Cyhoeddwyd: 14.09.2022
I've been on the road for almost 11 weeks now. This is my last post, after that you have to endure me for real again hehe 😍.
The journey home should go through Italy, with a stopover at Lake Como. Ugly little town, so finally get out with the bikes! For my tour planning, David actually gave me a five, how unfair, I couldn't have known how steep the last 400 hm would really be. It all started so nicely, asphalt road to the last mountain village, a dream. But then the path became steeper than expected. The blue trail markers are a joke and we wander through thorn bushes and alpine forests for hours, always with the bike on our backs. While David is still fighting wild battles with his Garmin navigation device, I continue stupidly in the supposedly right direction. Turning back was no longer an option, but eventually it's done. It was nice.
Surprised by my endurance, the tide turns on the descent, and the trail is surprisingly fun. Only a few bruises have adorned my thighs since then, all's well that ends well.
Next stop is South Tyrol. In Sulden, we meet three of David's colleagues to fulfill their long-awaited dream of climbing Ortler. I know the guys and have a rough idea of what's coming, but this high-altitude tour challenges even the four mountain enthusiasts. Of course, we don't take the normal route, if we're going to do it, we're going over the Hintergrat. The conditions are not ideal, ice and fresh snow all along the ridge, it's icy cold and the sun only comes out on the way down.
David and I are a team of two and go as the last group, I'm slow in the snow and would rather be able to follow tracks. There are several teams on the way, which leads to long waiting times.
It's not witchcraft in itself, but the poor conditions take a lot of energy and the descent takes another 7 hours. We rappel a lot and secure ourselves. That takes time.
At quarter past nine, we're finally back at the parking lot. But now quickly to our favorite pizzeria and above all, take a hot shower.
To complete the circle of the journey, our last detour in Switzerland is perfect. In Davos, we meet Lukas to enjoy two days of dream trails. Lukas is a mountain bike ace and almost familiar with Davos, so it's a breeze for David and me without Garmin wars and hurt feelings due to inappropriate tour planning.
The last few days were full of joys and friends, making it the perfect transition back to Dornbirn! There won't be a conclusion of the trip at this point, otherwise I won't have anything to tell anymore. ;-)
I hope you had as much fun reading as I had writing ❤️