Tour Italy’s Lake Garda: Day 3
Day 3: Lake Ledro – Albergo Rifugio Graziani
61km / 1 982m / Riding Time 4:19.22
From the quiet of Lake Ledro to the bustling tourist city of Torbole, and a long ascent up the Monte Baldo range, this was our big day. An easy start down towards the town helped settle the nerves, and our route along the bustling shore of Torbole – a watersports mecca – saw us arrive at the bottom of the longest sustained climb of the tour.
Each of the Dad&Lad pairs found their own pace, as our route took us through vineyards on the lower slopes, and then through many small villages as we rode up and up and up. The heat was oppressive; but every little town we entered had a trough where we could fill up and cool off with fresh mountain water.
Accepting our fate was the key. This was a route that required patience, and careful energy management, as we continued up to our lunch stop: Brentonico, and ham and cheese paninis. After lunch, the vineyards turned into pastures; and as we finally left the treeline, the pastures turned into rocky fields, where few trees grew.
Our overnight rifugio was visible long before we reached it. And comfortable and welcoming; we gorged on potato pasta, goulash and polenta, washed down with jugs of house wine, and more Radlers and Lemon Sodas.
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