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Published: June 24th 2017
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Corvara
My model railway town. Corvara, what a place to wake up in. Bright sun, blue sky and surrounded by mountains. Below us is the town that looks like it has been transported from the setting of a model railway. We pinch ourselves just to check it is all real. Our fellow guests are from Italy, Germany and France. Today we plan to relax and soak in the local atmosphere.
We set off for a walk down into the town. It doesn’t take us long to realize this day is different. The town is swarming with cyclists and not a motorized vehicle in sight. The amount of colourful lycra and expensive cycles tells us something big is happening. People of all ages pass us by as they head up the zig zag road out of town. The e-bikes zoom up the hill. Some cyclists do it with so much ease we realise we have a long way to go to get to their standard. Can’t wait to get home and get the bikes out in preparation for our next Dolomite experience.
A visit to the Information Centre confirms something special is on. The road around a 51 kilometre circuit is closed to traffic from
10:00 am until 3:00 pm. This is Bike Day and cyclists have the road to themselves. This circuit includes three mountain passes zig zagging up to 2167 metres above sea level from about 1500 metres. The cyclists can start at any point and any form of cycle can be used. We don’t see any of the very old variety that were common in Padua on the road.
At one intersection the police are busy turning irate motorists around. Not sure how far the detour is but there are some very unhappy drivers out there. The good thing about today - it is so quiet for a usually busy Sunday. There are no motorcyclists. We sit awhile over a cup of coffee and watch the passing parade.
On our wander we discover a fabulous panificio. Oh the delights. We know what we are having for lunch today. Tomorrow it will have to be the appel strudel. From our apartment we see hundreds of cyclists heading up to the nearby pass. Yesterday a cyclist passed us coming down from the pass. These roads don’t have any armco barriers except on the odd corner. One false move and... Needless to say
we take it easy.
Once the roads open for traffic we drive out for an investigative look around and plan for tomorrow’s mountain experience. We think we’ll take the soft option by using the chairlift to get us part way up the mountain. We’re pensioners on holiday so we can do these sorts of things.
Now that the roads are open hundreds of motorbikes race down the zig zag road into town. The riders must get a thrill racing around these sharp hairpin bends, leaning over so their knees almost touch the ground. Some probably think they are racing at Monza or some other famous racing circuit. Doesn’t matter about the near collisions with oncoming traffic. Obviously the ride is the thrill, not the scenery because they don’t seem to have time to see it.
Today has been great. We have done one of the things we came here to do – relax. Tomorrow we head out to do the other activity we came for – explore the mountain meadows and look for wildflowers, especially the blue alpine gentian. Tonight it is the usual Sunday meal, something light and easy.
Bring on tomorrow, a bucket list
Corvara
Our accommodation. day.
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