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#11
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In Search of Singletrack in the Alps
"Per Löwdin" wrote in message ... Was this recent. I.E. the last couple of years? The signs were probably put there by a non official source. It was in July and August 2000. The signs were highly official I am afraid. There is in fact a law which banns cycling on any path that is more narrow than 1 metre. In most places no one cares but in Cortina the local authorities have put up signs in a lot of places. It was quite disappointing. The info is dated from 1998 some things are sure to have changed. Maybe, as I wrote, http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/singletrack...0/Cortina.html, we did not feel at ease at all in Cortina, so it will be a while before we go back. We stayed at a campground named "Dolomite". There was an american that worked there. His name is John. He has lived there for the last 25 years. He used to herd cattle up on the hills there. He is the one that gave us the info on the trails. If you go again ask around for John the American. Everyone knows him there. He will point you in the direction of the good rides. We stayed at a place called Rocchetta, if I recall it correctly, down by the river. Have camped there several times, as we have been climbing around Cortina a couple of times. In August it was extremely overprized. The rides we did were not bad. But there was not much singletrack. Considering the cost and effort of going there it was not worth the money. There is much better riding in Livigno or Lago di Garda. Cortina is a peculiar place. It is a kind of playground for really rich people of the most boring kind kind one can imagine. Don´t even have sense to have some fun with their money. Among the self styled classic resorts, Cortina, Chamonix, Zermatt, Kitzbuhl, St Anton, St Moritz and Davos, it is certainly the one that it is least worthwhile to visit: lots of interdictive signs about cycling, to climb you have to ride a car to the foot of the climb, and there is rarely any snow and if there is the pistes are not even half as good as in any of the other "classic" resorts. Now, if you can find good rides around Cortina that is fine, but we will certainly look elsewhere for good rides. Don´t like to feel like some kind of felon when we go for a ride. Per http://lowdin.nu That is awful to hear. I really enjoyed my trip there. If I ever go again. I will check out Livigno. TJ |
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#12
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In Search of Singletrack in the Alps
Per Lowdin writes:
We stayed at a campground named "Dolomite". There was an American that worked there. His name is John. He has lived there for the last 25 years. He used to herd cattle up on the hills there. He is the one that gave us the info on the trails. If you go again ask around for John the American. Everyone knows him there. He will point you in the direction of the good rides. We stayed at a place called Rocchetta, if I recall it correctly, down by the river. Have camped there several times, as we have been climbing around Cortina a couple of times. In August it was extremely overpriced. The rides we did were not bad. But there was not much single-track. Considering the cost and effort of going there it was not worth the money. There is much better riding in Livigno or Lago di Garda. I don't know what you find "better riding" than around Cortina. I find the Dolomites, and especially the mountains around Cortina, one of the most scenically beautiful areas in the alps. Besides that, the area is full of old military roads from the first and second world wars. When I first visited there, many of the roads were not yet paved and the military roads were an extension of the main routes. Cortina is a peculiar place. It is a kind of playground for really rich people of the most boring kind kind one can imagine. Don?t even have sense to have some fun with their money. Among the self styled classic resorts, Cortina, Chamonix, Zermatt, Kitzbuhl, St Anton, St Moritz and Davos, it is certainly the one that it is least worthwhile to visit: lots of interdictive signs about cycling, to climb you have to ride a car to the foot of the climb, and there is rarely any snow and if there is the pistes are not even half as good as in any of the other "classic" resorts. I have not seen any of the restrictive signs you mention and have not had a problem riding on some of these fascinating roads. You must have gotten on trails reserved for hikers near town. http://tinyurl.com/u5nq See day 14. I have found inexpensive lodging in some of the ski hotels in Cortina that choose to remain open in summer. Cortina is a beautiful town, with a wonderful pedestrian mall center and wonderful shops. Unfortunately the train that Peter Sellers rode into town in the first Pink Panther movie no longer runs, its southern terminus having been destroyed by the dam disaster of Longarone: http://tinyurl.com/adls Now, if you can find good rides around Cortina that is fine, but we will certainly look elsewhere for good rides. Don't like to feel like some kind of felon when we go for a ride. I never miss visiting Cortina on my tours of the Alps for its breath taking scenery and wonderful roads. Don't sell it short. Jobst Brandt |
