NE Italy + Dolomites mountain roads questions

I've been riding some of the high passes and mountain roads of northeast
Italy, and now I've got some questions about them:

(a) I've ridden several of the obvious passes over major roads in the
Dolomites, but I notice the map has lots of other smaller roads (unpaved?)
over other passes close by.
Which of those are especially interesting?
Sergio mentioned "Prato Piazza" -- Are there others I should add to my list?
Which ones are not worth trying?

(b) riding from Spondinig/Spondigna to Meran/Merano: I've always avoided
riding this because I didn't like the looks of it from driving the road
several times. Seemed like lots of high-speed vehicle traffic going between
the Reschenpass / Passi di Resia to Meran + Bozen. And a fair number of
curves on a road not wide.
What your experience? Are there ways to avoid most of the distance on the
main road?
Or is riding mostly on the main road not as bad as I'm imagining?

(c) riding from Meran to Bozen: There might be several ways to do this. (1)
I've heard there's a bike path; (2) over Gampenjoch / Passo Palade and
Mendel pass / Mendola high on the west side; (3) lower roads on the west
side; (4) roads thru the hills on the east side. Any thoughts on which ones
are more pretty and interesting, or which ones to avoid?

(d) Passo San Pellegrino and Passo di Rolle (somewhat south of Canazei): It
looks like there's some different options for riding thru or around the
What's prettier and more interesting?

farther east:
(e) Passo di Monte Croce Carnico (or Ploeckenpass) (1360m) is northeast from
Monte Zoncolan on the Italy / Austria frontier: I think the Giro d'Italia
has ridden over it twice, but what's it like with the road open for normal
vehicle traffic?

(f) even further east (getting toward Slovenia), do some of the mountains
still have pointy peaks and sharp ridges like in the Dolomites (at least
somewhat)? Or are the summits all more rounded and moderate? Or are there
other things about the terrain that might make it worthwhile to continue
riding east across Italy (perhaps with some crossings thru Austria?) to
reach like say Kranskja Gora in Slovenia? what about riding over passes in
Slovenia?

(g) Or would it be more interesting to ride more south to finish say in
Trieste?

farther west:
(h) west from Stelvio and Mortirolo and Tirano is Passo di San Marco
(1985m) -- anybody tried that?

Thanks for the help and ideas,

Ken

On 29 Ott, 01:16, "Ken Roberts"
wrote:
(a) I've ridden several of the obvious passes over major roads in the
Dolomites, but I notice the map has lots of other smaller roads (unpaved?)
over other passes close by.
Which of those are especially interesting?

I mention one that you might know already.
A beautiful loop from Castelrotto to Alpe di Siusi and down to Santa
Cristina via Monte Pana: DO IT!

(b) riding from Spondinig/Spondigna to Meran/Merano: *I've always avoided
riding this because I didn't like the looks of it from driving the road
several times. Seemed like lots of high-speed vehicle traffic going between
the Reschenpass / Passi di Resia to Meran + Bozen. And a fair number of
curves on a road not wide.
What your experience? Are there ways to avoid most of the distance on the
main road?

An obvious alternative: take the Bike Paths that run all the way from
Spondigna to Bolzano.

(c) riding from Meran to Bozen: *There might be several ways to do this.. (1)
I've heard there's a bike path; (2) over Gampenjoch / Passo Palade and
Mendel pass / Mendola high on the west side; (3) lower roads on the west
side; (4) roads thru the hills on the east side. Any thoughts on which ones
are more pretty and interesting, or which ones to avoid?

The old main road from Merano to Bolzano is not so bad, after all.
There is a parallel super highway that absorbs most heavy traffic.
Also: on a road that would be very busy try to cycle on sunday
morning.


d) Passo San Pellegrino and Passo di Rolle (somewhat south of
Canazei): *It
looks like there's some different options for riding thru or around the
What's prettier and more interesting?

I vote for Passo Rolle. Better yet if you come after descending from
Passo Valles and go up from Malga Vallazza to Baita Segantini. A must
do!

