Day 8: Sat 13th June 2009
Ride: Sella Massif - 34 miles
Before we booked our motorcycle trip to Italy we spent a lot of time online scrolling through dozens of websites doing research. We wanted to find somewhere to stay in the Dolomites - a base for 3-4 nights - which would give us easy access to as many passes as possible, while keeping costs as low as possible.
For the most part the Dolomites are located in the province of Belluno, with the remainder being in the provinces of Bolzano-Bozen and Trento. It soon became clear to us that the province of Trento - where the Marmolada (3,343m), highest mountain in the Dolomites, is located - was where we wanted to be. Ideally we wanted to be in a town and initially looked at places like Cortina and Corvara. However, the majority of hotels we found were either closed in early June or were very pricey. Eventually we came across Hotel Evaldo in the village of Arabba.
The Evaldo was very reasonably priced but we didn't really know how lively Arabba was, or how convenient it would be to gain access to many of the passes we wanted to ride. It turned out to be an ideal place to base ourselves, with easy access to dozens of passes and right on the edge of the Sella Massif. The hotel restaurant was excellent, every morning they provided a huge breakfast buffet and for Euro 15 they provided and four course meal every evening. In fact with all the facilities and hotel bar we never felt the need to leave the hotel.
If you're looking to base yourself in the Dolomites we recommend Arabba and the Evaldo.
Bobby (L) and Pete - not Cat (R) in the village of Arabba
After yesterday’s exertions and arguably more importantly yesterday evening on the beer it was clear at breakfast that no one was up for a long ride out. Some opted for a morning of rest, reading, or a game of giant chess. While others settled for a wander around Arabba and some bike fettling. Cat on the other hand decided to spend the day in bed sleeping off last nights excesses.
Kyle contemplating his first move (L) and Bobby making the most of the facilities at Hotel Evaldo (R)
On a lazy day like today the advantage of being based next to the Sella Massif meant we had immediate access to a route that would only be 34 miles long yet still take in four magnificent passes - the Campolongo, Gardena, Sella and Pordoi.
In winter it's possible to ski around the entire massif by using the Sellaronda ski lift carousel and each winter the alpine touring ski Sellaronda Skimarathon race is held, which leads around the entire Sella and covers a little over 26 miles of mountain trails.
In the summer, during the first week of July, the Maratona dles Dolomites is staged, an annual one day bicycle road race where up to 9,000 cyclists compete against each other. Apparently it's Italy's biggest Granfondo and is open to amateur and professional cyclists alike, covering up to seven mountain passes of the Dolomites - you may want to bear this in mind when considering dates to visit the area as the build up to this event begins up to a week prior to the race. Known as "Riders' Week", and mainly in the Badia valley, there are group rides, training rides, cycling events and parties organised and held daily.
After a morning of doing very little most got bored and decided upon a straightforward anti-clockwise trip around the Sella Massif, starting with a ride up the Passo di Campolongo to Corvara. Kyle, Phil and Mark headed off first with the others - except Cat - following a short while later.
A view from the Campolongo looking towards Arabba
After a fuel stop in Corvara - for those in need - we turned left and headed up the Passo di Gardena, with the opportunity to take a few photos on the way up to the top. The ride up the eastern ramp of the Gardena is certainly worthy of mention. It's an excellent well surfaced road composed of open flowing hairpins with short straights in between - and with classic Dolomite scenery.
Kyle and Mark on the Gardena's eastern ramp (L) and a view from top looking east towards Corvara (R)
At the top Kyle, Phil and Mark stopped at the first - higher - restaurant for a coffee, after which Phil decided to turn around and return to Arabba, rather than continuing over the Sella and the Pordoi. In the meantime Bobby, Pete, Taj and Gaz arrived at the top, but decided to ride on to the Sella instead of stopping.
Heading towards the Sella from the Gardena's high restaurant you immediately pass the second - lower - restaurant. From there it's only a short drop down until you're onto the Gardena valley road (circled below right).
Looking west towards the Sella and the low restaurant on the Gardena (L) and the Gardena valley road (R)
It was on the Gardena valley road that Kyle and Mark did their good deed for the day. Half way down the valley they came across an elderly German biker pushing his broken down BMW. Stopping to offer assistance they couldn't believe the number of people that had simply ridden past, and continued to ride past.
Determining it was a battery problem they offered their fellow biker a push to get him going again but clearly there was a misunderstanding. Fumbling in his tank bag he produced some straps and seemed to be asking for a tow instead. Neither Kyle nor Mark were keen on towing the old gent, while Hans "The Battery" - as he later became known - appeared equally averse to bumping his bike. So with a shrug of his shoulders Hans started off down the road again. Did he even have a battery they wondered?
Knowing there was a downhill section coming up, but not knowing how far, Kyle and Mark rode on to see how far the walk would be. Establishing that it was about a quarter of mile Kyle parked up and jumped on the back of Mark's bike. They rode back to Hans where Kyle jumped off. Needless to say while Mark rode on to turn around Kyle managed to persuade Hans to jump on his bike and started pushing - the BMW started first time and Hans was on his way.
The Gardena valley road:
Where Kyle and Mark came across Hans "The Battery" (L) and also a helicopter preparing for take off (R)
After a second stop a little further down the valley - to watch a helicopter take off - it was on to the junction at the bottom of the western ramp and then left up to the top of the Passo di Sella to meet the others.
Kyle at the top of the Sella (L) and the restaurant at the top (R)
It was pretty chaotic at the top of the Sella and with all the bikes, cars, campervans and coaches, parking spaces, even for a bike, were limited. To add to the chaos no one seemed to be watching where they were going, instead taking in the spectacular views that the top of the pass afforded. While Kyle and Mark parked up and ordered a beer, Bobby, Pete, Taj and Gaz decided to ride on to the Pordoi with the idea of getting lunch somewhere less busy.
A view from the top of the Sella looking north
From the Sella the western ramp of the Passo di Pordoi is well surfaced and like the Gardena it's worthy of comment. In fact whether you're travelling west-to-east or vice versa the road is well surfaced and is lovely to ride, if a bit more challanging. Unfortunately it forms part of a heavily used tourist circuit and is quite crowded. Unlike the Sella though there's plenty of space to park at the top.
Opposite the car park is the ticket office for the cable car that can take you up to the Sass Pordoi (2,950m). Constructed in 1962, it was completely remodernised in the mid nineties and a return ticket for the 10 minute trip to the top costs Euro 18.
The ticket office for the Sass Pordoi cable car (L) and a view from the top of the Pordoi looking west (R)
Bobby, Pete, Taj and Gaz had stopped for lunch at the top of the Pordoi and it was here that Kyle and Mark caught up with them. From the top it's a straight - make that very twisty - run down the pass into Arabba. The eastern ramp of the Pordoi, and it's 33 hairpins, is a lovely run down to Arabba, although for maximum enjoyment it's a road best ridden when it's quite.
The real entertainment of the day didn't start until we got back to the hotel though. In an act of curiosity Bobby was checking his tyres to see how far he'd had his bike lent over when he discovered that his front wheel was on the wrong way round! The tyre was correctly placed on the rim, but the wheel was on back to front.
Pete working on Bobby's Fireblade
So for the second time this trip the tools came out for Bobby's bike. This time Pete led the spannering and he started by cleverly constructiing a stand out of a few house bricks and a plank of wood. In what seemed like no time he'd dropped the front wheel out and put it back on the correct way round. After some initial teething problems - front pads rubbing - it was job done. Pete left to get changed looking very pleased with himself - quite right too - while Bobby left shaking his head and muttering, "Why me again?".
Still, nothing a few beers couldn't cure.
