentally correct that I couldn't see it the 3 times I passed and even on subsequent days I kept missing it.

Not sure this owl would make me want to choose this hotel!

Groovy window shutters

My return trip was to be via the Passo Gavia...we did this the last time we were here but with Alex doing the driving. My knowledge of just how narrow and tortuous the road was with many hairpin bends, no safety barriers etc meant that I decided to go VERY early and hope to beat everybody. It worked, I met no one on the way up and only 1 on the descent, thankfully at a passable spot. I saw 1 black squirrel and a flock of goats who frolicked in front of the car!!! I'd have to say I spent alot of the descent muttering please don't let there be anyone coming up..please please please! Needless to say ...no photos!

Bassano del Grappa

a week later I decided to visit Bassano del Grappa again to see how my fitness was after recovering from my Bormio jaunt. I felt good and had a really enjoyable ride until the final heave up to Mellame when fatigue and heat got to me.