June 26, 2024
To Sillian
It had been a wonderful morning hiking at Lago di Braies and I took an early elevenses break at a café in Ferrara with coffee and strudel. After retrieving my gear and Vivien George from the garage of my guesthouse, I changed into my biking kit and set off for the short ride to Sillian, a small town just across the Austrian border.
The clouds had continued to lift, giving me hope that it might turn into a nice, bright day with the iconic peaks of the Dolomites blazed across a clear blue sky. I retraced my route north back through the Braies Valley to the Pustertal Cycle Route and soon arrived in Niederdorf/Villabassa, a town bustling with touring cyclists and day riders. I had a nice chat with a couple on their way to Venice who were taking their picnic lunch while charging their eBikes. Apparently there is a App for eBike tourers that identifies the location of free charging stations as well bike friendly lodging.
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The route skirted a bit south of Tolbach/Dobbiaco and began following the Drau/Drava river from its source near Tolbach. I had spent two nights here in 2021, enjoying a day off the bike with memorable hike to Tre Cime. It was sunny then, a fact that I immensely appreciated today as I gazed at the shrouded peaks of the Dolomites lining valley towards Cortina d'Ampezzo. Indeed, my hopes for a sunny day were dashed as the clouds not only reappeared but it began to rain. It was raining sufficiently hard time by the time I reached San Candido/Innichen that I considered seeking shelter and lunch. But I was still full from my strudel and so only stopped to put on my rain booties.
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5 months ago
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The rain eventually subsided and had stopped by the time I crossed the border into Austria. I’d been in Austria less than two minutes when I saw a small herd of cattle grazing on a steep hillside. Except for a few horses, they might have been the first livestock I’d seen since leaving Verona – since Bolzano for sure. Of course I stopped for pictures and with elevated spirits I was soon in Sillian, arriving at my guest house on the far end of town just minutes before the 2 pm check-in time.
To my chagrin, the guesthouse only served dinner. A bit famished, I walked over to the nearby grocery store for lunch supplies and to stock up on provisions. I spent the afternoon squirreled away in my room until dinner time – they were out of spinach dumplings so I had a tasty salad with grilled chicken. Similar to today’s weather, I didn’t get my first choice but the second option was very satisfying. Well, maybe not the rainy bits.
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5 months ago
Today's ride: 18 miles (29 km)
Total: 1,509 miles (2,429 km)
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