Raid Dolomites Day 7

As per previous days I was last up. I did not feel too great so stayed behind for some extra coffees and water. Eventually I set off but only to find the LBS where I got some spare break pads and some oil for my chain which was looking the worse for wear following yesterdays trial and tribulations.

Once on the road proper the day started as usual with a climb, of a pass called the Presule. I surprised myself on this as despite starting the day under the weather I climbed it very well keeping up a solid 246W throughout the climb. I was feeling a lot better by the time I got to the top and consequently hurtled down the ascent and up the next climb of the Mendola. I needed a stamp at the top of this so I popped into a café and had a cake and some water. Refreshed I started on the long descent down to Bolzano. On the way down I was passed by another of our group who I caught up with on the ride into the city centre. He branched off to take the cycle path, I elected to stick with the main road. At first this seemed to be a bad decision as it turned into a dual carriageway but as it happened it was a good move as I heard later the cycle path was a nightmare to navigate.

I found the centre of Bolzano without difficulty but finding the way out was not so easy. Luckily, as I was checking my map for the umpteeneth time, a couple of others from the tour rode by, one of whom had ridden the route before. With his help we stumbled on the route out, which included a very good cycle path that kept us off the main road. Eventually we headed off the main road and up to Pinei pass.

Not far along this road a road branched off right with a sign "28%". This was too tempting to miss. Apart from the prospect of bagging another col it meant I would be able to test my fitness/gearing for Zoncolan again. The "28%" section was not that long but the climb itself was pretty and ended up at a castle on the hillside with fine views over the valley and a restaurant where I knocked back some water as the day was starting to get very hot.

I headed back down the hill and restarted the climb up to the Pinei. This was long and hot. The climb was irregular with some bits smooth or downhill, other sections over 15%. It ran through a number of small towns at one of which I stopped for an ice cream it now getting even warmer. Eventually the top was reached, a bit of an anticlimax as it was on a straight road in the middle of a wood. Still since the climbing had been pretty much constant since Bolzano it was nice to do a bit of downhill again.

The more so since the end of the day required a very uninspiring slog up a main road to Selve Gardena. The only good thing about this was that every metre climbed would be one less tomorrow, which was looking like being a long day, even bigger than today which at 3300m climbed was first time over 3000m for the trip.
By contrast to yesterday the hotel was easy to find, on the main road through the town. I nipped off to a supermarket to stock up on fruit then had a few drinks outside. Here I heard about an unfortunate accident that had befallen one of the riders. The tailgate of the lorry had fallen off and fractured his foot (he had the x-ray to prove it). It was a shame, the more so as the chap had come all the way from New Zealand to do the ride. Given this he was taking his misfortune with remarkably good grace.

Meal at this hotel was superb. Best of the trip (following the worst the night before) and the only time we were offered a choice. Great.