What you all missed today: a ride in Prosecco country

Looks as though I'm riding the valleys until you look at the profile

vineyards 360  degrees and as far as you can see..I'd need an aerial shot to do it justice..

don't ever complain about people's parking wherever you live, 'cos Italian parking has got you all beat...hands down..this car was parked literally AT the entrance to an almost empty car park!

Living here must get difficult if you can't climb steps

and with no railings at all, clearly the "I'll sue you if I fall on your property" mentality hasn't reached this neck of the woods yet.

Just hangin' around, waiting!

Today's ride was pure bliss

beautiful weather, a beautiful steady ride, hardly any traffic, great views etc etc.  not sure I want to leave this place ...although now I think about it, I'm not sure I could live here when the weather gets  brutal.  On arriving at Faller I was a bit spooked....there was no noise, no sounds at all...100% silence......weird..especially for Italy where people are very vocal...loudly(!).

On the way there...apparently you need permission to gather mushrooms!

The road to avoid a tunnel...+ escape hole for incidents in the tunnel?

Rock climbing  outside, tunnel driving inside

The start of the climb

Somewhat later

Now this is an idea  that I like+++

3 pix

Passo Croce D'Aune

Childish giggle

Today's ride..more TT efforts than climbing

Back in my other home from home..Feltre

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)

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.

Road Race report...I came 5th.... + a proud mother paragraph

The last 2 years I've been dropped near the base of the Huberhohe...today it was at the top.  I tried...oh how I tried to get back on, but failed.  The 4 in front were too strong.  So yet again I TT'd my way to the finish, but this time failed to pick up anyone significant, although the group of 4 lost 1 on Schwendt...but then I also struggled there.  Results are here.

Alex looks to be performing best of the Aus elite men in the World MTBO champs in Estonia.  Amongst his team mates...he was  second fastest in the Sprint... his least fave discipline, fastest in the Middle and ditto in the relay.  In fact in the relay he was the fastest of all in  his particular combo of controls. Age and experience.  Their results however are somewhat off the pace...lack of high class competition will always show up in these events. Hopefully he can back up well in the long distance which is being raced tomorrow.

The speed the results go up is exemplary...road race organisors need to take note....MTBO is a minor sport and if they can manage it...why can't cycling?

Pix from Sankt Johann in Tirol

My favourite OS food.....can't find it at home and even the Italian versions aren't as good.

caption...
1. for better, for worse
OR
2.  job description : willingness to perform slave labour

Nothing coy about the Austrians.....definitely down to earth!..translation someone? google translate struggled but I think it means ????our stinks are no longer???...or something!

The TT today was wet with a tail wind to begin with and then head at the end....nothing too strong but enough to send me off much faster than expected.

I am  at a disadvantage since the class is 60+ and I am 69.  I got 5th with the ages of the 4 in front of me being: 60,60,61,60.  Since it is usual to race in 5 year intervals, I am actually at the end of the class above these 4.  Hopefully the organisors will see sense and have a class for 65+ in 2014 although that is the year  I will actually be in the 70-74 class.  Where DID the years go to ?

Giggle