All Singletrack leads to Strudel

All singletrack leads to strudel...well, let me be more specific. On September 7, 2007 in the tiny town of Seis, Italy, all singletrack leads to strudel.
The first 2 weeks of September, in the Castelrotto region of Northern Italy, the celebration of apple/grape harvest is celebrated in fine fashion. This is not redneck ville cotton pickin' apple fest. Strudel Weeks is a serious occasion and is no free-for-all, money grubbing vendor showdown, hillbilly's strutting around in halter tops selling greasy inedible treats labeled as "strudel".

Italians take enormous pride in their cooking, or baking, as the case may be. Especially older nonna's that can make better strudel than any old grandmother from America. I don't care if she is from Helen, GA. Strudel Weeks is a grand celebration representing decades of tradition of the fine art of making the best strudel in the world from the region that produces the best apples in the world.

After coming down off cloud nine from our grande climb up Mt. Tremalzo in Lake Garda, we drove back north returning to the magical town of Castelrotto. Today was Friday, and we had the whole day to rest up and recoup before joining our friends on Saturday for our last big ride of the trip. We would be climbing the great Stelvio Pass, so we wanted to be nice and fresh for the grand finale.

Based once again at the wonderful Residence Vroni, we started out in search of singletrack. Armed with a tourist map and a misguided sense of direction, we pedaled on in oblivion to the strudel fantasy taking place less than a mile away from our fatty treads.


Raja had picked senterio #6 just down the street leading towards Bad Ratzes.
Handy markings on rocks and other various surfaces, clue you in to if you are on the right path.


Those markings make things easier. Easier for your sense of direction, not always for an easier effort. Sometimes that lovely red trail on the map turns out to be a steep rocky trials course.



Our route takes us from narrow paved lanes, to tricky rocky hikes, to nicely groomed gravel doubletrack, to sliced thin singletrack. With nice views during every transition, of course.



I love the exquisite detail on this home's "tiny" balcony we find as our trail pops out onto a small lane. Reminds me of the cabins we ride by in the Cohuttas.


At the risk of sounding cheesy, I feel like we've entered a fairy tale land. Lush moss covered foliage covered by a canopy of towering firs and pines creates the perfect scene complimented by the overwhelming sound of a rushing mountain river.






Today is rest day, playtime, no agenda, it's okay to get lost day.



Having spent the previous 4 days riding on open road climbs or descending doubletrack, it is a welcome change to pick our way through the forest on glorious singletrack.



Gingerly we tackle the uphills. Our minds are still stoked from yesterday's climb up Tremalzo, but our legs are living in real time. Easy now, work out that acid so tomorrow we can climb to the heavens.



We pedal by Ruine Hauenstein, a relic from the past. No big deal. We ride by these back home all the time on the Pinhoti trail.


This is when you wish you had a tour guide along to tell tales rich in history, of castles and kings, prisoners and valiant heroes (this was probably someone's vacation home).
We came across Ruine Salegg, providing a stunning backdrop for a view of the valley and mountains beyond.


Enough viewing, the singletrack beckons, we must heed its call.



Thank goodness we're going down this part.



We consulted the map and realized our current path would continue to take us down a few thousand feet. Having to return back up the singletrack would be a long and arduous task that we were not up to today. Climbing back on the narrow mountain road filled with traffic was also not a favorable option. We decided to pop out of the trail system into a nearby town, Seis.

That's when it happened........

There she was, Nonna Helga with her best friend, Nonna Greti, whipping up a batch of homemade strudel.







Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! Raja and I were falling over our pedals trying to contain ourselves. What do we do? What do we do?

Okay, alright, let's hurry back to the room, shower, and get back down here, STAT!
No monkeying around. I want there to be strudel still on that tree when we get back!


We pedaled up the hill to our hotel in record time. With forks in hand, we raced back down to Seis like two kids running down the stairs on Christmas morning.
We scanned the scene. How does this work? You buy strudel vouchers at the booth for 2 euro each. "I'll take drei strudel, bitte."


Out of my way, little bambino. That piece of strudel has my name on it!


Laden with 3 strudels(2 apple and 1 ricotta), we planted ourselves down on some stone steps, ready to engage. Not much talking between us now, just the sounds of MMmmmmmm as we indulged in the most delicious strudel in the world.

If you are wondering what the big deal is over strudel, then you obviously have never been to Strudel Weeks or have never had strudel prepared by a loving Nonna or Grussmutter in Europe. Trust me, it's heavenly. The apples are different, the flour is different, the technique is different. Odds are the food prepared for you in Italy was made from ingredients grown within a 5 mile radius of the community. Food takes on the characteristics of the soil, the people, their way of life. The lively and vibrant lives of these people is transfered into their food of rich flavors and delicate taste.

