July 10, 2022
Bassano del Grappa to Borgo Valsugana
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After a two night stay in Bassano, it was time to move on. Our stay at the Bonotto Hotel Palladio just outside of the town center was perfect. Great bike storage, large room, and another place with an incredible breakfast.
We were all packed on off by 9am, and were blessed with another perfect riding day which promised to heat up as the day progressed. Riding through the center of town on this quiet morning was in sharp contrast to madness of last night when the bars, cafes, and streets were packed with people out enjoying themselves. We must say that some were enjoying themselves more than others. Bassano seems to be quite popular with the wedding party crowd, and various Stag and Doe parties roamed the streets in various levels of intoxication. Now that COVID seems to be managed in most places, it is wonderful to see life get back to some form of normalcy, and people out enjoying themselves.
After one last crossing of the Ponte Vecchio, we headed north through vineyards and on towards the narrow limestone gorge bookending the Brenta River.
The ride out of Bassano began perfectly along quiet bike lanes and pedestrian paths until we were dumped onto busy SP73, and we both began to seriously question the route that RideWithGPS had given us.
So, the beginning of the day we played hide and seek with the bike route, until we were firmly plopped onto SP73. With very little shoulder and a good amount of traffic, we kept our wits about us for the first hour of the ride. The redeeming thing, though, was the fact that the road was also busy with the road cycling crowd as groups of small pelotons passed us in both directions which also forced the drivers to be very cautious as well. Italian drivers generally drive fast, but they were also respectful when passing; and, in most circumstances, giving the 1.5m of buffer to cyclists required by law. So, it was not so bad.
What was a little unnerving, however, was the pinch points through towns whereby the two lane road became a one laner and traffic had to slow down and alternate through these towns that were clearly built and occupied pre-automobile.
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But, the incredible scenery took our minds off the road and once past Valstagna, most of the traffic literally disappeared and was diverted over the bridge pictured above, as most drivers seemed to be headed towards Trento.
The ride increasingly became perfect for the remainder of the day. The road had noticeably less traffic, and cyclists dominated. Then at the Via Sbarra bridge our route became a dedicated bike path all the way to Borgo.
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We stopped along the way and had a lunch snack on a bench by the now significantly reduced Brenta. We've been following it towards its source, and now it resembles more a large stream rather than the wide body of water that flowed under the Ponte Vecchio in Bassano. We sat and thanked our lucky stars for being on another tour. I ate the rest of my sandwich from yesterday and Sue had a nectarine, and we watched the parade of cyclists pass by and gazed in astonishment at our surroundings.
As we neared Borgo the once deep canyon opened into a wider fertile plain. We're in fruit growing territory here. Rows of apples, apricots and strawberries lined the cycle path. Just ideal riding conditions today.
By the end of the ride, we were tired and hungry so we stepped on the gas for the remaining 10kms. We knew we were close when on the horizon the town's church spire appeared, and we were ready to sit, eat and get some shade.
You know that whistling theme song for Clint Eastwood's movie, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly? You know the one. Well, also imagine tumble weed cartwheeling across a European town square, and that was our reception when we arrived in Borgo.
Sure, it was Sunday, but the place was deserted except for what looked to be a carnival set up. Colourful rides, games and concession stands lined the streets. But, with no people. Strange.
So, we did some laps around town to see if we could find a cafe or anything open. We made note of the Kebab shop, and the smoking town drunks occupying some tables in front of a bar, but there was nothing going on.
That is until we turned a corner and ran into this:
So, this is where everyone was. Turns out we are here for Borgo Valsugana's festival for their Patron Saint. I'll have to do more research about it all, but finding this place at the end of the day was a special memory for us and one that I'm sure we will talk about when this trip is long over.
We are in the Trentino province now, and you can feel the influence of its Germanic history and past. Notice the two fellows behind Sue in their lederhosen and traditional garb. The food we ate was also very German influenced with wurst, kraut, and wild boar.
So. This is a reminder to us that first impressions are often deceiving. Borgo definitely surprised us. When we first arrived into town we thought to ourselves, "What the heck are we going to do in this place for two days?" The answer: Go to the carnival.
The following photos are a menagerie of images. We've got to go. It's breakfast.
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Today's ride: 60 km (37 miles)
Total: 111 km (69 miles)
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