Como-Aprica-Trento
Breakfast wasn't to be served
until 7:30. It seems in Europe breakfast doesn't start as
early as the United States. After a delicious buffet breakfast of
museli, coffee, juice, brochen, cheese and meat, it was time to
check out and leave my suitcase and bike case with the hotel. At 8:30,
a local snapped my picture and I was on the road.
Valley Spokesmen
colors fly at Como.
I followed the bike path for the first few miles
hugging the west bank of the lake and passed beautiful lakeside homes,
some with their own boat docks or boat garages. Skies would be hazy
all way to Aprica. Fine sightseeing and riding, not good photographs.
There were several tunnels along the west bank.
Some could be avoided by dropping down into the villages or taking
a side trail at the tunnel, but it was difficult to tell if dropping
into the villages was the best bet. I stopped and switched on my taillight
and rode a few of the tunnels. They were lit somewhat dimly and
I've never felt secure riding in tunnels.
Looking north prior to Gravedona
Stopped for a slice of pizza and a bottle
of Coke at Gravedona. I placed them in my handlebar bag for later
consumption.
Shortly thereafter, I turned east to parallel
SS38 heading toward Sondrio. I stayed on the side roads as best
I could, but this was somewhat confusing with 1:400,000 large-scale
map I was using. This was the Touring Club Italiano map, good for
overall planning, not detail. Sometimes I would find myself
climbing a steep hill up to a village, followed by a steep
descent back to the valley. The main road was flat to gently uphill,
but busy in that it was a Friday.
I alternated between SS38 and
side roads until Tresenda, where I headed south, through
the tunnel and started an 11.3 km climb to Aprica, gaining
844 meters on the way.
The climb was never very steep,
but relentlessly taxing. The temperature was warm and
humidity was high. A few kilometers from the top, a rain shower dumped
for about 15 minutes. This was to be common in the late afternoon
in the mountains.
View from the climb to Aprica
Aprica is a beautiful ski town/summer
mountain getaway. The slopes are heavily forested with
ski runs snaking down the hills. Riding into town, I found
most businesses were along the main road, but quite a number were
on feeder roads.
I stopped to ask a couple for
the location of the Hotel Aprica. Their English seemed
to be as bad as my Italian. They directed me off the main road
along a parallel road. Riding along I saw several hotels,
but no Hotel Aprica. I asked another man and he pointed down the
road. Here was another hotel, but not the hotel. Now I started to understand
the problem. They thought I was asking them to recommend a hotel
in Aprica. My reservation was at the Hotel Aprica. The next time
I asked, I was very careful to emphasize this. A young man directed
me back to the main road and shortly I came upon the Hotel Aprica.
I checked in, locked the bike,
showered, and then found a delicious pizza and carafe of
wine for dinner.
Totals for the day were 88.8 miles and 5390 feet of climbing.
Arising at 6:00 the next morning, Saturday,
I found everything locked up. Newspaper stands seemed to be
all that was open. Too early for the hotel to serve breakfast,
the front desk was closed, and the garage containing my bike was
locked. Nothing to do but walk around and finish packing my panniers.
Around 7:30 they started breakfast.
After breakfast I checked out, around $40 for a nice
suite like room, and started down the road to Edola.
It was a beautiful descent down
the river valley. I caught up with a gentlemen on a racing
bike and traded pleasantries the best I could with my limited
Italian. He turned off to home a few kilometers prior to Edolo.
Down the valley to Edolo
Entering Edola and descending
a quiet downhill at about 30 mph, I noticed an old lady
walking the sidewalk of the narrow road, paralleling me on
the same side of the road. Just as I was about to go by, she made
a 90-degree left turn into the road to cross without looking.
I swerved and my heart skipped a few beats. I don't think it scared
her, but it sure scared me.
Starting the climb north from Edolo
Turning north on SS42, I gained
back the altitude I had lost and more with an 1183 meter gain to
Paso de Tonale.
Looking east I could see the mountain range between Trento and Edolo.
I
stayed on SS42 until Cles, exiting by Tassulio. I stopped for gelato
and lemonade at Tuenno. From there I paralleled the highway for several
kilometers. Merging back onto busy SS42 around Sporninore, I
crossed the autostrada and turned south on SS12 to search for the
hotel adjacent to the Domo in Trento. I came upon a phone booth
and tried to call the hotel. I wanted to locate Scott, and ask
for directions. The first telephone booth was inoperative, when I came
out of the hotbox, I felt as if I had been in a sauna and was sweating
profusely. The next phone booth was just as hot, but I was able to reach
the hotel. I asked for Scott's room in English and in my best Italian,
and was placed on hold. After 5 minutes on hold in the sauna, I gave up
and rode past the railroad station in search of the Domo.
I had no trouble finding the hotel. I asked the clerk for Scott's
room. This started a 10 minute period of confusion in which he thought
I wanted to book a room. I stumbled with Italian, made my request in
English, then drew pictures of Scott and myself and with gestures tried
to get through what I was asking. The clerk's daughter came up and said
she spoke English. This was somewhat true but I still couldn't get it
across that Scott had a room for 2 reserved and was here. At last, I saw
a book with hotel guest's names on the corner of the desk. I found Scott's
name and pointed, repeating my request. Bingo, now she knew what I meant.
She sent me up to his room. No one there. I carried my bags back downstairs
and saw his bike in the lobby. He was standing outside talking to my wife
on the telephone, asking where I was. He had just returned from a local
ride.
I was beginning to feel that language was really going to be
a problem. Fortunately, this was the last time language presented problems
on the trip.
Totals for the day were 84.9 miles and 3596 feet of climbing.
The Duomo with one of the Dolomite peaks in the background.
Scott in front of our hotel.
The Duomo.
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