Well, first I take few days off.
Then in early september I will surely do those missing km out of the ride.
And then I'll start planning for 2009.
Well, actually there's not much to plan: I will repeat this, but this time I wanna make it all.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The REAL trip
Here what we actually did. It's not the original plan, but still scary.
Click here to see the original plan.
Click here to see the original plan.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
The day after (2)
Realtime posts cleaned and even sectionized for reader's comfort.
I'll comment the comments, so check the comments on those posts to see more details of the ride ;)
I'll comment the comments, so check the comments on those posts to see more details of the ride ;)
The day after
OK... first let's clean those live posts. They are full of phone provider crap.... since I won't erase anything, I want just make them a little easier to be read.
About the ride: well, we failed.
We couldn't make it. I mean, we couldn't complete the planned ride... but we had a hell of a ride.
I must try again in a longer day month, like July. Darkness caught us too soon to continue.
Moreover AUGUST isn't the month. Too much damn traffic (tourists).
18hs or ride, with few little stops, never longer than few minutes.
We did the 3 countries. We did 14 passes (map of ridden route to follow). We did 919km (which isn't far from 1000 at all).
Weather was perfect. We caught a little rain down the last pass (Rolle) that we even did in the night (amazing), but nothing worth mentioning.
Last night I thought
Thanks to all those who followed me on the blog, that text'd me, that phoned me, that emailed me. It was kinda like you were out there riding with us.
You will soon see the pictures we took... stay tuned.
About the ride: well, we failed.
We couldn't make it. I mean, we couldn't complete the planned ride... but we had a hell of a ride.
I must try again in a longer day month, like July. Darkness caught us too soon to continue.
Moreover AUGUST isn't the month. Too much damn traffic (tourists).
18hs or ride, with few little stops, never longer than few minutes.
We did the 3 countries. We did 14 passes (map of ridden route to follow). We did 919km (which isn't far from 1000 at all).
Weather was perfect. We caught a little rain down the last pass (Rolle) that we even did in the night (amazing), but nothing worth mentioning.
Last night I thought
- this is impossible to be done
- I won't do it again
- I won't ride for coupla weeks
Thanks to all those who followed me on the blog, that text'd me, that phoned me, that emailed me. It was kinda like you were out there riding with us.
You will soon see the pictures we took... stay tuned.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
TOMORROW.
Bikes are both filled up & ready to rock. We loaded all we need (maps, camera, water, whatever).
We should be leaving at 0500am, say in 10 hs
NEW DATE / NUOVA DATA: 26 Aug 2008
So here we are. Sitting in front of a computer rather than being lost somewhere in the alps.
My buddy really couldn't make it. I was the 1st one telling him we should not. So no problem: TOMORROW is the new day.
My buddy really couldn't make it. I was the 1st one telling him we should not. So no problem: TOMORROW is the new day.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
RIDE DAY MOVED AHEAD!
My buddy was caught on traffic and made it here TOO late to be ready to leave early tomorrow. SO we moved the ride to the day after, Tuesday August 26th.
We could skip the thunders awaited for tomorrow afternoon in the alps....
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Forecast, ofcourse....
Here there time ranges weather forecast for Monday August 25th.
Morning:
Afternoon:
Evening:
Morning:
Afternoon:
Evening:
2 days to BLAST!
Just filled up the bike to the very very very top. Loaded 20.04 liters out of the 21 liters capacity ;)
WOW
Later I'll lube chain, clean the bike a bit, check tire pressure, load the bag.
My buddy is reaching me at my place tomorrow.
Ah: on a side note, a thunderstorm is approaching as I type this! This image taken from a web cam 15 km from my place says it all:
WOW
Later I'll lube chain, clean the bike a bit, check tire pressure, load the bag.
My buddy is reaching me at my place tomorrow.
Ah: on a side note, a thunderstorm is approaching as I type this! This image taken from a web cam 15 km from my place says it all:
Friday, August 22, 2008
THE REAL FORECAST
Just back from a ride on my bicycle around the hills.
On my way I stopped to chat to the dude at local gas station. He is a funny good bloke, really kind. I always have fun askin' him about weather, temperature or whatever (as he runs a car wash too, so weather is kinda like a key issue for him).
