To San Daniele del Friuli

July 7, 2024

It was time to leave Cividale and begin making my way back to Bologna. As noted in the previous post, the plan was to cycle to Trento and take the train to Bologna. I had almost a week to cover the approximate 200 miles Trento and so came up with a relaxed itinerary of short mileage days that would hopefully mitigate the hot summer conditions that were predicted for the coming days. The destination for today was San Daniele del Friuli, just east of the Tagliamento River. I made a quick morning stop at the local bakery for bread and pastry, put together road provisions from the remaining items in the fridge and said farewell to Cividale. I’d very much enjoyed my time here and left a basket full of undone activities should I ever return.

The planned route to San Daniele was a bit of a mish-mash, cobbled together using sections from public cycle routes, heat maps, and OSM Cycle. It seemed reasonable on paper, but turned out to be a crazy, convoluted route that sampled almost every surface I’ve ever ridden. The first ten miles took me to Povoletto along cycle paths and small roads – some paved, some not. After crossing the Dorre River, the route skirted through the north side of Udine, at times sharing a short section of the Alpe Adria. The multiple turns and varied surfaces got old after a while, but they definitely kept my attention.

The water was too high for this low water bridge, my first re-route of the day

I was elated to see sunflowers, even though they wouldn't look at me

A double-track section that sometimes seemed more like a single track

Thus far, I had been game for whatever my crazy route had given me – except for the low-water bridge that was underwater. But I balked when turned I off the Alpe Adria and found myself on what was essentially a wide hiking path through the Ippovia Valle del Cormor nature park. A closer look at my route profile indicated the 1.8 mile trail began with a downward slope on pea gravel and included a climb topping out at over 8%. No thank you. I returned to the Alpe Adria, taking it north to Tavagnacco where I detoured west toward Pagnacco.

I was a bit unclear as to where I could rejoin my route but was happy rolling along the well-paved provincial road with moderate traffic and a small shoulder. I found a bench outside a gelato shop in Pagnacco and plotted a way to rejoin my route, not realizing that my seat was reserved for customers. The proprietor came out and gave me a few dirty looks so I hurriedly set off, got honked at by an angry driver, and immediately took a wrong turn. I quickly corrected my mistake and left Pagnacco without looking back.

In a couple of miles I was back on route heading to San Daniele, traveling through farmland on a small provincial road. It was quite pleasant cycling until it began to rain. It wasn’t a hard or long-lasting rain, but it prompted me to make another on-the-fly route change that put me on the most direct route to San Daniele. There was a bit more traffic, but I was able to make good time through the rolling terrain and was soon nursing a fanta at a café in San Daniele, waiting for check-in time. The day had not gone as planned, but the hiccups were minor and the owner of the Albergo was a delightful and upbeat young woman. It was great to be back on the road.

An up and down trail on a pea gravel surface - no thanks.

It was pleasant cycling until it began to rain

A group of four women on a self-guide Eurobike tour celebrating the completion of the day's ride from Udine. I didn't ask about the pea gravel route.

Giada, the kind and wonderful owner of Albergo ai Sapori

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Today's ride: 31 miles (50 km)
Total: 1,770 miles (2,849 km)

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Kathleen JonesTravel is so broadening … here’s to crazy routes that keep you on your toes!
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4 months ago

Christiane PeratoQuelle merveille !
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4 months ago