We wanted to put some solid kms in today, knowing that we had some great downhills before things levelled out a bit. We were breakfasted and away by 8:30, so we were on world record pace from the start.
We rode back up to the bike path which would have once been the railway line. Our path coincided with a Eurovelo path for quite a few kilometres and they must have been preparing for summer by upgrading the path. There was a lot of roadwork and some inconvenient diversions.
We ignored them all and either cycled around them or lifted our bikes and gear over the barriers. That was a good workout in itself.
It had been drizzling for nearly the whole time and it was cold. We were still in ski field areas so I shouldn’t complain. If the could had lifted, the beautiful Dolomites would have come into view, but we hardly saw them at all.
We had 2nd breakfast in a small bustling cafe beside the trail, and waited for the rain to ease up.
We finally left and the drizzle continues. Not long after, Dennis wanted to find a toilet in the next village. He suggested that I ride on and he’d catch up. Yes, Ross, I know, I know. You know what happens next.
About an hour later, after texts with Dennis, I realised that he had turned north. (We are heading south in the direction of Venice).
So I waited for an hour beside the road before he turned up, we ate some food and headed on. The sky was quite grey now and road continued down a fairly narrow gorge on a perfect surface. It was newly laid bitumen so we suspected that the Giro D’Italia must be coming through here soon. This was confirmed in the next town where they had pink ribbons on fences and pink bikes on display.
(I’d hate to be doing this ride in the opposite direction, as the Giro riders will be – the downhill was one of the best I’ve done.
I was very tired again after 70kms but not feeling the effects of the lingering cold I had for weeks. I think it’s stopped lingering.
We made our way around a large lake, that was beautiful in the quiet of the afternoon and finally got to the last part of the ride which was all downhill. We were on a pretty quiet road and there were impressive freeways and bridges above us at times as we swept into Vittorio Veneto.
We stopped at a fruit shop for apples and bananas before the short ride into the beautiful but slightly run down old town.
We stopped in the main square, found accommodation online, and proceeded the 400m to a family run Pensione that was perfect – large, with space for the bikes. The owner brought us 2 beers when he realised that we’d ridden from Cortina.
He also recommended a restaurant, Lauro, a few hundred metres away which was superb. It was the best we’d been to on the trip. It was an old stone cottage with a large fire which was the centrepiece where all meat was cooked, a simple menu and fantastic food at a reasonable price. I’d go back to Vittorio Veneto just for this place !