With smiles on our faces and full tummies, we wandered around to see what else was happening. A lively ensemble of 5 playing Tirolean music made me walk a little lighter on my feet. I strolled over to take a picture of the group when I noticed a familiar face. It was our own Hubert Plunger, from our hotel, playing the horn (3rd from left); the Plunger's are the hotel owners.


I knew the owners were serious musicians (the hotel has a soundproof room for practicing), but I didn't give it much thought. Hubert gave us a CD his ensemble produced. When we play it here at home, that wonderful atmosphere is recreated. But without the strudel, it's just not the same.

AH, the Dolomites. Where dreams really do come true!
Another perfect day; beautiful singletrack and delicious strudel.
What more could you ask for?


I don't know how, but this trip keeps getting better and better!
We didn't do too much planning, and it has been our most memorable trip ever!
Tomorrow would be another dream come true for Raja! Climbing the Stelvio!
We're not done yet!
Today's slide show:


a video from yesterday's finish of Tremalzo


riding thru the piazza in Riva del Garda


I love riding thru tunnels!

Italian Cycling Crescendo

A crescendo is the perfect way to describe our Italy cycling trip. Each day was better than the day before, each ride more beautiful and epic than the previous one, until it exploded on the final day's climb up the Stelvio Pass. Although from the beginning of the trip, I never would have expected it to turn out so well.

I conveniently got sick 5 days before we flew to Munich, which kept me off the bike for 5 days. I cannot remember the last time I took that much time off. This made me extremely nervous. To put the icing on the cake, Raja got sick the day before we flew out. We were off to a roaring start.

We flew into Munich, arriving on Sunday, Sept 2nd. Hertz gave us a fantastic Mazda 6 wagon which can accommodate 2 adults, 2 bike cases, 2 suitcases, 1 small suitcase, and 2 backpacks, all with great ease. Other than its horrible turning radius and the fact that we got the smaller engine, Raja enjoys driving this car. It is our 2nd time to have one for Europe.

Somehow we made the 3 1/2 hr drive (with the help of an hour long nap at a rest stop) to our destination; the tiny picturesque town of Castelrotto, located in the Sud Tirol region of northern Italy. It is surrounded by the beautiful Dolomites and offers jaw dropping views every where you look. We scored a fantastic apartment with a killer view at the Residence Vroni.





There is nothing pleasant about an overseas flight, especially when you are sick or just getting over being sick. Raja was not doing so hot that first day. Even when you are well, you feel like death warmed over after such a long flight and NO sleep. In spite of his state, the beauty of the gorgeous afternoon gave him enough inspiration to at least drive up to the top of the Alpe di Siusi to enjoy the views before we called it a day, a loooooooooong day.





The next morning greeted us with a spectacular view of clear skies and mountains towering over the valley. Fortunate for me, my dear Raja mustered up the energy to build up my bike so that I could at least take it all in on 2 wheels. Our apt was at the base of a 5 mile climb leading up to the Alpe di Siusi area, a hiking mecca. The road closes to cars at 9am, which meant I only had to share the climb with the bus and a few authorized cars. This area is crawling with hikers and a good many cyclists that come up for the insane views. The only way up, other than by bus, foot, or bike is the gondola. My friends, Jeff and Melissa, would be in hikers heaven. I was wishing they were here.





I missed not having Raja with me, but still felt like a kid in a candy shop giddy with excitement. The views were so incredible that I forgot I was climbing.....which usually involves suffering. No suffering today. It felt so good to be out enveloped with crisp cool air and surrounded by unlimited views of mountains and flowers. No more 95 degree stifling Hotlanta air which I am afraid to breathe.
The camera never left my hand. So many beautiful shots, oh, and this one, oh, and look over there, oh, oh, oh!!!



At the top, I cycled along the narrow road exploring little paths and soaking it all in like a sponge. I felt a little guilty that Raja was not with me. From this vantage point, there are still countless opportunities to climb more. The little road I was on crisscrosses a zillion different hiking paths leading to the rocky peaks towering above. A few years ago, we did one of the hikes. It was insane. I am happy to be on my bike. I don't think my feet could have handled a hike today.

Here's a tiny video of the beautiful view on the road from Compatsch to Saltria:





Without Raja the garminator along to keep the stats, I had to rely on the signs. Content with 2 hrs and 2,000' of climbing, I resisted the temptation to get a strudel without my sherpa. We would get strudel tomorrow. The descent was just as spectacular as the climb. It was a day to remember. The trip had only just begun!

More pics!