To Garda

May 22, 2023

Looking out the window this morning, it’s hard to believe we were dodging the rain just two days ago. We left the door to the balcony open last night, and it’s still comfortably warm in the apartment this morning. It reminds us that it’s nearly June, and it won’t be long before it starts getting too warm for comfortable cycling and we’re ready to leave the region.

It’s a short ride to Garda on tap for today, and an easy one except for one problematic mile we’ll ignore for the moment. After leaving Verona we’re soon heading north on the Adige bike route, the route that continues to Trento, Bolzano, and beyond toward the Austrian border. We’ll follow it for the next 18 miles, nearly always biking along one of the canals that parallels the Adige but sit fifty or so feet above the river. It’s all a pretty manicured and undramatic bike path, but it makes for very pleasant cycling spinning along and watching the mountains ahead grow larger as we bike up the valley. It’s a gorgeous day, and hundreds of other cyclists have the same idea and are out enjoying the fine break in the rains with us. (A challenge: how many bikes do you count in today’s video?).

We have a lot of company this morning on the Adige cyclepath.

The church of Saint Lawrence, Pescantina.

Biking through Bussolengo, a pretty town that would make a nice day ride destination from Verona.

Looking north up the Adige. It adds a sense of drama biking north, watching the mountains grow nearer and more defined with every mile.

Looking east across the valley to the Valpolicella wine region. We’re just high enough above the river to get some impressive views.

A perplexing spot that gave us pause for a minute. one sign says Garda is to the left, down a busy, scary highway; and one points straight ahead to Trento, on a gravel trail. Two things are going on to confuse us here though. First, the sign to Garda is twisted 90degrees. It should point straight ahead, up the gravel path. And second, we should be up above on that overpass across the highway. The pavement returns on the bike path at the opposite end of the overpass.

Great pig! This little porker is casually walking along the opposite side of the canal.

Video sound track: Echale Salsita, by Ry Cooder & Manuel Galban

Eventually all this easy riding comes to an end, and not far south of Rivoli Veronese the route leaves the canal, bends away from the river, and climbs steeply up the ridge separating the Adige Valley from Lake Garda. This isn’t the hardest traverse of this ridge - I think we’ll feel the one climbing back from Riva more - but about a mile at 9-10% is the first real climb we’ve seen since leaving Pesaro and definitely holds our attention. As does the weather. As the sky surprisingly darkens we feel a few sprinkles, and we’re suddenly wondering if we might be seeking shelter from a thunderstorm before long.

It’s not all pain and rain though - as we gain elevation we start getting some really dramatic views, probably the best wow moments since Sun Bartolo Park in Pesaro.

Nothing comes of the weather though, and once we’re on top and done with some pointless ups and downs along the top of the ridge we come to the final challenge of the day - a super-steep descent on a rough road, steep enough that we both dismount and walk the worst of it.

Across the valley, San Martino di Tours church, Volagne.

Saint Giovanni Battista Church, Rivoli Veronese.

Forte Rivoli, originally named Forte Wohlgemuth. Built by the Austrians in around 1850 to defend their roads through the Adige Valley.

Yesterday I had optimistically mapped out a short hike for us for this afternoon to climb up to the viewpoint on top of Rocca di Garda, the impressive formation rising just south of town; but it’s hot and muggy when we arrive and neither of us feels motivated to head out again for a sweaty hill climb. We’re content to chill out in our room for a few hours until it’s time to go out again and cruise past all of the waterfront restaurants and pick our meal for the evening. We find a nice place at the south end, sitting under the shade of a canopy while we enjoy our meal and take in the festive lakeside scene. Afterwards we find a gelateria, walk the waterfront a bit more, and call it a day.

A great cormorant, a bird we’ve seen this year already but still worth another look.

This beauty is a first for the year though. #158: Red-crested pechard.

The Rocca di Garda. I’m sure it’s a great hike up there, but it looks fine from down here too.

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Ride stats today: 25 miles, 1,100’; for the tour: 1,315 miles, 61,700’

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2023 Bird List

158. Red-crested pechard

Today's ride: 25 miles (40 km)
Total: 1,358 miles (2,185 km)

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Janice BranhamThe soundtracks on your videos are dreamy. I've started a Spotify playlist with some of my favorites.
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1 year ago

Rachael AndersonTo Janice BranhamWhat a nice thing to say! I’ve collected a lot of music over the years but I’m finding it more challenging to find the right music that is the right length for the video.
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1 year ago