Sunday, October 1, 2006

How Do You Talk With Someone In Mount And Blade

Three days in the Dolomites




.
... the Three Peaks
the Pale di San Martino ...


______________


.
.
In early September
Mau tells me she has a surplus of leave and must make them mandatory. We decided to go three days in the Dolomites and do some mountain bike.

We wander a bit 'on the internet and found a boarding house in 37 Euro per night in half board that seems to do the job: "The White Wolf ", in that of Canazei , even just outside, just after the 9 th pitch bend Pordoi, then barycentric what we want to do: there is a path in Canazei, one, even on the road towards the Marmolada , then move the drive to Tre Cime di Lavaredo and the last day to go down to San Martino di Castrozza and find a dirt road that goes in front of the famous Pale .


We manage to fit two bikes in the trunk of the 206 and on, we're leaving ...

.

arrive in the morning at 11 and the hotel is really nice, stuck between a rock and a stream, with a front laghettino and geese that swim in it. We can tell the luggage into a small living room because the rooms we will give only to 14 and now we change ourselves, shorts, shirt, assemble the bikes and go to Canazei.

The day was magnificent, sun and blue sky, the perfect look for a beautiful run.

In the village we stop by a dealer / bike and ask for a map of the area. He gives us a leaflet with 3:00 to 4:00 on marked paths and characteristics and difficulties. We choose one that climbs to the left of Canazei, down to Alba, from where the dirt road that rooms facing the Sass Long and arriving at the refuge Contrin . After the first two hundred meters the climb is no cycle, we have to go down and push bikes.

.

We think that the first hairpin, but push for more than an hour, being able to pedal very little, although the road is wide, gravel slope and prevent us from a hill on a bike. Fatigue and incazzatura are huge, even if rewarded with a wonderful view down you see all against the backdrop of Canazei Sas Long.
.
.
.

arrive to a shelter, hut " Locia de Contrin " is Is more than one and decide to eat something. The lady at the counter is the first thing he asks us if we came precisely from the "white road", adding that no one does, is too steep and we had to do the other path, pointing to the left of the hut. Imagine the incazzatura ...


But we are rewarded by a huge bruschetta with smoked ham and the fact that from there, assures us, the trail is almost flat and well maintained.


.
.
.
.
.
.
.



.


We continue to ride and in fact the road is described as: good surfaces, light slopes and beautiful scenery, complete with cows and calves grazing. The 2000 and more meters but feel, despite being nearly flat, gotta keep the low gears and I struggle.

.
.
.
.
.
.
. .
We arrive at the refuge Contrin "after a nice ride and the place is exaggerated. On high above the peaks, in a deep blue sky, there are even paragliders circling.















.
.
. .
We stop a while and then go back. This time the "Locia" we left and we make less steep path that winds through a forest of fir trees, there are some points where you get to the root cause, but also wooden bridges that cross the cascade of a stream.


.
return to Alba and take the highway 641 for Fedaia , with the intent to reach the lake of the same name from which you can admire the massive and the Marmolada glacier that covers it.


the effort will be made in the morning, or the altitude that we are not used, the fact is that we go very slowly and less than two kilometers from the lake we give up, because it is too late and fate must always settle in hotel, however, the glacier can be seen very well from the lake, we see that, we could have no better view.


Back al Lupo Bianco ci sistemiamo e facciamo una ricca cena, dopo di che a riposare, siamo distrutti e il mattino dopo dobbiamo alzarci presto e percorrere la statale verso Misurina per la tappa attorno alle Tre Cime di Lavaredo.


.
Partiamo di buon ora e giunti al passo del Pordoi ci fermiamo. Decidiamo di prendere la cabinovia che sale sul Sass Pordoi da dove si può amirare tutto il complesso dolomitico nella sua bellezza. Facciamo alcune foto e poi si torna alla macchina e via, direzione Cortina e di seguito lago di Misurina.


. .
.
. .

At the lake to continue on the asphalt on the refuge Auronzo always by car. After the experience of Fedaia step, we decide to pay the toll and get in the car to the parking lot of the shelter and we do well, because on some bends the slope exceeds 18% and go up at first.


In the parking lot of the shelter and start downloading the bike path on the dirt road to the refuge Lavaredo . The road is flat and has a good bottom, the view was gorgeous and the Three Peaks stand before us.


To be able to see see them, however, the classical iconography, one that made them famous throughout the world, we Girac around, then drive to the shelter Locatelli.


knew and a sign reminds us that the path from the Lavaredo Locatelli is forbidden to mountain bikes, but we decided to walk the same, using the precaution to come down whenever there is a group of hikers , is to follow our own direction that we are friendly and have a lot, so we go down countless times, but it is worthwhile. And so we better enjoy the view without having to focus too much on the course, as happens when you go fast.


We arrive at the shelter and we are the only bike, even if it will come shortly after another. We change shirts sweaty, hung out to dry by putting them to the wires provided with lots of clips and go to eat. There are plates of spaghetti and platters of smoked ham that a group of Germans can not help but photograph them while we eat, but incidentally the energy costs are a lot ...


We enjoy an hour of peace and scenery, including lakes on the back of the shelter and remount a bike. In the back on the same path, given time, there's hardly anyone there so we do all the pedaling and it is pleasing because the surface is good and there are only eat and drink with slopes too difficult, but not very long and addressed. Unico neo, my almost drilling at the end but the swell Ruata allows me to get the machine.


.


.


.


.
. .
To return to Canazei we do not make the same state, but we go step by Giau for the road then skirts the eastern side of the massif of the Marmolada. We do very well because there is little traffic, beautiful scenery and pass through picturesque villages.
.

The next day is not as good as the previous ones, there are clouds on the horizon and haze. However, we proceed to St. Martin of Castrozza and newly arrived retrieve a map with routes for mountain biking. We decide to make one that arrives at the shelter Tognola .


Parked near the campsite, we begin to climb on a dirt road che attraversa uno splendido bosco di abeti, con pendenza impegnativa ma pedalabile. Sono 14 - 15 km. che ci impegneranno abbastanza, senza mai scollinare, salendo sempre. Ci fermiamo un paio di volte a vedere gruppi che fanno down hill , salgono in cabinovia e scendono a rotta di collo, tagliando anche per qualche pista di sci perchè, probabilmente, la pendenza della strada non li soddisfa.


Arriviamo alla malga Tognola ed è veramente tipica, con un montanaro con tanto di barbone e cappellino di feltro che vende prodotti tipici.
.
.



The stretch from there to the hut Tognola is tough and the last 200 meters, also due to the gravel bottom, we make them walk.


. .
.
.
.
The hut is really nice, with the arrival station of the gondola, bars and self-service restaurant with a huge window from which to admire the Pale di San Martino beyond the valley of San Martino and enlightened Castrozza by a ray of sunshine. When we get are 14 and we decide to eat at the restaurant. We are the only two customers and we are even at the table: noodles on deer, venison chops and venison stew! Not bad at all.

.
.
..
.
.
Unfortunately the weather is uncertain and the peaks of the Pale are shrouded by clouds, but not the view is less compelling. We do the usual photo and then begin the descent.


The road, as said, is wide and the bottom is good, so we can get fast making fun.

.
.
.
.
arrive at the parking lot of evidence on our side, Livorno, there are ups and downs so long, now also has clouded everything and so we decide to go back to Canazei.


The next day we decided to spend the morning doing a short course on the side of Sass Long, but it is raining and so we decide to go home with the intention of taking it easy to go back to other locations.
.


* * * .





.


.