July 8, 2024
To Maniago
A wonderful day full of surprises – ripe cherries, hang gliders, and baby donkeys.
It was a short mileage day and I was in no rush to leave. I spent a couple of hours after breakfast working on the journal and had a nice chat with Giada, the young owner of the Albergo. It was almost eleven when I finally rolled out into the hot sun, realizing that I should have paid closer attention to the afternoon forecast.
A winding descent took me down to the Tagliamento River, a wide expanse that has been called the “last living alpine river in Europe” due to the lack of upstream dams or other man-made efforts to control its flow. I followed my track across the Ponte di Pinzano up past the Castello di Pinzano and soon I was on the FVG3 Pedemonte cycling route, a wonderful rolling route through vineyards and small towns along the southern fringes of the Carnian prealps. I stopped in Valeriano for a pastry and couldn’t resist adding some ripe cherries to my order. I moved on, but the thought of fresh cherries were spinning in my head like the wheels on my bike - I found a small chapel in the shade where I enjoyed one of the best picnics of the tour.
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The cherry after-glow lingered for the next few miles, yet receded to the background shortly after I passed through the small town of Toppo. It must have taken me more than thirty minutes to travel the two miles beyond Toppo, but that stretch was the best part of the day. I first stopped to gaze with delight at scores of hang gliders silhouetted against blue skies and white clouds as they drifted down to a field near the Toppo Castle. When I tore myself away from the aerial spectacle, I was greeted by a sea of sunflowers, all facing me against a backdrop of high mountain peaks. Of course this required more dawdling about taking pictures. The heat finally got to me and I moved on.
But the day wasn’t finished with rewarding me with more of the little joys of cycle touring. I soon passed a farmhouse on the edge of Ciago where a small pasture was enclosed with a wire fence festooned with blue and pink ribbons and bows. Someone just had a baby, or two, I thought. Then I saw the donkeys – two foals and their protective mothers. The smaller of the foals lay conked out in the dirt, and at first I feared for well-being. Not so the second, larger foal who was busy chomping away at the grass edging the fence. I tried to get some good shots and though none were what I hoped for, the images and experience are etched on my own personal hard drive. And I’ll never forget the celebratory blue and pink ribbons announcing the birth of two donkeys.
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Shortly after leaving the donkeys I crossed the Meduna River and began looking for a place to enjoy an afternoon refresher – a cold drink and perhaps some chips to compensate for the buckets of sweat that had poured out of me. But I was having no luck finding a bar or bodega in any the small towns along the route –even a query to an on-duty postman was for naught. Finally, less than three miles from Maniago, I spotted a gas station and pulled in for a little rest and refreshment. Despite the break, I still collapsed on the bed after checking in to my Albergo, content to watch last kilometers of the Tour de France before rousing myself to finish my post-ride chores. I had little interest in a big meal so settled for grilled ham and cheese from the bar. It was early to bed – dreaming of cherries, sunflowers and baby donkeys
Today's ride: 24 miles (39 km)
Total: 1,794 miles (2,887 km)
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