Day 8 - Sonnenalpe Nassfeld to Bled - 175km approx

Slovenia here we come! 😃  We're all looking forward to this bit - it's new to all of us (we've never been to Slovenia before) and we have a three night break in Bled to kick back and enjoy ourselves.  

After a pretty tough day's riding the day before, we were hoping today would be a tad easier.  In some ways it was, in some ways, it wasn't.  Read on and you'll see what I mean....

Today's route would see us retrace our steps back down the SP110 towards Chiusaforte and then head east on the SP76.  Crossing the Passo Predil on the SS54 would get us to the Slovenian border.  With plenty of things to stop and see along the way in Slovenia, this was going to a full day.  Bring it on!

Route Map for Day 8

I woke pretty early and when I looked out the window, the weather was still pretty damp.  Twas a real shame because the location of the hotel was stunning with the lake nearby and the mountains in the background. 

Over brekkie we decided to stick with the original route and see how the weather behaved as the day progressed.  Stuart and Aynsley opted to head straight for Bled as the weather was currently looking iffy and they didn't fancy another days riding in the rain.

We set off south on the SP110 in our wets.  This was the same road we'd ridden north the evening before but at least the conditions were a bit better.  It's actually a lovely road to ride, no matter what the weather.



As we rode south towards Chiusaforte and then onto the SP76 the weather gradually improved which was great.  Not only did the roads start to dry off but the lovely scenery started to show itself as the cloud level raised.

Along the SP76 we spotted a stunning waterfall - the Fontanone Di Goriuda and we pulled over for a better look.  Wayne suggested popping up the drone to see if I could get some nice footage of the waterfall.



All went well until I managed to clip a tree and next thing the drone was stuck.  So the hunt ensued - I crossed the river to try and locate the drone and the others soon followed.  On my way over I almost stood on two black snakes who scuttled off hastily.  Hopefully not to inform their mates of my presence! Being Irish, I've not had much exposure to snakes as St. Patrick got rid of them all long before I turned up!

The footage from the drone was still running and showing lots of leaves. So we were shaking trees to see if the image jiggled at all and eventually we found the right tree. Thankfully no snakes came raining down on us as we searched.  So cue Seán doing his best Tarzan impression and after some swinging out of branches the drone was recovered mostly unhurt.

All this tree shaking and climbing had us needing a break so we crossed the road into the café for a much needed beverage. Oh, and some cake of course!

Yummy yummy!

My drone related shenanigans earned me the pink jersey of shame.  This was reserved for whoever cocked up on the day and yours truly was the first person on the trip to wear it with pride.  But it wouldn't be staying on my back for as long as I thought... 😄  Shame, as I think it goes well with my RevIt gear!

Back on the road we passed through some lovely towns and scenery.  Tunnels, turns, riverbeds, there was loads to keep our attention as we rode along...



Once we'd crossed the border into Slovenia we came to the junction that was left up to Mangart and right towards Bovec.  We turned left, but as we ascended the hill, it became obvious that we were just riding into the clouds and wouldn't be able to see anything once we got up there.

Knowing that we had plenty to see in the Soca valley where things were clear, there was little point spending our time riding around in the mist.  So we took the executive decision to turn around and head back down the hill towards Bovec.  It's a shame we missed out on Mangart, but it's another reason to come back and visit again.

Back on the 203 and the roads were just class!  They were like a rollercoaster made out of tarmac!  We pulled in beside a graveyard just outside of Bovec as I wanted to swap over the GoPro battery.

Graveyard near Bovec

Whilst I faffed away with the gadgets, Pauline had a look around and the lads bantered about the savage roads.  We were all excited as Slovenia was a step beyond the likes of Germany, Italy Austria.  Well, it was to us at least, so we were like kids at Christmas!

All sorted we were back on the move again.  As we rode along the 206 into the Soca valley the roads only got better - this was biker heaven!  We caught up on a German registered bike and I was in the mood to play...So I may have fumbled with and then dropped the hammer a wee bit...😊 Sure ye need to every now and then.



The downside of this was that we rode past a few spots in the Soca valley that were meant to be lovely with gorges and swimming spots to dip our weary feet.  Ah well, there's always next time!

