sunnuntai 5. elokuuta 2012

Madonna di Campiglio

Tuesday evening, 31st July

We had the same problem again, where do we sleep and where can we leave our backbags. (I dont feel its a problem I feel its something to arrange when coming to a new place. That is just a natural part of travelling.) We went to the tourist information there they told us that it is not allowed to sleep in a tent. Camping is forbidden in the naturalpark that is all around the city. So, we needed a hotel, and especially a cheap hotel.

Madonna di Campiglio is known as a holiday place for famous people, but mostly in wintertime when it's possible to snowboard and ski. We were afraid that we would have to be ready to pay a lot for a room. Only few hotels later we found a hotel with a "student price", 64 euros for one night aka 32 per person.




We asked around for the sportshop where we could rent the gear for climbing. We found not only that but also two shops that rent mountain bikes. We desided that we will not go to the mountains today as it was already five o'clock. But mountainbiking sounded good and after comparing the prices of two shops that rented the bikes we took the bikes for two days. All together it wasn't so expensive, only 50 euros for the bikes and the climbing gears were 30 euros. Actually, our Madonna di Campiglio citybikes were cheaper than the Vienna citybikes.

We haven't got used to the mountain wheather and it surprised us when it suddenly started to rain. Almost from a clear sky. The hot air from the valleys brings the moisture up to the mountains and usually around five to seven it rains down. We had to wait about an hour before getting to the saddles of the bikes.



In an hour we managed to make a mess in our hotelroom. (Grhm I think she managed to make a mess. Well I took part this time as I changed the stuff in the small bag to put in what we needed for the biking evening)

Mika:
After making the mess the rain stopped and she was suddenly already downstairs on the bike waiting for me. I still wanted to take pictures and make sure I got everything that we would need.


Janina:
I have to admit being again too crazy, as I had suggested to go on the top of the mountains by bike tomorrow. I realized quickly when we started to ride up it wouldn't be that nice and might take more than couple of hours. One day would had been closer to the truth. But I felt so sad that I'm still not in a that good shape that I could go on the top with a bike. I had to get out of the saddle many times and run or walk with the bike uphill. It helped a bit that Mika had to do the same. (Well I think its normal that when going up a ski slope it isn't doable with a bike. Otherwise the slope wouldn't be a good one...)



The climbing on an of the saddle was well worth of the tears. (When going down on the slope and on paths next to it the feeling of adrenaline pumped to your veins.) We had Specialized branded bikes and I've got nothing bad to say of them. In Finland we had only tested those kind of bikes on a normal road. I was almost able to trust the bike when we were going fast down, but few times I almost fell as the tires didn't hold. (I was trying to show her that the tires dont need to hold completely, you just need to slide a bit in the corners)

Wednesday 1st of August

It is still morning if you wake up at 9 o'clock, but when it comes to trying to leave early, it isn't that early. The hotel breakfast was good, only thing that I missed was darkbread. It is funny that in here the breakfast is made so sweety, usually you have bigger selection of cakes than breads.

Our plans for that day were quite clear. Lets go on the top with the mountainbikes (on the lift) and go climbing on the Via Ferrata! Then after the climbing we'd come down the mountain bike routes. It wasn't too hot, but clear wheather, we had enough sleep and we were a happy couple. Not bad at all.






When we got up on top of the slope Mika was a bit stressed as we had forgotten our compass at the hotel. I had the feeling I'm just dreaming as it was so beautiful. I tried to say that the routes must be marked somehow, otherwise everybody would be lost even those who have a compass. And so the routes were.



First we needed to walk to the start of Bellini for about an hour. And while going up the terrain got harder and harder.



It was something amazing, the views of the rocks and mountains, the feeling that you're really high and the gears are not keeping you safe all the time. Sometimes it was kind of hard, the rocks were slippery (maybe it was because of my shoes) and the weather was varying from hot to cold. There was even some snow still on the mountains.



We stopped many times just wondering and trying to realize the fact we are on the top of Groste. I still couldn't fully understand that.






The route we were walking and climbing was Bellini, and we were told it would take about 4 hours. Well, we noticed to be late and miss the bikes and the gears drop offs badly. Luckily we found a cottage that was resting place and restaurant for tired and hungry climbers.(Refuge)



I got a bit envious when I saw the proper climbing sets for freeclimber. One day I will definetely try that also.



People in there were really helpful. We asked their help in arranging so that we can drop off the equipment in a bar and the bikes in a hotel. We didn't need to pay anything extra for them or spend another night in a hotel in Madonna di Campiglio.

Mika:
I promised to promote them on our blog for climbing training there. So if you want to get really nice dudes to teach you how to climb go to the end of Via Ferrata Bellini, there is a Refuge with these guys. ;)

Janina:
We got back in an hour eventhough they said it's a 1,5 h hike. We were such in a good mood from the refuge that we ran some mountain paths that were only about a meter wide. Mika said he had gotten used to the ledges and paths. We found our bikes and started to go down. It was exciting, but some roads were too difficult for me.



Mika:
I felt it was amazing going downhill about 80+ km/h and then again some times slower more technical paths where with this bike you could jump of the path and ride on the forest terrain just checking for really big obstacles. And it was nice to jump of the road and jump back from higher terrain.



Janina:
After the all together 8 hour training session we needed food. Mika would have wanted to go in some fine restaurant, to get proper food. But I thought that I am too muddy and stinky to do that. So we went to eat in a pub, not so good food but quick.



Mika:
While we were eating we watched the Olympics on Telly. We had heard earlier that Finland has Zero medals from a ride who followed the Olympics. Swimming was on and there weren't any Finns in the Finals. Like a proper "penkkiurheilija" we commented on the swimming styles, suits and makeup on the girls.
When ordering I asked for the most meat in their offerings and it turned out to be two Bratwurst sausages in a bread. After that I asked for a couple of steaks and a salad. All together I got my stomach full but it almost cost me more than a proper restaurant meal...



And for desert, ofcourse Italian icecream.

Mika wasn't so content as I didn't want to pay for a hotel again. Just to go and find a place to put up the tent.



I tried to also suggest sleeping with a backbags.
But the tent won.
It was illegal (atleast so we were told, later we found out it really isn't), but we settled up next to one hotel that looked to be closed. When people were passing by us we tried to be still and not make any noice.

I know, sometimes it's hard having a girlfriend like me, who is open to new experiences and don't demand that everything must be comfortable. (Okay, normally at home I want that everything is comfortable) But while travelling I can eat just something from the market and sleep in a tent.

Mika:
Actually I feel that sleeping and eating good while travelling is a key to a nice trip. Be it in a tent, hostel, dorm, couch, street with food from restaurant, trangia, market, grocery shop or pub etc. Most of the arguments on the trip have been about not sleeping enough or beeing hungry.

Thursday 2nd

In the morning we woke up early to have breakfast in some hotel before leaving towards Garda lake with a bus. (Mika: Well actually, as the tent was on the yard of a closed hotel. It wasn't a nice sleeping enviroment)

At the hotel we were content with a price of 5 euros per each and we got Wifi connection. They served some darker bread, ahh!


Luckily the bus was a bit late, otherwise we might have missed it.

Mika:
A bit, more like half an hour so we weren't in a hurry. Well we got on it and started to enjoy the airconditioning and the sceneries driving towards Sarce.

There we needed to change bus to another one going to Riva del Garda. Janina was blogging with the N900 as long as the battery lasted.

After that we tried to load it with the solar battery. Clas Ohlson quality solar panel, charge for 8 hours and get around half battery...

Well now before the battery ends again we send this out. Ciao!

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