Sella, Fedaia, Arraba, Campolunga, Corvara, and a taxi home with a broken wheel.

Another great day of riding here in the Dolomiti, but with some interesting twists.  I have been putting my sunglasses on my back, hooked into the collar of my jersey for around a year now, and today was probably my last time, as when I arrived at the top of Passo Sella, I reached for my Oakleys, and they were nowhere to be found.  Oh well, it is just stuff, but something I really liked.  I will start a replacement search tomorrow.  The other interesting part of the day was I am not happy with the carbon / aluminum rim Reynolds wheels that the rental bike has.  The front brake simply screams, and I tried this morning doing what the online suggestions were to repair.  On the way down from Passo Fedaia, which is quite steep, they were screaming, but I needed to use the front brake to be safe.  around 1/3 to 1/2 the way down, I think the wheel got so hot, that it had a small rupture.  This meant me using the front brakes as little as possible, then at the bottom, I checked the wheel for the 4th time, and it seemed fine for climbing.  I changed my planned route, and climbed to Arraba, on a different road which was super fun and cool, then climbed Passo Campolunga.  I figured I could see how it would work using only the back brake descending from Campolunga to Corvara.  It worked, but I pulled into the shop I rented my bike at last year for advice.  They said I could probably make it, but descending from Passo Gardena would need to be very slow with lots of stops.

The suggestion was for a cab, kind of pricey at 80 euros, but got me back safely.  I stopped at the shop where I rented the bike, and the person there sent me to the mechanic, another 150 meters of climbing away.  It was fine, but the mechanic was sure I had hit something, as the wheel, quite expensive, was relatively new.  I swore I did not hit anything, he asked me if I thought he was stupid, and then we both said the same things a number of times.  Finally, I asked what they wanted to do, as I know I did not hit anything or fall, I showed him they were no cuts or scrapes on me, and he replaced the wheel with a regular wheel, which will work better.  He did not replace it happily, but it is fine now.  I stopped at the shop on the way home and discussed this with the person I rented from and he was fine with it.  He agreed with me that the wheels are probably not appropriate for rental bikes.  Still, a very long day in the saddle, with 85.6 kilometers in 5:21 with 3410 meters of climbing.  Looking at those numbers, I am kind of glad I could not add in Passo Gardena, which adds another 600 meters.  Yikes!

Prettier views at Passo Sella today than yesterday.

Pretty scenic from the top of the Sella.

Descending to that little town is what awaits starting down

from Sella, with new, cheap, sunglasses.

The view starting the climb to Passo Fedaia.

Beautiful lake at Fedaia.

I think I should keep the sunglasses on for the selfies, as 

I am always squinting to see the shot. 

Just a little way down from the top of Fedaia.

This beautiful church and town is after you catch back up to the 

main road to Arraba.  Also after a pretty difficult climb from the 

valley floor.

Sella Ronda, 2015

On the road bike, a rental, but really very nice, today for the first of 5 days.  I thought I was kind of taking it easy with doing the Sella Ronda, a famous route in these parts.  I have done it a couple of times before, and it is not too long.  Well, it was certainly harder than I remembered and longer as well.  I don't think I am in as good form as I was last year, as when you are doing lots of tours, you spend lots of time on the bike, but very little time going fast or hard.  Fun day, partly cloudy all day, and arm warmers and even a shell needed for some of the descents.  I think I will go "big" tomorrow, but we shall see how this old man feels.  Lots of pictures follow, so this description is done.  75.6 kilometers in 4:31 with 2651 meters of climbing.  Of course I am tired - what was I thinking?

After the ride, I had Emily take a picture of me, as I was wearing 

the "Band of Brothers" jersey to honor my friend Steve, who 

passed away 6 weeks or so ago.  I sent pictures to the other

6 college friends and fraternity brothers who did the ride.

I think, a good and positive way to remember a good friend.

These are not in any real order, as this is passo della Sella, the 

last pass of the day.  I was surprisingly tired.  For some unknown

reason, I thought today's ride would be easy.

Passo Pordoi, my favorite of the 4 passes today.  There is a 

sign at the bottom and plaque saying this is known as, "The

graveyard of Champions" as it is a famous Giro climb where

past champions have faltered.  34 numbered switchbacks on

the climb, the 3rd of the 4 passes for the day.

Another Passo Pordoi picture.

A selfie, for the same reason as the picture above, to send to my 

old college friends.  It is by this fountain in Arraba that the plaque

commemorates the climb as the graveyard of champions.

The rental bike at the fountain.  It is a very nice bike, but the squealing

of the brakes on the carbon rims is more than a little annoying.

Passo Campolongo, the 2nd of the 4 passes and the easiest 

one by far, with only around 400 meters of climbing from Corvara.

Passo Gardena, the 1st of the 4 passes, and really quite beautiful.

A scenic view from Passo Gardena.

Mountain biking in Val Gardena!

We traveled to Ortesei yesterday, and settled in to the hotel well.  We stay at Hotel Grones, in Ortesei, and really love it.  Included in the price are breakfast and dinner, and the food is simply amazing.  We had our first 5 course dinner of the trip last night, so I needed to work off some calories so I can indulge again tonight.  Emily and I had a slow start, we are on vacation, and for a change, I have been working enough to really look at it as a vacation.  We did a nice walk up by a stream, where there is a spot where they have made a little kind of course where you walk through very shallow flowing water and it is supposed to make your feet feel good.  We enjoyed.  Back into town, and I spoke with the people at the hotel, where they have mountain bike guests can use, and set one up for me with my pedals, etc.  The overwhelming advice was to take a lift up to the valley rim, as the riding would be more fun and scenic from there.  Good advice, I really enjoyed the ride.  I had hiked this area a few years ago, and much of what I rode the first year we were here.  