The road was just awesome - so easy to just have fun.  I tucked in behind Wayne for a bit and it was just a joy to be riding the bike!





But as we ascended the Vrsic pass, things started to dampen a bit.  First a wee bit of rain and then we were engulfed in mist.  Visibility dropped, and we dropped back the pace accordingly.



We pulled over at the Russian Chapel (well, Wayne, Pauline and I did) for a look.  The others rode on a hundred metres or so and pulled in.

Lots of cobbled hairpins which are actually quite grippy! You can see the others parked down the road a bit.

Russian Chapel

Wide angle view

History behind the Russian Chapel - very sad

After a few minutes of taking pics and looking around, one of the lads (Brian perhaps? :-) ) beeped their horn to hurry us up.  So we took some more pics.  And then a few more! :-)

How many pics can we take :-)

We got going again and were soon passing through Kranjska Gora.  A nice wee town but we didn't stop as we were staying just down the road in Bled.

There is a scenic waterfall, Slap Peričnik, just up a side road from Mojstrana which is meant to be well worth a visit.  Wayne had spotted it online before we left and we were both keen to take a look.  But I knew some of the lads were keen to land at our accommodation so we pulled over to discuss.  Brian and Derek decided to b-line for Bled while Wayne, Jim, Pauline and myself would go check out the waterfall.

My unfailing sense of direction had us going round in circles in Mojstrana for about 10 mins - I swear we were riding through folks back gardens at one stage!  But eventually we found our way, and oh boy, was it worth it!

It was a few minutes trek uphill to get to the base of the waterfall - well, suffice to say it was a toughish walk in biker gear!

Celebrations!

Yaay!

Are we there yet?

See if you can spot Jim....

Simply stunning

Obligatory selfie

We hung around for ages, strolling around taking pics and video, and just standing there listening to the cascading water.  But eventually it was time to head back to the bikes.  The others had WhatsApp'd us saying it was bucketing down in Bled, so Jim headed off ahead of us as he didn't have waterproofs.

After some off road fun and giggles which earned Wayne the pink jersey of shame (a story for another time), we decided to try a bit of selfie-stick filming with Pauline's help...some very gentle off-roading to show off our bike handling skills - not! :-)





As you can see, neither of us had a clue what we were doing...but it didn't take away from the fun we were having!

So we headed back to the 201 and made our way towards Bled.  We managed to make it to the apartments in between the heavy rain showers which made for a nicer final leg in the day's riding.

The apartments were really nice - clean, with plenty of living space too.  Once we were checked in, unpacked, and showered, we headed out to meet the others who had setup shop in the aptly named Devil's Bar (no surprises there!) down near the lakefront.

After we settled in beside the others the heavens opened - we're talking biblical stuff here!  Even the locals were looking pretty shocked.  You know that rain that actually looks like a wall of water - that's what was coming down.  How happy were we to be off the bikes already!

Before heading for grub, we popped in next door to buy ponchos but they had only four left. :-(   Cue a bunch of raggedy Paddies huddled in pairs under cheapo ponchos while legging it up to the Chinese restaurant.  I'd say we looked some sight as we stepped in!

Dinner time Chinese style!

All in all a nice way to finish up the day.  Despite the weather looking iffy at the start, we'd had great fun both on and off the bikes.  Just what the doctor ordered! :-)

Day 7 - Sottoguda to Sonnenalpe Nassfeld - 199km approx

With the rain settling in the night before we didn't get a chance to explore Sottoguda at all which was a shame.  At least the weather had improved a bit so by morning, the rain had passed us by, for now at least.  Today's ride would see us pass over the Giau Pass, onto Cortina and then when we reached the SP49 the plan was to detour north to Lake Misurina and then head up to the Tre Croce viewing point.  After that we would make our way east towards Sonnenalpe Nassfeld right by the Italian-Austrian border.

Route Maps for Day 7

Jim looks to the heavens for some morning inspiration 

 The Giau Pass didn't disappoint - like every other part of the Dolomites the pass was stunning.  We pulled over at the top of the pass to grab a few photos...

One more pass under the belt

I just grabbed the first girl I could find for a pic...

