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| Heading towards the mountains along the Adige bike trail |
What a contrast! After writing about the loneliness of the long distance cyclist along the Po river in Italy, things changed. But for the better? That’s the question.
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| Crossing the Adige river in Verona |
Heading northwards. Leaving the flat Po plains and heading for the mountains. Riding up the Adige river from Verona. The cycle trail is excellent. Smooth, clearly signposted, free of traffic and rising so gently you’d hardly notice it – apart from one nasty hill.
It is so good, it is attracting business. Tour companies who provide bikes, helmets, guide, book hotels and arrange just about everything, are attracting cyclists who like having all but the pedalling done for them. Some hardly need to pedal as they have hired e-bikes.
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| Cooling spray for the apple orchards - a bit of a shower would be welcome on a hot ride |
They ride downstream and we are riding up. It’s like swimming against the tide. Groups of 20 or more on rattly bikes but with little “road sense“ are riding two abreast, concentrating on pedalling and focussed on the wheel of the guy in front. Never mind the idiot going in the opposite direction.
It is good to see so many people experiencing the pleasure of bike touring. It is, as I say, bringing business. Hotels are full, group organisers are busy, delivery drivers are buzzing from hotel to hotel with the luggage, bike sales must be booming. Cynics might say this has nothing to do with adventure but is creating the illusion without the joy of chance encounters.
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| Neumarkt, one of the attractive towns along the Adige |
Meanwhile, approaching Bolzano, the traffic thickens. It's Saturday and the local racing clubs are out in force. And moving fast. The locals are out for a gentle spin, riding to the shops, taking the children for a ride. Occasionally old school bike tourists thread their way through the stream.
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| Old school bike tourist? Who is this guy, seen riding along the Pustertal in June? |
The old school are the purists. Simple bikes, modest load of luggage. No fixed plan, flexible. Quietly cruising along. Free as a bird. A nod towards like–minded on-comers. It’s regrettable that with the greatly increased traffic, the spirit of cameraderie decreases and mutual co-operation wanes. In 1000km covered, we had few discussions with on-comers about what lies ahead for each of us. Far fewer than in the past.
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| There are plenty of castles along the way |
Contrast these with the juggernaut drivers. Huge upright black e–bikes. The command centre fitted with Garmin gear preloaded with the detailed route which must be followed. Mobile phone and maps attached to the handlebar along with the e-bike controller to monitor progress. Then, as well as the battery, there is a backup, a supplementary power source for the Garmin and phone etc. On the back is half a ton of essential luggage. Cynics might say this has nothing to do with adventure but a work out for gadget geeks.
Breakfast conversation in German in the hotel:
Him: do you speak German?
Me: yes
Him: are you German?
Me: no
Him: where are you going?
Me: North. You?
Him: South. We rode 125km yesterday
Me: mmmm... (thinks: on an e-bike, downhill, no big deal)
I think he only struck up the conversation to tell me this.
The handlebars on this guy's bike came up to my chest. The „cockpit“ looked like something from star wars. Our simple, steel Roberts touring bikes looked like toys beside it.
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| Riding on former rail tracks is a treat - even up hill. This is heading north towards the Brenner Pass from Bolzano |
Bolzano is a maelstrom of two wheel traffic going at very different speeds, with different objectives on bikes as different as Italy’s plains behind us are from the Alps ahead. But it works. Sadly, amid so much activity there is no time or inclination for greetings. Whereas once a raised hand, a „hi“ or even a smile was the norm, here not a twitch or a grunt of recognition.
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| Riding towards the Brenner Pass |
At least, when we were riding along the Po almost every rider had a greeting: salve, buon giorno, even a forza!
Once past Bolzano, heading towards the Brenner Pass, the traffic thins to a trickle. Racers out training. A few tourists heading south. Maybe loneliness is not so bad after all.
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| Counting the cycle traffic - here, near Brixen, only 17 had passed by 9am and 25,425 in the year to date |
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