Hunting roads!
DOLOMITS

Article published in Euromoto and Motoitalia magazines in 2007.

Hunting: demanding, constant, in search of Alpine passes, some very famous, others a little less, in one of the most beautiful and scenic natural settings in the world: the Dolomites. An itinerary of a few days where the pleasure and joy of riding a motorbike become a daily and satisfying necessity, which only partially, even if in a rather impressive way, can be mitigated by the spectacular scenery.

Read the story published in the Euromoto magazine.

Read the story published in the Motoitalia magazine.

The sky is clear, the air is crisp, the thermometer on the dashboard shows a strange 9 °, very few if you think that even within an hour's drive, towards the south, on the plains there are almost 25 more.
I am in Cortina d’Ampezzo, the pearl of the Dolomites, in August moreover, but I am not here to participate in the social life that the famous Ampezzano center enjoys. My goal is another: to go along streets, some famous, others less traveled, in an attempt to cross as many steps as possible, also creating a harmonic circuit that can be easily covered by those who want to follow these few lines. I am just 1200m above sea level, I cover myself and definitely aim for the most beautiful mountains in the area: the 3 Cime di Lavaredo, the first step is to 3 Croci, 1805m. I pass the lake of Misurina, the largest body of water in Cadore and paid the toll the myth of the Dolomite myths, as defined by the guides, appears in all its might: the triad would be circumvented with a path in less than 2 hours but the call of the road is too strong and squandering the exorbitant entrance toll (for motorcycles, the beauty of € 10) are back on the road. Although it is still early enough the traffic is quite intense but, having arrived in San Candido and abandoning the very famous and very popular tour of the Cristallo which would bring back too soon to the starting point, things improve heading towards Austria, and then deviate towards the Pass of Monte Croce di Comelico. The route is much less busy, but deviating further towards the Passo del Zovo, things get even better. And it will be loneliness or almost until you get closer to Pieve di Cadore, famous for its numerous eyewear factories as well as being the birthplace of Titian. In Vènas, to avoid the crowds on the ss51 Alemagna, I take a detour to the town of murals, Cibiana and the pass of the same name. The road is very narrow and clinging to the wall immersed in the woods. Continuing you go down until you take the ss251 and just after Selva di Cadore, turn right for the Giau pass, recognized as one of the most beautiful in the area. At the 29th bend you realize you are almost at the top !!! To tackle the Falzarego I have to get closer to Cortina, the crossroads is just 6km, but I keep turning left to ring steps in rapid succession: Falzarego, in fact, Valparola, Gardena, Sella, Pordoi (other dozen and dozens of hairpin bends !!!) , a very short detour to Campolongo, slightly off the itinerary, to get to the Andraz castle. Less than 10km as the crow flies from Selva to cover more than 110 on the road !! The hunt continues to conquer what perhaps comes close to the trophy of the day. Arriving in the late afternoon on the Fedaia pass can give truly unique sensations (photo 24, beautiful perhaps even as a double opening): the Marmolada is reflected on the Fedaia lake illuminated by the sun setting behind the dam, impossible not to stop in contemplation !!
The descent along the ss641 is normally spectacular but, the entrance to

Canazei, overrun by tourists, leads me to hurry in search of passes: the lonely and not very busy Costalunga, Lavazè, to then pass through S. Pellegrino, the Valles, and tackle the famous, long but beautiful Rolle pass. Tired? The arrival in Agordo passing through Cereda, located at just 1369m, will tire us out of curves on a road that is sometimes so narrow that it makes us think we have taken the wrong road. A bit of rest along the ss203 valley floor before attacking the last stretch in Caprile. We have to cross the Falzarego again: don't worry, only 16 hairpin bends, plus those of course to go down to Cortina!