slivka.com - Trips - Europe 2008

slivka.com > Trips > Europe 2008 > Tue Jul-08

Tue

Jul-08

Backroads Day 3: 31 bike miles, Ristorante Le Corte
We rode 31 bike miles in 3h58m with a cumulative elevation gain of 1,278 feet.
Note: Our average time was slower today due to the wet roads in the morning and a short (30 min?) thunder shower toward the end of our ride, which meant we had to cycle more slowly to minimize splashing from channels of water running across roads, to avoid puddles, and on downhills and hairpin turns to avoid skidding.

The morning started out with thunder showers, and most everyone thought they would not ride. Ben was going to ride in the rain if necessary, but the rain stopped and the sun came out, and so Ben and Max took off at 9:40 a.m.

Our first scenic stop was the Molinetto della Croda (a corn mill, powered by water). Given the morning thunder shower the water was gushing past the mill! Our next stop was at Tutto Gelato in Barbisano, where we shared a small scoop of hazelnut gelato (yummy). Then it was on to Moriago where we stopped for lunch (sandwhiches and Speck Panini) at Osteria al Canton.

The route took us up and down a nice hill, and then we stopped at Bisol Winery where we got a very thorough tour of the winery and then tasted several sparkling prosecco wines as well as two "classical method" (Methode Champenoise) sparkling wines made from a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot bianco. We also tasted a lovely dessert wine and bought one bottle of that.

As we headed out from the winery Ben noticed his tires making a thumping sound, and after half a kilometer realized he had a flat. Luckily Backroads leader Jeff had given Max a tire changing kit, so Ben replaced the flat and we were on our way...just in time for thunder showers! We did the steepest climb of the day up along a winding ridge, and then got to plunge back down into Follina (on the brakes mostly, due to the rain and wet roads). We arrived back at the hotel at 4:01 p.m.

We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at the Ristorante "Le Corte" in our hotel, accompanied by a bottle of 2003 Hartmann Dona Pinot Noir and topped of by the Bisol Duca di Dolle dessert wine we had purchased at the Bisol winery.