On the weekend of August 15th last year, we find ourselves in the heart of summer, and we decide to embark on a journey around Garda. A bit carefree, we choose to trust a local, Matteo Minelli, who shares his story on bikepacking.com
Heading to the north of Italy to dip our feet in one of the country’s largest lakes. The plan: 369 km and around 10.000 meters of elevation gain. And I can assure you, we will feel every bit of it.
Andiamo!
We close our eyes and trust the GPS route without thinking too much about what awaits us. Too excited to stop at all the cafes and savor the Italian delights, as much as the mountain summits waiting for us.
On the first day, we cross through fields, vineyards, and lakeside villages. Cafes and gelati keep us company on this scorching first day. The goal is to move forward as far as possible; this is indeed the flattest part of the route, so we might as well rack up the kilometers. Starving, we stopped at a park to have a piadina. It’s a delight. We also each gulp down two Estate drinks, way better than regular iced tea.
The days in the saddle are long, but the sun accompanies us until we reach our campsite, a sort of small garden perched on the heights overlooking the lake. Under what seems to be the most beautiful view in the world at that moment, we savor focaccia and other specialties bought at the supermarket earlier.
The adventure begins.
Second day. We wake up around 7:30, and it’s already as hot as during those post-Sunday meal nap hours. But for us, it’s time to fold and pack up the bivouac and enjoy coffee with our bottoms on the grass. Today, we’ll have to grit our teeth and pedal one step at a time.
But for now, we’re leaving the camp to reach a tiny village that still seems asleep… or so it pretends, since everyone is gathering at the café. So, why not us? I savor my cappuccino and hazelnut-filled croissant before filling the water bottles and hitting the road this time.
One road, one way to go, and it’s up, up, up. We stay on the heights for a short while with a view of the lake, and then we venture deeper into the woods to reach a trail, the one that will occupy our entire morning.
At the end of it, the Passo Tremalzo, a mountain pass well-known to mountain bikers but also a military structure that has nothing to envy from its cousin, the Alta via del Sale. Tougher, steeper, more rugged, it challenged us.
After a long while, we come across a waterfall by the road to refresh ourselves entirely, but, most importantly, a farm is just there where we can eat a cheese platter, drink a coffee, and cuddle all the animals living here. A little paradise in the heart of the mountain. It’s amazing to be right here.
There’s still a little way to go before the summit, but it’s nothing compared to what we’ve endured. The worst part is when some sections of the trail are paved ; that’s when you know you’ll need to push and pull on the pedals. But once at the top, all is forgotten. We stop for a moment to admire the view. Before embarking on an incredible, crazy, rocky and seemingly endless descent to the lake of Ledro. Pure magic.
We do our shopping quickly and decide to add an 800m ascent to reach the Pernici refuge to sleep in warmth and away from the bears. The refuge is almost empty, except two hikers and the refuge keepers. No shower, but a tap for a quick wash, and a bed. A night to recover from the day in our legs. Time to dream about the summits…
Upon waking up, we take the time to reorganize our saddlebags on the refuge’s terrace. Down below, emptiness and the forest ; ahead, the mountain as our path. A coffee will do ; the chalet is in a slow mode. The first part is tough, a hiking trail full of rocks that forces us to push the bike.
Then the trail, a country road, circling the small Tenno Lake, which leads us up a steep climb. We’re now far from Lake Garda, hidden in the mountains. This day will also be demanding in terms of elevation gain, challenging sections, and splendid arrivals. The only downside is our passage through Riva del Garda. To get to the other side, we have to cross the city with its tourists.
Dirty and tired, we feel out of place and quickly make our way to find our lost paths. Success – in the blink of an eye, we’re slipping through the vineyards under the midday sun. We dive into the fountains to cool off, eat popsicles, and ride as happy as can be until sunset…
Tonight we also stop at a refuge, the Baita Fos-Ce. However, we will sleep in the tent in the garden. It’s the last evening. Already. I took a shower, the first one of the trip. We have a drink, then two, to admire the sunset and savor this moment.
The bivouac is set up next to a table and a bench where we will eat our freeze-dried pasta by the light of our headlamps… we carried it, so we might as well eat it.
In the morning, clouds surround us. The tent is damp from the humidity. We pack up everything just as the sun appears. Breakfast at the refuge. The hospitality is warm and kind; we feel at home and want to savor this moment forever. It seems like a family affair. One of the hosts says something we will never forget:
Our life is in the mountains.
Maybe that’s what we came for after all; the vast open spaces, the high peaks, and the beauty. Simply put.
Dreamy and cheerful, we embark on this last day, from high peaks back to the lake. Four very fulfilling days that, even two months later, the emotions are still vivid.
A presto,
Massacan club