TENDE TO VINTIMIGLIA DAY 3
To tende again?
After a late night with fine company, a bit of booze and some good food, we are up very early to catch the train to Tende … again. We have decided to stop at Briel zur Roya instead of Tende, because the small town is 12 km further to the south, and hopefully we can get to the trail from there, and hopefully there won’t be any snow.
First things first, at a small shop in Briel Zur Roya we buy provisions (cake, candy, chips, M&M’s ect.) in the center of the town there is a map of the local trails, and we go for a trail that will connect us to right trail at the top of the mountain. We are heading up the mountain, the weather is super nice and warm, birds are singing and unicorns are jumping thru rainbows!
Riding on a narrow flat ledge high up in the mountains
Briel-zur-Roya
Up & around … and back again
After 2 hours of ascending the steep trails, dense forests, small ledges, rock slides, a downhill track and some backyards we arrive at a really nice vantagepoint. We have a nice and long break in the sun and enjoy the fantastic view while eating a good meal and some of the cake.
After studying our map we discover that we are on the wrong trail.. damn it #%!!§ the only way ahead is to down and back to the town or go back to a trail fork and try the other trail? what to do? We decide to try the trail fork, and then hope i will lead us to the top.
The trail doesn’t go to the top! it only leeds us around the mountain, up and down, and after 2 hours of up and down, mostly down, we finally hit a trail that’s rideable, and we have a nice ride down the mountain toward the town… so 4 hours of hiking & biking and we are back in the town again.
The right direction ?
As we enter the town, i spot a small store that advertises mtb and whitewater trips, it might be a good place to ask for directions? the owner is super friendly and we end up talking to him and his wife for half an hour, we get some good advice and buy a quality map of the area, then start toward …. 10 km further down south, where we can connect to the right trail.
10 km on asphalt, it is nice though, and it’s very relaxing. at … we start climbing on a insanely steep road… yes it’s that steep! so after 500m we are off the bikes and start pushing, after 2 hours of walking we have a nice break and enjoy the nice view, i have a nice butt-chafing! but some “glide” helps a lot and we continue up the steep road.
Hard climb up the super steep road
Super sweet wildcamp
We reach a pass just below the top, there is a Tarzan track in the woods and 2-3 Italian families are just finishing a nice picnic, we pretty much decide to stay here for the night as there i a nice spot to pitch the tent and a spring just 50 m down a trail, besides that, the view are absolutely amazing. After the italians have left we are completely alone on the mountain, it’s very quiet, and as i pitch the tent Martin makes a well deserved dinner.
There is a cuckoo in the forest, we can’t see it, but it keeps cuckooing every now and then, always from a new place, it’s as if the cockoo is playing hide’n seek with us, and then mocking us when we can’t spot it… damn bird!
the sunset is amazing, and it’s only after the stars appear that we are off to bed
Wildcamp at the top
Looking around, Martin found some huge pine cones
Nice swelling
Martin making a nice stew on the Ikea stove
The sun is setting over the mountains, and we are getting ready for bed
The sunset is amazing, and it’s only after the stars appear that we are off to bed.