Mastodawn

The day began wrapped in fog, though by ten o’clock the mist had vanished beneath a bright sun. Hospitality brings a different rhythm: a good breakfast and good conversation are not things to rush. The journey is that, too. After saying goodbye to the Piani family, I set off towards Dobbiaco. The climb is gentle, and the jagged peaks of the Dolomites soon appear, accompanying what is perhaps the most scenic stretch of the Pusteria cycleway. It is also the busiest, crowded with families on rental bikes. Past Dobbiaco lies the watershed between the Drava and Pusteria rivers, the geographical edge of the Italian peninsula. From San Candido, birthplace of Jannik Sinner, the cycle path turns downhill towards Austria. The border reveals itself only through the cycling signs, which change from brown to green. By early afternoon I reach the foot of the Kartitscher Sattel. After so many cycle paths, a proper mountain road feels refreshing. Broad hairpins carry me steadily upward, though stubbornly refusing to stop leaves my right leg complaining near the summit. The Austrian side is different, as timber yards and scarred hillsides replace the welcoming villages of the ascent. After lunch beneath a cable-car station, I continue down-valley beneath alternating sunshine and cloud. The road proves a trap: narrow, rough and endlessly interrupted by short climbs that drain momentum and morale. Only after forty kilometres does it finally give way to the R3 cycle route, following a calmer river through a quieter corner of Austria. A grassy riverbank offers everything I need: a swim, a place for the tent, and nearby picnic tables with water for dinner and breakfast. Beyond the mountains ahead lies Friuli. The journey is nearing its end.

#cycling #cicloturista #cyclinglife #cycletouring #Alps #dolimites #mountains #nature #italy #sudtirol #adige #austria