This amazing autumn weather had to come to an end. And indeed it did ;)
It pours rain today. And yesterday it rained as well. Probably it will rain all week.
Moreover we switched from DST, so days are much shorter & darker now.
For people that work in day time, this completely erases the chance to go for a ride after the work day... as we we get back home it's night already.
So, knowing this all, I took the chance, the past Saturday (25th Oct) to go for the last one.
I left LATE, like at 3:30pm.
I thought to do just coupla corners, but as I rode I found my mind going around thinking about work stuff, & other bullshits.
I NEEDED a challenge to focus on the ride. So I said to myself... what if we try a longer run? I was thinking about a 150km loop around here, but I suddenly desired something harder to do. I had about 3hs of useful daylight... and I was on a dark visor....
So I twisted the throttle more and get myself in my normal
challenge-it mode.
My mind forgot about troubles, and it focused about DOING it.
I leaded north toward the Passo Rolle (about 100km from starting point). Once there I descended the north side.. and skipped the usual entrance to my world (aka: Passso Valles and then up all the others ...) and continued west toward Predazzo & Cavalese... where I picked the great MANGHEN pass just as the sun was starting to set. I did it pretty fast, and I even lost the bike once, as the surface isn't anymore the one we used to have in summer time (especially at about 5:30pm, with evening humidity starting to make its war against grip). I descended Manghen south side and joined the Valsugana hiway that I did at pretty high speed.
Last 20 km were ridden in TOTAL DARKNESS. I had my eyes wide open to face the dark visor barrier.
I made it.
Run some 252km in about 3h 15 min... making an average 77km/h.. which is, for Manghen especially a pretty fucking good pace! :-)
That was all. Game over. I stopped bike insurance on monday, and now let's wait 2009 for more fun, and, above all, the Culo di Titanio ride wichi will be repeated and, hopefully, completed.
As we wait for next warm season, I'll keep on posting. Maps of ridden routes, ideas & maps for new route, winter days delirium.. whatever. Just stay tuned
Well, this is the
google link to it... and below the map.
