View from the Pillion - Touring the Dolemites

It's quite chilly in the morning so we layer up, putting liners in our jackets and wearing our warmest under layers. The Aussies aren't used to temperatures like this, but they don't complain. In our tour guide book, today is described as a day off, but there is no way our eager group is going to miss what we know to be spectacular riding territory. So, today it's all about the riding. The roads are as expected, extremely twisty with hairpins at practically every second corner. Any way you look, the view is glorious. During the course of the day we travel through four mountain passes.

From Corvara we go over the Passo Gardena and Passo Sella. 

At Sass Pordoi we take the cable car up to the icy windswept peak.

 From the top, the 360 degree panorama gives us a bird's eye view of the roads we've just travelled.

The wind is strong and whips John's nice Aussie baseball cap off his head, tumbling down the mountain before he can grab it. Even with our layers, we're pretty cold. At least we have the benefit of heavy jackets and pants. Some of the tourists obviously came unprepared and are shivering in their light summer clothes. 

This is the start of several hiking routes and there are signs for ski runs, I shudder to think how cold it must be on a snowy winter day if it feels like this in September. Time to take refuge in the toasty warm restaurant. Based on Peter's premise that the higher the altitude, the higher the food prices, we decide to eat lunch at the cafe at the base of the cable car instead of the restaurant at the top.

It takes a while to get our meal, but only because everything is freshly prepared, which we can see through the open kitchen. My gnocchi is up there with the best I have ever tasted and Peter is similarly pleased with the simple, but tasty spaghetti carbonara.
Yes, I know I said today was all about the riding, but every day on this holiday is also about eating. I don't think I have ever been on a trip where the food is so consistently good.

Primož is riding with us today and he and Peter take turns with our GoPro, so that by the end of the day we have videos of everyone in our group. At a view point, where we make a photo stop, Primož takes a series of shots of Peter riding solo. One of them later makes its way into the Adriatic Moto Tours brochure. It is a great shot with the mountains tops strung out in the background.

The challenge today is the amount of traffic. This area is renowned for awesome winding routes, popular with all kinds of riders. As a pillion rider I have long got over the fear of overtaking on these mountain roads. I know that Peter and the others in the group use good judgement in their timing as we pass numerous vehicles, everything from family-filled vans, to sporty cars, loaded tour buses,bicycles and other motorcycles. There are several car enthusiast groups driving in convoys and groups like ours, riding together, enjoying the exhilaration of the Dolemites, the roads and the majestic scenery. 

We take a break in the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, which was host to the 1956 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics to be televised. I am glad to get off and stretch my legs. Even as a passenger, riding roads like these can be pretty tiring. The turns come up very fast and particularly on the downhill hairpins, I have to work hard, using my abs to hold myself on the seat so as not to slide hard into Peter. Today for the first time I have taken to holding onto the handrail with one hand and that helps a lot. I admire the way June and Cathy take photos and videos while we're riding. Cathy has even been known to replace batteries while zooming along twisty mountain roads!

The town centre, as with so many European towns, is very pedestrian friendly and is buzzing with tourists. There are lots of sports-centric shops; hiking, cycling and skiing equipment all features prominently. Naturally there are good spots around the square for gelato, cappuccino and pastries.

  

The cathedral is pretty and worth a quick peak. 

Back home at the Hotel Table, we are invited to a reception for a couple who are celebrating 25 years of visits to the hotel. They share sparkling wine and canapes with the other hotel guests in a very friendly and generous gesture. What a nice way to end a good day in this mountain retreat.