#13
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In Search of Singletrack in the Alps
I don't know what you find "better riding" than around Cortina. I
find the Dolomites, and especially the mountains around Cortina, one of the most scenically beautiful areas in the alps. Besides that, the area is full of old military roads from the first and second world wars. When I first visited there, many of the roads were not yet paved and the military roads were an extension of the main routes. - yes, many roads in Europe were originally constructed for military purposes. On the other hand, if it is not restricted in some respect a road is a road. Most would not even know its history. There is also another type of military "road" in the Dolomites, known as Via Ferrata (lit., iron road), originally it was a military climbing path that could be hiked with heavy loads. There are rails, ladders, and wires to clip into. There are plenty of via ferratas around Cortina, on Tofana http://www.lowdin.nu/Treks/Wallis90/Dolomites0876.JPG, Cristallo http://www.lowdin.nu/Treks/Wallis90/Dolomites0881.JPG, http://www.lowdin.nu/Treks/Wallis90/Dolomites0884.JPG, Croda Passaporto http://www.lowdin.nu/Treks/Wallis90/Dolomites0871.JPG, Paternkofel http://www.lowdin.nu/Treks/Wallis90/Dolomites0862.JPG There are more climbing images from the Dolomites here http://www.lowdin.nu/Treks/Wallis90/Dolomit90.html, http://www.lowdin.nu/Treks/Wallis92/Climbing92.htm I have not seen any of the restrictive signs you mention and have not had a problem riding on some of these fascinating roads. You must have gotten on trails reserved for hikers near town. We were searching for singletrack and we found that most of the trails we would have like to ride were "reserved" for hikers, in fact we did not ride any singletrack worth mentioning around Cortina. However, some of these trails were far from town: e.g., by Tre Cime Lavaredo, Forcella Falzarego. Now, with regard to road riding it is an alltogether different matter. The main road along the floor of the valley is a bit busy, would not be too much fun, but otherwise there are plenty of winding mountain roads, that can be great fun. Though, if we had road bikes, and let us say a week only in the Dolomites, I think we would chose Canazei: a place I like far more both for climbing and mountainbiking. From what I understand there is some outstanding road riding too: e.g., around the Sellas. Unfortunately the train that Peter Sellers rode into town in the first Pink Panther movie no longer runs, its southern terminus having been destroyed by the dam disaster of Longarone: Is there a train at all? Most of the rail roads in the Dolomities seems to have been scrapped. Every other town has an ancient railway station but no trains, even the rails are gone, saw the same phenomena in the Colorado Rockies this summer. Now, if you can find good rides around Cortina that is fine, but we will certainly look elsewhere for good rides. Don't like to feel like some kind of felon when we go for a ride. I never miss visiting Cortina on my tours of the Alps for its breath taking scenery and wonderful roads. Don't sell it short. Well, as I wrote: "Would we go back to Cortina? Yes, if we are multi-millionaires when we are eighty four we might fit in. For mountain biking there are many places that are far more friendly in Italy." By the way, we spent a long time last night enjoying your gallery http://www-math.science.unitn.it/Bik..._Alps/Gallery/ Absolutely, splendid photos. Per |
#14
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In Search of Singletrack in the Alps
On Sat, 8 Nov 2003, TJ wrote:
That is awful to hear. I really enjoyed my trip there. If I ever go again. I will check out Livigno. Oh, my God! I know of no other such ****ty place, like Livigno. Sergio Pisa |
#15
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In Search of Singletrack in the Alps
Oh, my God! I know of no other such ****ty place, like Livigno.
Hold it! It's not Livigno but the roads and trails in that area that are worth riding. I for one think the Alpisella Pass is a beautiful route and exiting through the tunnel to the Ofen Pass gets into especially great territory. I agree, there are some splendid rides, the Alpisella Pass had some wonderful switchbacks, though they seemed to build a road destroying them when we were there. There is still plenty to ride, on both sides of the border. Livigno has some frontier character, they have special tax priveledges etc. A good thing about it is that better bikes are more affordable. There were some bikeshops that were excellent, as good as in San Franscisco, both road bikes and MTB, had the very latest Cannondales, plenty of Merlin frames in stock, etc. Per http://www.lowdin.nu/MTB/MTB.html |
#16
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In Search of Singletrack in the Alps
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#17
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In Search of Singletrack in the Alps
Wrap up warm sonny or you'll catch yer death of cold y'know. Shaun aRe |
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