View from the Pillion - Up the highest mountain and into the deepest valley

What can I say? These are the words in my journal "Wow, OMG, holy sh.t. What a day! Crazy?" That pretty much sums up how I feel after going  up the 2,100 metre high Mangart Mountain and through the Vršič pass today.

But first we stop at Kluze Fort. There has been a fort here since Roman times, but most recently this was the scene of clashes between Italians and Austrians in WW 1. It has proven to be pretty much impregnable over the centuries and now in more peaceful times, it houses a small museum. 

And then there is the Predel Pass and the precipitous ride up         Mangart Mountain. 

The road is wet and narrow, steep and twisty with no guard rail; scary stuff. I can't look down except for quick glances and then I catch a glimpse of the very long drop with a sheer cliff to a valley a long way below. We go up, up, up. The slow turns on slick corners are another form of scary. The very top is closed due to a slide, but in my opinion we're high enough, and the view is ....of absolutely nothing, just thick shifting fog. June and I admit to each other that we are scared stiff. Kathy seems impervious and snaps photos all the way. And then Dan decides we should see if the cafe is open and this means going up a very narrow steep track. But it's closed, and I know everyone finds the ride back down even more nerve-wracking.

I love the signs at the crossroads where one way points to Austria, another to Slovenia while we are presently in Italy. Along the way we have passed many groups of Harley riders and the town of Trevisio is filled with them. There are "Welcome Harley Davidson" banners draped on stores and restaurants. It turns out there is a big Harley meet-up just across the border in Austria. We park our BMW's and brave the Harley signs to enter for an early lunch. We have earned it. I have a small personal victory when, after so many years of trying to learn the language, I am able to order my meal in Italian, even though everyone here speaks perfect English.

The ride is not over yet and heading back to Bovec we encounter new challenges on the Vršič Pass.

At a park entrance in a wooded area we dismount. A five minute walk brings us to a curious turquoise blue pond. These are locally called "toomphs". They bubble up from underground springs and are rich in amphibious life. It's a nice peaceful break from the high stress of today's ride.

Following the Soca River, we come to Bovec and we all go our separate ways for the rest of the day. Before we left home I had done some research and discovered a place that advertised horse riding on Lipizzaner's. The hotel receptionist gives us directions.  Up the hill from the river, at the bottom of a wooded mountain, we find the Hotel village of Pristava Lepena.

The hotel is closed for the season but we are warmly welcomed and told to explore on our own.The horses roam free, the goats are penned, safely behind a solid fence. 

 

Guests who stay here can enrol in riding lessons and stay in charming cabins tucked in the woods. Another thing to add to my bucket list.

On the way back, we stop to enjoy close up views of the Soca River which has paralleled a lot of our journey in the past few days.

And since I don't get to ride a real horse on this trip, I have to be content with a nice rocking horse instead.