With solemnity, He claimed: Tomorrow (Saturday) it will be bad, but then it will get better & better.
I TRUST HIM (or at least I want to!)
On my way I stopped to chat to the dude at local gas station. He is a funny good bloke, really kind. I always have fun askin' him about weather, temperature or whatever (as he runs a car wash too, so weather is kinda like a key issue for him).
With solemnity, He claimed: Tomorrow (Saturday) it will be bad, but then it will get better & better.
I TRUST HIM (or at least I want to!)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The right shoes (well... mmh)
Few asked info about the tires we're using.
ok, here it goes:
RF900R: Metzeler Sportec M3
GSXR1000: Bridgestone Battlax BT014
...don't try this at home :-)
ok, here it goes:
RF900R: Metzeler Sportec M3
GSXR1000: Bridgestone Battlax BT014
...don't try this at home :-)
4 days to go...
Weekend approaching.
We're about to start! 4 days!
Yesterday I adjusted my bike carburettors, to prevent a too rich mixture on higher passes (and we got a few!).
What about weather? :-)
Well, Paranoia is now an endless spiral of madness..... :-)
Here the forecast, foreseen today:
We're about to start! 4 days!
Yesterday I adjusted my bike carburettors, to prevent a too rich mixture on higher passes (and we got a few!).
What about weather? :-)
Well, Paranoia is now an endless spiral of madness..... :-)
Here the forecast, foreseen today:
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Paranoia goes on
I think it's pure paranoia when you ask a question you don't want to hear the answer. And when you get the answer you didn't want to hear, you just go asking somebody else trying to get an answer that pleases you.
Well:
Well:
Paranoia kicks in.
Ofcourse weather is KEY FACTOR on this ride.
And how couldn't we get caught by the pre-ride forecast paranoia?
Well, I don't believe in long term forecast (where long is bigger than one day), but this is what's going to be, apparently:
And how couldn't we get caught by the pre-ride forecast paranoia?
Well, I don't believe in long term forecast (where long is bigger than one day), but this is what's going to be, apparently:
Maps for Umbrail & Rombo
Here the maps of the two new Passes mentioned on previous post:
Umbrail:
and Rombo:
Umbrail:
and Rombo:
What about 29 or 30 passes?
I was talking with my buddy about the route.
What came out, after a more details map evaluation is the following:
The road on section 32 (from Misurina to Carbonin) steps by a place called Col S.Angelo ... that is, on some maps, referred as a PASS!!
Not enough: The following section (33) goes through a place called Cimabanche: another pass (see wiki in Italian, or in German).
What about this then:
On section 22 when we reach town San Leonardo Passiria, we could, before leading north-east toward Monte Giovo Pass, turning north-west and reach the Rombo Pass (almost 2500 mt), stop on top, turn back ward and get back down to San Leonardo Passiria and continue with our scheduled route.
Same idea could be for Umbrail Pass, right on the Stelvio ramp (section 13).
Moreover on our return from Switzerland, after Fuorn Pass (section 19) we can arrive to St Maria in Mustair, turn south on Umbrail, join AGAIN Stelvio, continue back down to Spondigna (section 20) and then going on. Amount of KM would be the same, but we'd add ANOTHER pass, without counting that we'd repeat half of the Stelvio.
This is becoming a monster!
Suggestion welcome ;-)
What came out, after a more details map evaluation is the following:
The road on section 32 (from Misurina to Carbonin) steps by a place called Col S.Angelo ... that is, on some maps, referred as a PASS!!
Not enough: The following section (33) goes through a place called Cimabanche: another pass (see wiki in Italian, or in German).
What about this then:
On section 22 when we reach town San Leonardo Passiria, we could, before leading north-east toward Monte Giovo Pass, turning north-west and reach the Rombo Pass (almost 2500 mt), stop on top, turn back ward and get back down to San Leonardo Passiria and continue with our scheduled route.
Same idea could be for Umbrail Pass, right on the Stelvio ramp (section 13).
Moreover on our return from Switzerland, after Fuorn Pass (section 19) we can arrive to St Maria in Mustair, turn south on Umbrail, join AGAIN Stelvio, continue back down to Spondigna (section 20) and then going on. Amount of KM would be the same, but we'd add ANOTHER pass, without counting that we'd repeat half of the Stelvio.