...then I wouldn't let go of her! :-)

Obligatory group selfie!

Just to prove I was there on my bike

Luckily the weather was still on our side so we got to ride both sides of the pass in the dry.  Next stop was the Tre Croce viewing point just after Lake Misurina.  As we rode past the lake we spotted Wayne and Brian supping a coffee - they had shot on ahead after the stop at the Giau Pass.  We headed on up towards the viewing point. It's not a toll road as such, but there was an eye-watering parking fee of €20 per bike to go up and park at the top.  With a shrug of our shoulders and a 'we might not be back here again' outlook on the situation, we parted with €80 for four bikes.  That nearly stung as bad as my wasp sting!

At least the road up from the barrier was good fun.  As we rounded a corner we came across a cyclist who'd just come a cropper off his bike.  Rear (tubeless) tyre was peeled off the rim and he was just getting up off the ground when we arrived.  I pulled over, dropped the sidestand and Pauline and myself went to see if he was okay.  Nothing broken thankfully, though he was well scuffed and bruised.  After checking himself over he pulled out a mobile phone to phone a friend.  Just then another cyclist appeared, and so did a busload of tourists heading up the hill. They were all gawking out the window no doubt thinking that those pesky motorbikers had knocked that poor cyclist off his bike.  Ah well, you can't win them all.

We remounted and rode the rest of the way to the top.  We parked at the highest part of the carpark and hopped off to admire the view.  And what a view it was.  Myself, Stuart and Aynsley even partook in a wee bike of rock climbing to make the €20 feel worth it!

Obligatory group shot 

Stuart, Aynsley and myself climbed up to that wee hole in the rockface

The intrepid climbers reach the top

Holding on for dear life!

Me, up in the clouds

Awesome views in every direction!

Stunning!

We headed back down to the lake but Wayne and Brian had made tracks by the time we got there.  We settled in for a bit of lunch right by the lake as it was a nice wee spot.

Nice view  of the lake...not too happy about those clouds though! 

Wonky light pole

Derek is delighted with his new friend Karl

Karl seems to like Derek too!

Time to hit the road again after another yummy lunch

Time to gear up to get some miles under our belts.  As we made our way along the SR48 the weather started to worsen.  We pulled over to put on our wet gear - best to get the gear on before getting wet - not after!  From then on things got wetter and drearier.  Our route took us up onto the SP619 and towards Lago di Sauris.  The views up here were meant to be stunning, but all we were seeing was mist and rain.  The one highlight was passing a cow standing asleep on the side of the road.  As the bikes passed by he remained fast asleep not a bother on him!

We pulled over in Sauris Di Sopra for a quick break and a confab.  We decided the best thing to do was cut our losses and take the most direct route to our hotel.  With a bit more twisty stuff to get us to Ampezzo and the SS52, we put our heads down and made progress as best we could in the conditions.

Once back on the SS52 we headed for Chiusaforte on the SS13 and then finally joined the SP110 towards our hotel.  We were all wet and tired at this stage and, as the last leg of the day involved some technical twisty stuff, we eased the pace back a bit.  No point in risking a fall just to save a few minutes on our arrival time.

Finally, we pulled into the hotel - the bikes were parked under an awning out of the rain which was nice.  There were a few groans as we climbed off the bikes - it had been a long day in the saddle.  But enjoyable nonetheless.

The hotel was great with huge rooms and a big drying room downstairs where we could put all our bike gear.  Owners were lovely too - when Derek asked for an iron, the lady of the house took his shirt and ironed it herself!

We ate at the restaurant across the road.  Highlight of the evening was when Derek decided to show his mastery of the Italian language.  He perused the menu, then closed it over full of confidence.  When it was his turn to order he handed over the menu and made his order in the best Italian accent.  The waitress first looked puzzled and then burst into laughter!  Derek had to grab the menu back, have a quick look through it, and then order a 'number 34'!!  Talk about falling flat on yer face! :-)

This was turning into a pizza touring holiday! 

I decided to try something a bit more unusual...

