To Plaus, Italy

August 12, 2024

. . . Over the actual Reschenpass

The two-day break in Nauders has worked a treat. We're both keen to get back on our bikes today and head over the pass to Italy.

Friday's 370 metre climb to Norbertshöhe from Martina was our biggst challenge of the tour. Today's ride over the Reschenpass, in comparison, is an easy 30-minute ascent, almost anti-climactic in comparison. Thankfully. As we approach the top of the Reschenpass, there is a first telltale sign of sad old border control buildings now coverted to shops that no one seems to want to visit. Then we spot the EU Italia sign by the side of the road.

And here's Italy . . our first time in this country since 1984!

Only a few minutes later we turn a corner and sight the lovely Reschensee (a man-made lake formed in the 1950s by building a hydro dam that flooded the village of Curon.) Lovely it may be, but its creation was opposed by many. The parish priest even travelled to Rome to appeal to the Pope, to no avail. Swiss money won the day.

Turning another corner, we're met with a familiar (from the Internet) landmark, the submerged bell tower of the 14th century Curon church.

We meet the Reschensee, a popular lake for watersports. As we biked past, a group of children and adults were about to take out a sizeable sailboat.

New Zealand has its Wānaka tree; the Reschensee has its submerged bell tower. Note how low the water level is though.

And, just like in Wānaka, we have the crowds of selfie-takers.

The ride along the Reschensee is delightful. Once we reach the dam at bottom of the lake though, we're tricked by Strava into climbing up and away from the valley to the little village of Dorfl-Monteplair, regaining all the height and more of our earlier Reschenpass crossing. It's lovely up here, so no regrets, and the ride back down to the valley is speedy, despite my best efforts to wear out my brake pads. More on this later.

. . .to coffee in Bergeis, where the narrow central square is subject to poor bike-parking decisions. . .

. . . and the occasional intrusion of farm machinery

Here, we first meet the Adige River, just a bubbling brook at this stage. But it's a brief introduction because once again we veer away from its course. We're relying on signage now that Strava has been sent to the naughty corner, and clearly have missed a turn. However, once we regain the Adige at Schleis-Clusio we stay with the signed bike path for the rest of the day.

As soon as we crossed the Reschenpass this morning, we discovered the Italian love of irrigation. It has been a continual feature of the day's ride, wetting us along the Reschensee and turning perfectly dry trails into messy mud.

Now, about those downhills. I've been riding my brakes since the Fernpass descent the other day, compounded by the drop down from Norbertshöhe to Nauders, and then today's drop from the hilltop village. Now that we're riding a more gentle downhill gradient this afternoon, I know I'm pedalling harder than I should have to, even allowing for the head wind. The squealing and shuddering are also a useful clue.

The first bike shop we encounter is closed until 3pm, of course. But Google finds us one further downhill in Latsch-Laces, only a short detour from the path. Maxx Bike Eldorado has finished its siesta hours and the mechanic is happy to help. He diagnoses cooked rear brake pads and possible damage to the disk. But if we come back in maybe two hours, he will see what he can do.

About 90 minutes is all that we can take of sitting outside a bakery, eking out coffees and a cold drink.

For just 35 Euro, I have new brake pads and some work on the disk. As we set off again, I can hear a few strange noises. But at this stage of the day, I really don't care; I'm at least not riding with the brake on.

The 15km (still downhill) to our hotel in Plaus whizz by. This is more like it! It has been a long, hot day but an unforgettable one in terms of Tyrolean scenery: the lakes, the Alps, the Adige river, the endless apple orchards. My photos cannot capture the majesty of the landscape. But I can do tractors.

Today's ride: 84 km (52 miles)
Total: 961 km (597 miles)

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Jill BrinsleyBreathtaking views! Wow!❤️
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