This is becoming a monster!
Suggestion welcome ;-)
5 days to go...
I am training in these days. Yesterday 8 passes, 350km.
The more I ride around, the more I think the limit isn't time, but our strength.
In the beginning I thought we cannot make it, just impossible to do it from 0500am to say 11pm. But after having ridden hard in these days, I see WE CAN DO IT. I can do 350km of mountain in 5 hours easily. Multiply 3 and we're about in the figures, with still 3hs left.
What puzzles me is WILL WE BE ABLE TO RIDE STOPLESS SO LONG?
That's the real challenge.
Bikes are being checked. Today I check carburettors as over 2200mt height it gets too rough. Also I wanna balance carburettors. My buddy is servicing it and have MOT done too.
Today I'll just test ride the bike after what I've to do, and probably won't ride it till monday (the day). I'll just quickly ride it to nearby gas station on sat, to fill it up to the very top.
The more I ride around, the more I think the limit isn't time, but our strength.
In the beginning I thought we cannot make it, just impossible to do it from 0500am to say 11pm. But after having ridden hard in these days, I see WE CAN DO IT. I can do 350km of mountain in 5 hours easily. Multiply 3 and we're about in the figures, with still 3hs left.
What puzzles me is WILL WE BE ABLE TO RIDE STOPLESS SO LONG?
That's the real challenge.
Bikes are being checked. Today I check carburettors as over 2200mt height it gets too rough. Also I wanna balance carburettors. My buddy is servicing it and have MOT done too.
Today I'll just test ride the bike after what I've to do, and probably won't ride it till monday (the day). I'll just quickly ride it to nearby gas station on sat, to fill it up to the very top.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
6 days to go....
tick tack - tick tack..... time is tickin' away....
we're pretty nervous. I mean, this is really a challenge.
It's been done before, but the group of riders who did it, set a 24h limit, had a real lunch break, and they were a dozen of bikes.
Yesterday we evaluated a slight change on the route. But in the end we dropped it.
Anyway, out of the original route, we'd cut STEPS from 23 to 27 and add an alternative route in between. We'd cut 89 km but add 128. Almost 40km more.... total 1174km. We DON'T really need it.
Just for the fun of it, here the modified part:
we're pretty nervous. I mean, this is really a challenge.
It's been done before, but the group of riders who did it, set a 24h limit, had a real lunch break, and they were a dozen of bikes.
Yesterday we evaluated a slight change on the route. But in the end we dropped it.
Anyway, out of the original route, we'd cut STEPS from 23 to 27 and add an alternative route in between. We'd cut 89 km but add 128. Almost 40km more.... total 1174km. We DON'T really need it.
Just for the fun of it, here the modified part:
Monday, August 18, 2008
No, we aren't using any GPS...
Somebody asked WHICH brand of GPS device we will be using.
The answer is simple: NONE.
We have one simple paper map.
ISBN 88-365-2831-7
This map looks like the only one I found that covers it all. Some other editions just were cut a little before our westmost point (Switzerland). This is just PERFECT.
The answer is simple: NONE.
We have one simple paper map.
ISBN 88-365-2831-7
This map looks like the only one I found that covers it all. Some other editions just were cut a little before our westmost point (Switzerland). This is just PERFECT.
7 days to go....
In exactely one week, at this time of the day, we will be somewhere in the high mountains.
The pre-ride-tension is growin' on us.
My buddy, who's also a hardcore marathon runner, claims he feels like that BEFORE that ride, with that feeling "you cannot make it". But then he did.
Today weather's is precious, still a little cold for the season, but nice.
Wish we're getting this next week.
The pre-ride-tension is growin' on us.
My buddy, who's also a hardcore marathon runner, claims he feels like that BEFORE that ride, with that feeling "you cannot make it". But then he did.
Today weather's is precious, still a little cold for the season, but nice.
Wish we're getting this next week.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
8 days to go
Blog has all the info uploaded.
You can see the route, the maps, whatever.
Now it's just 8 days to go.
Starting all shaman/magic/voodoo rites to have SUN on the day and the day before as well (to make sure we will find dry roads).
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