August 23, 2022
Kranjska Gora to Kobarid, Slovenia via Vrsic Pass (Aug. 23, 2022).
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Our route today, above.
When I opened my eyes this morning the first thing Dave said was: the weather forecast has changed and they expect rain by 11 am. This booted us out of bed with the idea to be on the road quickly so we could be at the top of the pass before it rained. Having that extra dessert wine last night didn’t seem too wise at that point.
We got out of dodge by 9:15 am which is pretty good for us. The nice thing about both the climb today and yesterday is the climbing started right out of the gate so you can get it done when you are fresh. In the case of the Vrsic (pronounced something like, var-sheesh) Pass we were climbing by 3 k into our ride.
In WW1 this area of Slovenia was part of the Isonzo Front (1915-1917) and there are WW1 remains all over the place. Vrsic Pass is a case in point. It is part of a road built by the Austrian Empire using 10,000 Russian POWs in order to supply the front. It tops out at 1611 meters (whereas Predel Pass was 1156 meters). The conditions, especially in winter, were brutal. In 1916, a few hundred Russian POWs and their Austrian guards were killed in a avalanche while working on the road. The Austrians allowed the Russian soldiers to build a chapel in memoriam (a kinder, gentler enemy?)
As an aside, Slovenia and Russia don’t get along or have much of a relationship today; however, in 2016 Putin came out to put a wreath and plaque at the Russian chapel to commemorate the death of the WW1 soldiers. This was hailed as a small rapprochement between the countries.
Anyway, back to Vrsic Pass: The Slovenes have numbered the switchbacks starting on the Kranjska Gora side; there are 24 up to the top and 26 back down to the south. (I can attest there are some “bonus” switchbacks that are NOT counted). The road was originally built of cobbles and the government has gradually replaced the cobbles except on all the hairpin turns, just for some added fun.
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It’s a steep twisty climb with lots of action, cars, motorbikes, buses, campers and bikes. It’s pretty much nonstop action the whole way up and all the way down so I felt like I held my breath the whole day! It was cold and windy at the top - and as you can see - a bit of a zoo. We put on extra gear at the top for the ride down. The views were fantastic and Dave was pulling over frequently to get his shots, especially on the descent. For us, it was a signature ride.
Traffic was bad even after reaching the valley floor. The tourist season is in full swing until September and it felt like it. We pulled off in Bovec for lunch and a break which was good because the last 21 k into Kobarid had lots of traffic and proved to be a bit of a slog. (As I watched a logging truck pass me on a curve I realized that I am out of my comfort zone a lot when I tour; I am okay with that— I just don’t want to get hurt or have Dave get hurt….). Fortunately, Komoot veered us off the highway onto a one way road (going the wrong way) down the Soca Gorge, which we wound up exploring on foot the following day. We felt pretty proud of ourselves pulling into Rooms Kotlar in Kobarid.
This was our first impression:
Rooms Kotlar is actually a few rooms built over their restaurant. I picked it because it had air conditioning and good reviews despite its humble setup. (The fancier hotel in town only had air conditioning in their suites). It’s fine, clean, and new. They serve the included breakfast at the pizzeria down the street! I learned the shower was kind of funky but on the plus side: we could get the Vuelta in English on Eurosport. A bonus and life was good!
I was in Kobarid in 2009 and 2012 and it looks entirely different now. It was September on those trips and I remember it being a quiet little town; things are hopping now, with lots of local and international tourists. (We talked to a couple of different Dutch groups). Kobarid was the site of Hemingway’s novel “A Farewell to Arms” and a good book to read on the Izonso Front is “The White War.” I read it after I visited in 2009 and I need to read it again (having a middle-aged memory).
Today's ride: 63 km (39 miles)
Total: 674 km (419 miles)
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