Bolzano to Padua

March 3, 2022

This statue in a schoolyard remembers the Asiatic cholera epidemic of 1836. Do the schoolchildren now, running around in masks, think about cholera? Water borne source of cholera not identified until 1854 by John Snow.

We squished our six weeks of three-season gear into our front bags and rolled out of B&B Hotel in Bolzano this morning. Everything is starting to bloom. We have to keep reminding ourselves that it is early March, not May.

Forsythia deserve more credit — they grow in tough spots, hold soil, and give us bright spots.

Lest you think we have nothing but incredible views — this and next from Bolzano hotel. Still remarkably quiet at night and nearby industrial bakery was pumping out cinnamon clouds.

Trains head south from here every hour, but only the 3:30p promises a direct trip to Padua without any changes. It’s worth the wait, because changing trains is a bother with two bikes and three bags. So, before training south, we take a brief bike-trip north. We went back through town and up the valley, now following the Isarco/Eisach River towards the Brenner Pass.

Magnolias down in Bolzano, but in the mountains north of us there‘s still snow. Above Zelda‘s head and below the snow there‘s a white building which is part of the Alperia Cardano Hydroelectric Plant.

The hydroelectric plant that we approach and pass. It starts in Colmar and takes water from Isarco to generate power just above Bolzano. (Thanks for the stock photo, Alperia S.p.A.!)

Just enough climbing to make us appreciate not doing it routinely while heavily loaded. The bike path had steep curving underpasses, narrow enough to warrant convex mirrors. The route north out of town is adjacent to busy motorways because the valleys get narrower as you climb to the pass. We got a taste of what it would be like to continue up north, and turned around to get a late lunch before our train ride.

Heading upwards toward the pass. Show me a torrent of snowmelt without showing me a torrent of snowmelt.

Life in Bolanzo is industrious. We watched a helicopter drop load after load of cement bags to a cliffside building site. The workers were harnessed in and possibly constructing a slide zone fence. Everyone is getting ready for the upcoming summer season -- storefronts are filling up, tattered covid signs are still on doors but not renewed, market stalls are overflowing. It is still easy to bike through the alleys and not feel crowded (though we watch the local bikers to see where bikes are not welcome, or where we should walk them instead of riding) .

The Italian „Silver Arrow“ line. Ours was somewhat pokier and less sleek.

One way to keep the Bromptons from rolling in the aisles.

From Bolzano we follow yesterday’s path south to Trento. What took us 6 hours on bikes takes us 30 minutes on the train. We continue in the same valley for another 40 minutes as it gradually widens, and finally the hills drop away on either side as we come into Verona. Now we are entering the great northern plain of the Po Valley. Another hour brings us to Padua . It looks charming and we are here for a week. Hoping to walk, ride, do a day trip to Venice.

Our apartment has a spacious balcony that demands idle sitting, though idle sitting can turn to reflections on Ukraine, Covid, global warming, and other problems we cannot solve. A change of scenery doesn‘t change the state of the world, alas. (Note to self: get off the web and outside right now.)

Today's ride: 25 km (16 miles)
Total: 130 km (81 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	7
Comment on this entry	Comment	2

Scott AndersonExcellent note to self. Advice I should take myself.
Reply to this comment
2 years ago

Keith AdamsWhat Scott said!
Reply to this comment
2 years ago