Villach to Tarvisio

September 6, 2018

Breakfast with fellow lodgers and one dog, border crossing to Italia and the hills are alive with the roar of Harleys.

September 6 Thursday 45kms

Villach to Tarvisio

Breakfast with fellow lodgers and one dog, border crossing to Italia and the hills are alive with the roar of Harleys.

Having plotted the route from Judendorf to the cycle path, our ride goes successfully down through forest, past the thermal spa, to the river Gail at Aul.

The peace of the river ride evaporates when we join the road at Neuhaus. For 5.5km there is a constant stream of motorbikes going both ways. The Tarvisio-Villach international motorcycle event has attracted hundreds and hundreds of machines. Many are decorated in their own style. We will not escape them for a few days.

After Arnoldstein, we go under the A 23 and climb. We still keep company with the small road and the bikes, and the railway as we head towards the border with Italy.

Immediately after passing the unused border control, we climb a track with a 15% gradient to settle in to a lovely ride around the heights. Down through the trees is the railway, road and autobahn thrusting through the narrow valley.

Arnoldstein - Arnold was apparently a knight from the 11th century.

As the clouds clear, we glimpse massive peaks.

The Julian Alps- looking towards Slovenia.

Near here the cycle route diverges- Slovenia one way, Grado the other.

It’s hard to believe these mountains aren’t a painted backdrop.

The views of the Alps from the cycle trail are nothing less than sensational. This route is certainly endowed with more than its share of natural spectacles. Tarvisio is a long town also squeezed into the gap between the Carnic, Karawank and Julian ranges. It is a busy all year round alpine town especially so with the influx of bikies.

Our accommodation is a room downstairs in a family home. It’s called “Greenlife Central’. Christian, who also runs a "green" tour centre in Costa Rica is enthusiastic. He shows us the facilities which includes a lounge area and says it’s okay to use kitchen which is set up for self service breakfast. We may help ourselves to the apples and plums on his trees which are all " bio". We make ourselves at home. We walk out for a look around the town which is full of visitors.

Though some appliances don’t work, there are enough for what we need and we take advantage of his offer to use washing machine, get supplies for dinner and tomorrow's lunch and cook fresh pasta with parmigiana. We also find a freezer and freeze a bottle of water for keeping food cold tomorrow.

Today's ride: 45 km (28 miles)
Total: 3,851 km (2,391 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	2
Comment on this entry	Comment	0