Stage 2: Mountain Love in the Dolomites

7.6.22: 24 hours of continuous heavy rain and the mood is at rock bottom (stress programmed). We pack our things, quickly buy some (many) groceries without a shopping list and with a hungry breakfast appetite and head towards South Tyrol.
First, we go to the nearest hardware store in Innsbruck because we urgently need a solution for the drawers of our camper conversion, which are now fully loaded and need to be secure during the journey. A small bolt screwed in would do. In addition, the fronts of the drawers should get a new coat of paint.
Continuing in the rain and traffic jam over country roads to South Tyrol to the Toblacher See campsite. A super clean, well-maintained, modern campsite located right by the lake and in the mountains - the perfect starting point for our planned activities! The only drawback: our pitch is so small that our new rear tent/living tent doesn't fit behind the car as planned, and we also have to pass by two trees with millimeter precision just to get in. After a few nervous breakdowns, the tent is set up on the passenger side and we sit in the cold, completely soaked in the middle of the Dolomites. But we pull ourselves together and a warm meal, a hot shower, and thick sweaters lift our spirits. We wouldn't necessarily call ourselves fair-weather campers, but everything is simply half as much fun in the rain...
New day, new luck! On June 8, 2022, we struggle out of bed early in the morning (6:30 am) and want to be at Lake Braies before everyone else. Around 8 am, we park the car at a nearby parking lot and there we are - at the mist-covered Lago di Braies. But slowly the first rays of sunshine make their way past the mountains and the Pragser Wildsee reveals its fantastic turquoise blue! And we can't get enough of taking pictures... Luckily, at this time of day there really isn't much going on yet.
But now quickly onwards and take advantage of the finally well-forecasted weather to hike around the famous Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks)! With a €30 toll and parking fee (for cars), we're in and can drive up to the Auronzo Hut with countless sharp hairpin bends. Here too, the early bird catches the worm, as the access road is closed when the parking lot is full.
The hut offers the perfect starting point for the Tre Cime di Lavaredo hike (approx. 10 km, 4 hours + countless photo stops ;) and is suitable for average hikers. Unfortunately, at that time all the huts, except for the one on the Long Meadow, were closed. We hike counterclockwise from the Tre Cime Hut to the Long Meadow and finally back to the parking lot. It goes up and down about 450 meters in altitude with some steep sections. But you are rewarded with breathtaking, indescribable views and panoramas that you will not forget anytime soon!! Behind every bend and hill, a new perspective awaits on the incredible rugged cliffs and mountains of the Dolomites - we are in love! We would do the hike again anytime and recommend it!
Exhausted and tired, but incredibly happy, we put our smoking feet back in our Toblacher See campsite, cook a cozy asparagus risotto and uncork a bottle of wine: arrived in camper life! <3
The next day started cold and wet again at around 8-10 degrees. It had even snowed on the mountains during the night... in June! Reason enough for us to flee further south...
Venice calling!