Borgo di Valsugana - Bassano del Grappa - The Grand Tour - 2023

June 8, 2023

Borgo di Valsugana - Bassano del Grappa

Yesterday evening before going to bed, contemplating the mountains and speculating where the moon will rise

Today is easily the most spectacular since leaving Trento. We have perfect temperatures and sun for our ride on the Ciclopista del Brenta, following the river with amazing mountain views to either side for most of the day. The views never stop, even by bike we are almost too fast to take it all in. And you have to look up, not always a good idea when you should have an eye on the road. We see lots of groups of Italian cyclists, probably clubs, sometimes on narrow sections of the path where I just get off and squeeze to the side to let them pass. I'm glad I'm wearing my Mont Ventoux jersey today. I hope they all noticed it!

Janos and I go down the steep hill first. I want to get the scary part of the ride over with. This also gives us an opportunity to get a picture of Rachael and Scott coming down the road.

We leap frog with Rachael and Scott, everyone stopping to take pictures or videos, chat or make videos with the drone when they feel like it. At lunch time Janos and I get hungry and stop, the Andersons keep pedaling, and we meet again when we enter Bassano.

The narrowest section of our ride along the Brenta with nets to protect cyclists from falling stones.

Only the last kilometers of the ride are a bit of a grind, first on a narrow dirt path and as we get closer to Bassano we have to share the road, no shoulder, and there's a bit too much traffic for comfort. We get a short reprieve on a calm side road with an interesting villa that I am glad not to miss.

Only the wings were built according to Palladio's plan, the main building, designed by Baldassare Longhena, was completed later.

To enter Bassano you cross a bridge, Ponte degli Alpini, and are already in the historic center. Before we go any further, we see two loaded Bike Fridays leaning against the side railing - but I don't see Rachael or Scott. They must be somewhere. There they are on seated on the balcony of a little pastry shop overlooking the river.

Dinner at Ristorante di Ottone is an excellet choice made by the Andersons. They had eaten there on a previous stay in Bassano and know it's going to be good.

Today was certainly a highlight of our time in Italy. Tomorrow we are staying in Bassano, and then comes the last bicycle day of our trip and the last ride with the Andersons.

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Today's ride: 56 km (35 miles)
Total: 1,307 km (812 miles)

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Rachael AndersonYou sure get great photos of us!
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10 months ago