Ten weeks in to the ride today!! And Corey is arriving!
So after yesterday…..it was a well-deserved short day today!
Not however without its challenges……the minor matter of climbing 1,700 metres over two passes!
We first back-tracked over the pass we had crossed last night! But it all looks different backwards!
And back to Selva di Cadore for breakfast!
And then….a pleasant 200m descent……
……before the real challenge of the day! A hugely steep 1,000m climb up to Passo Fedaia!
As gorgeous as ever……
….with plenty of tunnels and galleries.
…..but seriously steep!!
Up to the pass….and a largely empty reservoir at Marmolada. (Looks like a wonderful ski field here! They are everywhere…but this looked fantastic!)
And time for coffee overlooking the dam (& watching mountain bikers riding down a ridiculous path on the hill opposite!). This really is a spectacular playground!!
And then….of course……another exhilarating precipitous descent…..
….to our changeover location at Campitello di Fassa.
Extraordinary really…..I have cycled 4,800 kilometres to get here. Corey has just flown around the world from New Zealand….yet we all managed to arrive to a small town buried in the Dolomites….within 20 minutes of each other.
A few beers seemed in order!!
Shortly thereafter….just after we arrived at our accommodation….the heavens opened!! Hahaha! Perfect timing! Thunder…lightning…and hailstones!! We felt for the hundreds of cyclists still in the mountains ….!
Nice pic of the 3 of you…Well done Andrew – good luck Corey 🙂