 As before, we tucked into a few post dinner beers (still giggling at Derek!) in the restaurant.  Back at the hotel we settled into the bar where a few of us might have had one or three Gin and Tonics too many.  We won't mention any names...suffice to say that Pauline's giggles woke Brian up and he thought there was a party in our room! :-)

Well fed and even better watered, we eventually head for bed and a good nights sleep...

Day 6 - Trento to Sottoguda - 190km approx

Back in the saddle after our day off in Trento.  It feels good to be travelling again.  Trento is a very pretty town, but we've got places to go and things to see.  Today's route involves the SS612 which takes us out of Trento in the direction of Cavalese, then we head north over the Pazzo Lavazé and onto a stop at Lago di Carezza.  From there it's onto Canazei and then we cross the Sella, Gardena, Campolongo and Pordoi passes. Lastly we head for our final destination, Sottuguda. 

Route for Day 6 - twisties and passes all day!

The SS612 was recommended to me and it didn't disappoint!  Great bit of road with corner after corner after corner.  Great way to get settled back into the bike after a day off.  Weather was hot again, but once out on the open road it was comfortably warm.  All those apexes were a nice distraction anyway!



Even got a chance to film a few of the others doing a driveby....







Our next stop was Lago di Carezza, which although busy, was a gorgeous spot and well worth pulling over to see...

Heffie and Terence admire the view

If Carlsberg did album covers!

Great to be able to share these places

Lake is like a mirror

Tranquil, despite the numbers of peeps about

We grabbed a cup of coffee and a quick snack here too - it was a nice break from being on the move.  Lots of walkers and fitness types strolling about.  Even the kids had full on trekking gear - tiny boots, little walking sticks and all.  They looked deadly!

Back on the bikes and we were on the move again...



We reached Canazei and headed towards the Sella Pass on the SS242.  Little prepared us for the sight of the Dolomites striking straight up into the sky.  They just look fantastic.  The most dangerous thing on this road is the fabulous scenery, it takes proper willpower not to stare at the sheer rock faces and ride straight off the next corner.  Beautiful.




Even as we reached the top of the Sella Pass the scenery didn't let up and nor did the fantastic tarmac laid down in wonderful curves for us to enjoy....






Brian congratulates a driver on his 'overtaking a bicycle on a corner' skills :-)



Derek got right into the spirit of things - throwing the leg out at every opportunity.   A brave move considering that his trousers were about as strong as paper maché! :-)



Stuart had a blast through the twisties too  - but I'mnot surre if Aynsley had her eyes open for any of it! :-)




We caught out first bit of rain as we rode down towards Arraba. Luckily our route over the Sella and Gardena passes had stayed dry and clear, but the skies were telling a story of changing weather...

What's all this wet stuff falling out of the sky?

We decided to stop for a late lunch in Arabba.  Restaurant Pizzeria Bar Peter had plenty of bikes parked outside so that was the place for us.  Hooks on the wall to hang your lid and gear and we sat outside under the awning  - perfect!  We timed things perfectly too - a heavy shower came down punctuated by some decent thunder as we were munching away on our very tasty nom noms.

Decisions, decisions as Derek looks hangry!

Mean green eating machines!

Once you get the squiggles, you know yer somewhere fancy!

Lunch time!

 Over lunch Wayne, Stuart and Aynsley decided to go for a spin on the cable car we could see from our table.  Just in case they got stranded half way up a mountain, we got a 'final photo' of them! :-)

Pauline gets a final smile from the cable car crew!

Before we left Arraba I mounted the GoPro to Jim's bike so that I could be on video for once.  This of course coincided with a proper rainshower which eventually has us pulling in to put on the wets.  So unfortunately our whole ride across the Pordoi pass was a tad damp to say the least!  But at least I was a movie star, if only for a little while. :-)




Eventually we rolled into Sottoguda. The rain had eased off a bit but it was still a pretty damp finish.  But no bother, it had been a pretty awesome day with some great sights dotted along some really class roads.  Only one thing for it after a day like that!

Just what the doctor ordered!

All Jim's birthdays come at once

A little while later the cable car crew arrived in the rain.  But they'd made it back to earth in one piece so they were happy out. :-)

Our table was starting to fill up!

Din dins was had at the restaurant across the road.  Many pizzas were harmed in the making of the following photos!