Great riding, really quite fun, but I was surprised that I was not thinking I should mountain bike more.  I enjoyed the day, but am looking forward to the epic road riding here that starts tomorrow when I pick up my rental road bike.  Today, I had some sweet single track, although most of the ride was dirt roads.  Fun to be out, incredible scenery, pretty perfect weather, so what more could you ask for.  30.9 kilometers of riding time in 2:41 with around 700 meters of climbing.  

Yes, I took the bike up in a lift.  Kind of against my own personal

rules, but good advice from the locals.

Beautiful first piece of single track.  Simply sweet!

More single track - nice views.

I guess I just like taking pictures of water sources.  I really took this

for Chris Brekon, a friend in England, who usually gives me a hard

time about these photos.  So, me being me, I keep taking more.

Pretty horses.  They are all this breed in this area.

More beautiful riding to come!

Nice 2-1/2 hour ride with lots of climbing.

Today was mostly about getting ready for our trip to the Dolomites, for which we leave tomorrow.  We had a nice dinner party for 8 last night, and I was not in bed ready to sleep until after 1am, so I was a little sluggish as well.  So, a short tour to the rescue.  The more I feel like I don't have the energy, the more a tour gives me energy.  Today, I once again planned the tour around water availability, but had a super nice tour.  I climbed both Vincigliata and Monteloro, which are two of my favorites close to home.  Not too hot, high around 93 F, with a nice breeze.  Relatively short distance of 43.7 kilometers in a slow 2:23, but with 924 meters of climbing.  That will shake out the cobwebs.  Ciao a tutti!

I liked the iconic cypress trees on the road above Monteloro.

Above Monteloro on a beautiful day.

Santa Brigida, Rufina, and Diacetto solo.

Up relatively early this morning and on the bike around 8:30 for a four hour plus or minus ride.  I picked a ride I have not done in a while, although the first part is getting kind of repetitive.  I did a slightly different route to Fiesole, through Pian de Mugnone, but I have Fiesole on the route because there is a good fountain for water there.  Not as hot today, but quite humid.  Not sure if 89 F with 90% humidity is better or worse.  Anyway, as long as you are moving it is pretty nice.  Along the ridge toward Vetta alle Croce, then the turn off to go over to Santa Brigida.  I don't think I have ridden this for a couple of months, as it is not a normal client ride.  Loved the ride to the Windmill, then down to Rufina.  The water in Santa Brigida was flowing hard, quite cool, and super refreshing when you put your head under the spigot.  Sweet.

Excellent pastry filled with panna in Rufina, of course with a  cafe (espresso), then the climb to Diacetto.  On the way there is one of my favorite water spots, with a spigot flowing into a basin that is full.  Perfect place to dunk the head under, then do the same with my helmet.  Feeling refreshed, I finished the climb then descended over to Pelago.  On the way back I visited a Frescobaldi spot for a possible snack / wine break for clients, as Bona Frescobaldi, the Marchese, suggested this to me.  It looks like a good spot.  Nice ride, felt good, and back in time to help for tonight's dinner party.  74.7 kilometers in 3:33 with 1200 meters of climbing.  

I love this view at the top of the climb from Rufina to Diacetto.

One of my favorite roads and a gentle, but consistent climb 

of 350 vertical meters.  

Nice villa at the top of the hill.

The road ahead, a slight descent, then a little climb to Diacetto.

Quick ride to Cercina.

After a late night last night, I just did not want to get up and out early, so I headed out at noon, before the hottest part of the day, but close.  My garmin had the average temperature at 98.7, so it just matched my body temperature.  You would think this would be comfortable, and it actually was.  Lots of errands, more information gathered for the Italian tax returns, then a nice quick ride.  I was remembering a hot summer a couple of years ago, when I decided to embrace the heat.  Starting today, I will be trying to enjoy it.  Probably a good idea, as it is here either way.  Easy to say when the mountains are waiting for us with cool temperatures on Saturday for a week.  I could not find additional water for drinking on the ride today, but for a first, I stopped by a small stream and after finishing all the water in the bottle, really enjoyed a few bottles of cold water over the head.  

On a day like today, when it is hot, the key is to find some sweet

shade like this.  It felt good.

A nice olive grove above the shade on the road to Cercina.

Great solo ride to the west then south

Really nice ride today.  I planned this ride for a friend who is visiting, but did not email him until 6 or so yesterday, and by the time he read it, he could not do the ride.  He had not really ridden to the west of Florence much, which is some of my favorite riding here.  I did the ride anyway, and combined a number of favorites.  Out through the Cascine, then to Seano and up to Bacheretto.  The hard part is after the town getting to the road to Pinone, then you finish the climb to Pinone.   A cafe and pastry there, and the pastries there are just excellent, always.  Sweet descent through Castra to Limite, then into Montelupo.  I branched off my normal route here and enjoyed the super pretty, but challenging road to Montespertoli through Turbone.  A good steep climb to start, then some steep rollers all the way to Montespertoli about 10 kilometers.  From Montespertoli, my standard way back through Chiesanuova, then home.  Lots of good water breaks and a bottle or two over the head is now normal at every water break.  I kept the water breaks close enough today to do the water in the face a few times between breaks.  It keeps one cool enough in 35 C (95F) weather.  I am trying to get centigrade into my head and will be using centigrade for reference in the future.  Home by 12:30 before it goes to 39 or 40.  87.3 kilometers in 3:52 with 1145 meters of climbing.  Sweet ride!

Loved this field of sunflowers just breaking out with vineyards and hills in the background.

That shade ahead is looking good.

Fields of vineyards on the way to Montespertoli.

Here is part of the tiny road from Turbone to Montespertoli.

A challenge with lots of ups and downs, but a total pleasure to ride.