And another one starts

My compatriot for this trip starts today.  She is the reason I am off the couch and riding.  Cindy asked if I wanted to cross the Sahara and I said sure.  She is riding for a cause and you can read about it on her blog http://cyclingcindy.wordpress.com/  She is starting from her home in Netherlands and I will meet her somewhere along the way.  Yes more solid planning.

I started the day continuing down the valley.  Then I turned north with the bike route going up and down the hill sides and then crossing the narrow valley again and again.  I went to the road.  At times I was going faster than the cars on the Autobahn.  That was with me going up hill.  Ok the Autobahn is not fast on a Sunday afternoon with the Germans and Austrians trying to get home.  Then I made it to Austria.and it started to rain on the top of the pass.  I asked about a hostel and was directed to a town14k away.  They said it was only twenty minutes and they were right.  Ok about the time, but not about the hostel.  So I headed to Innsbruck and the cars can wait as I take the full road making turns at good speed.  I go for the camping option again. 

5/20/2012

Innsbruck

76.7 miles, 7:56 minutes moving, Max Speed 33.2, Moving Average 9.6, 

 Stop Time 2:42, Overall Average Speed 7.1,   Start 10:00 and 20:30  Accent 3921 Feet  Cloads then rain on the pass.

Love & Kisses

Steve

Oh there is another pass

No Yodeling  you know what they are like once they start

I spend the morning heading up the pass and it feels like old times.  On the other side I head north.  As I head north I am surprise to find the road is heading down to the next valley.  I thought there was another pass coming.  I should read the maps more offen. In the next valley it is also slowly downward to I cruise on finally stopping as evening comes on to camp. 

5/19/2012

St Lorenzen

42.1 miles, 4:52 minutes moving, Max Speed 28.8, Moving Average 8.7, 

 Stop Time 3.53, Overall Average Speed 4.8,   Start 8:00 and 19:30  Accent 1457 Feet  Clear and cool

Love & Kisses

Steve

Lizard

Lizard

Up and off at 8.  It was cool riding for the first six miles as I head down to the next valley.  As I headed up the bike trail towards the pass I see a sunny warm bench.  I was on it like a lizard sucking in the warmth and reading a book.  An hour later two girls come down the path and stop to say hi.  They were at the slide show the night before.  Time to move on I am being recognized.  So it is up to the top of another pass.  It is not getting easier.   There is the marmot gang waiting to get a hold of my sweaty tee shirt to line their den.  In Carina I change out my cassette to my climbing one with two more teeth.  For the bike geeks I went from 11-34 to a 12-36 9-speed.

5/18/2012

Carina

33.2 miles, 5:04 minutes moving, Max Speed 34.2, Moving Average 6.5, 

 Stop Time 5:40, Overall Average Speed 3.1,   Start 8:30 and 19:30  Accent 3124 Feet  Clear and cool

Love & Kisses

Steve

More Dolomites

Sleep in as I could and it being cold outside.  I was back to working my way around to the other road.  There was only a little snow in parts on the road.  Then I got to the road I wanted and an easy ride into town.  Resupplied my food incase I wild camped again and was heading up the next pass.  This one seamed easier.  Yesterdays training paid off.  Sun was out but it was still a bit cool.  The map I was using showed an interesting route over 4 passes.  Looking at it more carefully as some of the lines were really straight I saw that all the uphill was done on lifts and gondolas.  To bad the lifts were not running.  80k all downhill, it would be fun in the winter also.  I need to bundle up as I headed down the other side.  Checking at the tourist information office I found out the camping was closed in town.  The next camping was 12K away.  I pushed on.  Then I was stopped and asked questions about my trip by a guy standing by the road.  He then invited me to his place to spend the night.  It took me a minute to except as I was not expecting it and was in the mode to push on.  So after going to Marco’s home at his hotel I got cleaned up as there were plans.  We were off to pick up friends at their hotel which was closed also being between seasons.  We had some pizza for dinner and of to see some pictures that were taken in Philippines, Morocco, and Tibet/China.  It turned out to be a short slide show.  We then had a round of drinks and off bed.  Wow a real bed. 

5/17/2012

Corvara

20.1 miles, 3:26 minutes moving, Max Speed 31.5, Moving Average 5.6, 

 Stop Time 2.38, Overall Average Speed 3.2,   Start 9:30 and 17:00  Accent 2400 Feet  Sunny and cool

Love & Kisses

Steve

Snow where did that come from

I woke to find a bit of a change.  It was nice that I was camped just below the snow line.  Then I was off to find my morning croissant before heading up to my first pass into the snow covered pass.  I was a bit cool on the way up and the clouds did not help.  On the top of the pass the cooling breeze had me digging out the gloves and all my layers.  As I was cruising down the other side the road forked into two dirt roads with no signs.  I choose badly as I drop into dark forested ravine.  I came to some forks in the road with signs and realized I had chosen the wrong road.  I could work my up to the other road so I headed that way.  Also saw that there was good potential for camping as the area was not populated.  Looking up I spotted a nice knoll that I could camp on and not have anyone running across me.  Also leaving the road I picked a way around the snow that did not leave much evidence of my passing.  Found a nice meadow with no snow on it to camp.  Other than the cold forcing me to head for the sleeping bag right after diner the place was great.

St Cristin

5/16/2012

14.6 miles, 3:47 minutes moving, Max Speed 27.3, Moving Average 3.9, 

 Stop Time 3:39, Overall Average Speed 2.0,   Start 9:30 and 18:00  Accent 3419 Feet  Overcast and cool

Love & Kisses

Steve

Into the Dolomites

I got a late start due to uploading pictures to some blog.  The Dolomites were to the east so that was the way I was going.  The Dolomites were clear with just patches of snow.  The narrow valley was shared with an autobahn, secondary road, train, river and a bike path.  I got distracted and found that my turn off up the hills was 3 miles behind me.  I did see a short cut up to the road I wanted.  It was a very vertical road with switchbacks up the side of the canyon.  The view was great when I made it to the top.  It was not much further to a camp ground with my own hill and a great view of the Dolomites.  Cook my first dinner as I finally bought a fuel canister earlier in the day.  Things changed during dinner.  A large van of Hungarians moved in.  They brought alcohol so I was well bribed into giving up my private hill.  Heavy rain that had been building let loose and it rained all night. 

Seis

5/15/2012

20.9 miles, 3:41 minutes moving, Max Speed 23.2, Moving Average 5.6, 

 Stop Time 3:47, Overall Average Speed 2.8,   Start 10:30 and 18:00 Accent 2100 Feet  Clear in the morning with clouds building with rain all night.

Love & Kisses

Steve