It is the first trip for our travel bikes in an Intercity train (IC). Bring the stuff on board is a bit more difficult than on regional trains. But then we make it, have bikes on board and we have a good, comfortable place close to them. Ten hours later, after a relaxed time with great views of our Alpine crossing of 2019, with two changes of trains (Kassel and Freilassing), we get off in Villach (A), in the border triangle Austria, Slovenia and Italy.
We have bright sunshine and in front of us, the snow-capped mountains look like the three peaks in the Dolomites. Just looks like this. There are the Karawanks that belong to Slovenia.
The old railway station of Tarvisio. Tarvisio is one of the most important ski areas and mountain resorts of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The forest of Tarvisio, 24,000 hectares, is the largest state-owned forest in Italy.
Our entry stage follows the Alpe-Adria cycle path, from Tarvisio’s former railway line, continuous 2% gradient, top gear, wonderful views, good surface and great infrastructure. Many cyclists are on the road.
Chiusaforte is a former train station, now a beautiful biker café. Here we meet Kevin whom we have already met in Arnoldstein. He is from Thuringia (D), has taken his annual leave to drive all the way to Athens. He built his own bike. It is a pity that we do not have a picture, the bike is really great. He has taken some ideas of Velotraum. We cycle a few kilometers together.
In Gemona, a few kilometers before Udine, our stage ends at a small, fine ** campsite. There we sit now, it is 10.30 pm.
Before that, we made a trip to the associated village, cooked pasta with vegetable sauces and drank Birra Moretti, the Italian Heinecken.
Tomorrow we continue to the sea.
