The early morning was hazy and there was quite a bit of dew. Today was the
first where we would be doing a ride into the mountains and returning to the
same campground. The hills around us are all terraced and planted with mostly
grapes but some flowers as well. The terraces also provide a level surface
where a road can be built and they have some fantastic road surfaces. The
switch backs would have been labeled 10mph or less in the US, but there
were so many they didn't bother with signs. Comparing the grade of climb with
some of the roads I know well, the average was 8% and it often was 10-12%
sometimes even more.
The total miles driven today was only 82, but we climbed and descended more than 5000 feet.
Near the top we found small alpine villages where a few cafes have been established. The homes were obviously built to withstand the long winter season and every spare inch of ground was planted usually for hay. We have climbed above the haze to find a brilliant blue sky and very warm sun. The planted fields are a lush green at the moment, some having been cut for the first harvest of hay.
The drivers are quite good BUT more than happy to borrow some of your lane rounding the turns. The roads are much narrower than what we find in the states. Our large truck would have a hard time fitting on these roadways. Often as you are rounding a curve you have a rock wall on one side and a 1000 foot
drop-off on the other. The closest I can compare for my riding friends is Deals Gap, Icefields Parkway, and Road to the Sun all rolled into one. It is truly majestic and we have just touched the foothills of the ALPS.
The total miles driven today was only 82, but we climbed and descended more than 5000 feet.
Near the top we found small alpine villages where a few cafes have been established. The homes were obviously built to withstand the long winter season and every spare inch of ground was planted usually for hay. We have climbed above the haze to find a brilliant blue sky and very warm sun. The planted fields are a lush green at the moment, some having been cut for the first harvest of hay.
The drivers are quite good BUT more than happy to borrow some of your lane rounding the turns. The roads are much narrower than what we find in the states. Our large truck would have a hard time fitting on these roadways. Often as you are rounding a curve you have a rock wall on one side and a 1000 foot
drop-off on the other. The closest I can compare for my riding friends is Deals Gap, Icefields Parkway, and Road to the Sun all rolled into one. It is truly majestic and we have just touched the foothills of the ALPS.
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