Mittewald to Mittenwald: Climbing to the top of the Brenner Pass
We have had another glorious day. Doing the Brenner Pass from south to north certainly isn't the conventional direction, but it is just beautiful and we are so happy to have done it.
We left our perfectly situated hotel after another great breakfast. This part of Italy was Austria for centuries so has a very Austrian feel, and that also means great fruhstuck. The family that runs the hotel were so friendly and helpful. It was a great decision to stop when we did.
Even the bike storage area received decorative attention. Isn't this gorgeous?
We felt particularly happy that we made the decision to stop where we did once we got started in the morning. Last night going 20 km more seemed very doable but getting to Sterzing/Vipiteno would have taken awhile because the climbing kicked up a notch and our average speed was way down. It is a bit of a myth that the Brenner Pass is downhill all the way from Brenner going south, because the first section from Mittewald had some roller coaster hills...we would gain elevation, go down for a bit, and then start back up. We were going predominantly uphill though, and some of the grades were pretty challenging on a loaded touring bike. Our elevation gain today was 1405 m.
I had one oops moment when I dropped my chain at the top of a short steep hill and watched Keith swoop down it pedalling hard to get as much momentum as he could for the uphill that came next. I whistled and called but he had too much of a head start. Fortunately he stopped at the top of the next hill to see me walking in his direction hoping for a little help and back down he came, poor guy.
Great scenery as we wound our way up the valley. Good thing too as we had lots of time to contemplate it.
Then a little more climbing and suddenly we were next to the secondary road and we had a stretch of flat to almost imperceptible elevation gain. There were two duelling castles, and then, right before Sterzing/Vipiteno there was the unexpected sight of the day. We rode by the Italian army doing field exercises. Very interesting. I smiled and waved as I went by but they looked very stern. Keith took some stealth photos.
Duelling castles. On one side of the valley this one.
There were many soldiers involved and it was very interesting to watch. No return of the cheery smiles and waves though. They probably would have been in trouble if they had. Bet they wished they were bike touring in shorts like me. It was hot to be running in all that gear.
I am having the usual slow wifi problems. Pictures to be added in the morning I hope! In the meantime, the rest of the story.
Sterzing/Vipiteno was yet another amazing spot. It was very busy...lots of tour buses were parked and the Main Street was hopping. Great architecture and a stunning setting as well as lots of shopping. The bike route goes right through town which was fun. We were going to have lunch in the town square but opted to head out and find a quieter spot. Honestly, the route had had benches and picnic tables until we wanted one. We climbed and climbed and climbed. I think that was the biggest sustained difficult climb of the day. And not a bench to be found. Then finally, around a bend we found the perfect spot. We were on a bench, overlooking a tumbling stream, next to one of Mussolini's Alpine Wall bunkers. Pretty amazing.
Coming into beautiful Sterzing/Vipiteno. What a setting!
Seems Keith took a picture while I was inhaling lunch. You can see the door to the bunker to my right. I am facing the stream and the valley view. What a spot. We even had a table.
We continued to gain elevation, and about 10 km before Brenner/Brennero I began to think 10 km was going to be a long, long way. I should have studied the elevation profile more closely, as at this point the route levelled out to a consistent and gloriously fun upward path at rail trail grades. We spun along happily until a detour, which we immediately ignored, resulting in our arriving in the middle of bridge reconstruction. Lots of smiling and gesturing got us through. Thank goodness because the detour was a mother of a hill.
Looking back down the valley. We had lunch down there, before the autostrade. It was about here I began wondering how the next 10 km were going to go.
Brenner/Brennero didn't seem to have much to recommend it except an outlet mall and casinos. We decided that rather than do the downhill into Innsbruck, which would have involved roads and navigation, we would hop the train to Innsbruck with a change there to Mittenwald. Our timing was perfect and we were getting off in Mittenwald at 5:30 PM. Three countries in two hours hehe.
Our only picture of Brenner/Brenner, which tells you something. Outlet malls aren't much good to a girl on a bike.
We have been out for dinner and spent some talking about how incredible this bike tour has been. We have been so lucky with the weather through the mountains. Two different men at the train station commented on our good fortune and we couldn't agree with them more. It has been close to a month of blue skies and sunshine and unseasonably warm. We'll take it.
Today's ride: 44 km (27 miles) Total: 2,496 km (1,550 miles)