(e) Passo di Monte Croce Carnico (or Ploeckenpass) (1360m) is northeast from
Monte Zoncolan on the Italy / Austria frontier: *I think the Giro d'Italia
has ridden over it twice, but what's it like with the road open for normal
vehicle traffic?

Monte Croce Carnico is a rather busy road.

(f) even further east (getting toward Slovenia), do some of the mountains
still have pointy peaks and sharp ridges like in the Dolomites (at least
somewhat)? Or are the summits all more rounded and moderate? Or are there
other things about the terrain that might make it worthwhile to continue
riding east across Italy (perhaps with some crossings thru Austria?) to
reach like say Kranskja Gora in Slovenia? what about riding over passes in
Slovenia?

I have been in Kranskja Gora this very year. The Triglav National Park
is beautiful, an idillic place is the inner Lake Bohini, quite nice
the Vrsic Pass The road that climbs to the pass from the eastern side
is a good example of what mountain roads were some 50 years ago. Paved
Roubaix-style at every hairpin, with asphalt in between.
When in the area do visit the beautiful Museum after the First World
War at Kobarid (Caporetto).

(g) Or would it be more interesting to ride more south to finish say in
Trieste?

I doubt it.

(h) west from Stelvio and Mortirolo and Tirano is Passo di San Marco
(1985m) -- anybody tried that?

I have never done that but I can easily refer you to a friend of mine
who lives in Tirano.
I would not expect much of San Marco

Sergio
Pisa

Wow -- lots of good ideas.
I'll respond to only one right now.

sergio wrote
A beautiful loop from Castelrotto to Alpe di Siusi and down
to Santa Cristina via Monte Pana: DO IT!

Yes it's beautiful, and Yes Sharon + I did it two or three years ago.
It includes a long steep section on dirt-gravel roads, and by doing it in
the direction you describe you take the dirt in the downhill direction
(which I think is better) -- though navigating thru the dirt roads is just a
bit tricky.

Ken

On 31 Ott, 13:31, "Ken Roberts"
wrote:
Wow -- lots of good ideas.

Ken,
there is a trail that I once talked Jobst to do.
Although, as I recall, he did not really like it I'll propose it
again suggesting you take it up with a Mtb.
From San Vigilio di Marebbe over Alpe di Fanes to Fiames/Cortina.

Sergio
Pisa

sergio wrote
An obvious alternative: take the Bike Paths that run all
the way from Spondigna to Bolzano.

I did not know that the bike route avoided the main SS road the whole way
(or even most of the way) from Spondigna to Merano. I've heard that it does
avoid the SS road the whole way from Merano to Bolzano.

I vote for Passo Rolle. Better yet if you come after descending
from Passo Valles and go up from Malga Vallazza to Baita
Segantini. A must do!

Thanks -- it's now on my must do list.

Monte Croce Carnico is a rather busy road.

I was afraid of that. But it could still be OK with me if the Monte Croce
Carnico / Ploeckenpass road were fairly wide.

I have been in Kranskja Gora this very year. The Triglav
National Park is beautiful, an idillic place is the inner Lake
Bohini, quite nice the Vrsic Pass The road that climbs to
the pass from the eastern side is a good example of what
mountain roads were some 50 years ago.


Good -- so I'll try to get there on a future trip.

Ken

On 2 Nov, 03:18, "Ken Roberts"
wrote:
sergio wrote
An obvious alternative: take the Bike Paths that run all
the way from Spondigna to Bolzano.
I did not know that the bike route avoided the main SS road the whole way
(or even most of the way) from Spondigna to Merano. I've heard that it does
avoid the SS road the whole way from Merano to Bolzano.

Quite right, Ken, you are. My wording was incorrect.
I should have not said 'Bike Paths' but 'Bike Detours', in fact taking
you onto the old road through the many villages where the newly built
'Circonvallazione', with its many tunnels, avoid just them.

On the same topic. If you ever happen tocycle down from Trento to
Bassano del Grappa never do that on the obvious SS (state road). There
should be a real bike path almost all the way, I was told.

Sergio
Pisa