Got acquainted with our Dutch neighbours Mario and Bridget over breakfast, plus their friendly little Jack Russell who we're sure was called Lorenzo. Don't know how much time they spend on the road, but there was very little that Mario didn't know about travelling around Europe. We talked about our plans for Italy and France. They told us about Limone and Sirmione on Lake Garda and suggested a visit while we were there. They also gave us free use of their fridge which was jolly decent of them.
We headed north out of Canazei and climbed Catherine's first Dolomite pass - Passo di Sella. She's suitably impressed, especially with the local goat and cow population who happily posed for photos. I forgot how lovely the roads are around here - lots of fast sticky tarmac. Alpine passes tend to start with longer stretches of road between hairpins that shorten as you get higher. Here it's less predictable and you can get short sections at the bottom that open up into long stretches as you gain height. It's all great stuff though.
We carved a long outer Dolomite loop from Canazei to Cortina (hi dad!) taking in Drei Zinnen as we looped anti-clockwise from Cortina.
Passo di Valporola is absolutely superb. Off the main Dolomite road, it was quiet but fast and completely free of coaches and camper vans.
Drei Zinnen is a short toll road leading up to some of the best views of the Dolomites. 10 euro seemed a bit steep but we've travelled this far so we happily paid up and moved into some absolutely knockout scenery.
Cortina on the other hand is just a necessary evil. I'm sure it's lovely in winter during the ski season but today it's just roadworks, tourists and frustration. It's a big broken town that looks like they can't be arsed to fix. Dad, you'll never know the effort we put into trying to get a photo for you but the lazy buggers can't even put a town sign up. Even finding a petrol station that worked was almost impossible.
Hot and frustrated, we left town and stopped for provisions in a lovely little place to the south.
Suitably chilled we rode Passo Cibiana and Passo Duran (Duran). Not really ones to note - tight roads that are falling apart and literally crumbling over the edge. I remember Deano enjoyed Passo Duran when we were here a few years ago but it's either fallen apart since or he's just a bit mental!
Stopped at a little cafe on Passo Cibiana. We were served killer espressos by a lovely Italian girl with the looks of an angel and the coffee machine of the gods. Treated Catherine to some apple strudel. This place now officially serves the best apple strudel in Europe. Disagree and you'll have Catherine to answer to.
We'd unexpectedly saved the best roads until last and found a true gem of a route back to Canazei. From Agordo, a lovely looking town, take the 203 to Alleghe, an even lovelier looking town. Pick up the 641 from Caprile back to Canazei and ride over Marmolada. The roads are fast and smooth and the scenery stunning. We rode it late, arriving back at 9pm but this just meant the roads were really quiet and the temperature was still 22 degrees when we got back.
Come here in summer when the days are long and it's the best way to appreciate this magnificent road.
155 miles
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