Day 5: Glorious Gravel

 Sleep came easily last night, despite rolling off my sleeping mat several times, and the lower temperature that camping at 2,300m brings. Getting up to answer a call of nature in the middle of the night presented a sight to behold; the clear nights sky with zero light pollution. 

Breakfast was served at 8am and we certainly weren’t going to miss it. We also had a big day ahead, 100km, 25km of which on gravel tracks. 

7am was a somewhat rude awakening, which was quickly overcome with the view that greeted me when I unzipped my tent. Stunning. 

Breakfast was quickly despatched and we sat about the first section of gravel: 12km through the section which is commonly described as “Little Peru”. No idea why but it was probably the most beautiful route I have ever ridden. The gravel was fairly rideable and we made quick time skirting along the undulating white tracks, our eyes not quite believing what we were seeing. 

All around us were Marmotts. Most of which we could hear but not see, but as we became more remote they became braver, playing in the grass by the side of the road. 

The other notable feature of today’s route was the number of forts. We cross crossed the Italian / French border all day; the Italian defences of days gone by were plain to see. 

We were sad to see the end of the Strada Gardetta as gravel gave way to tarmac but we enjoyed a beautiful descent on quiet roads off the mountain down to the valley floor. 

Compared to the serenity of the morning’s ride, the town we landed in was an assault on the senses, but we got a coke and bought a couple of pizza slices which we devoured as an early lunch. 

We spent the next couple of hours following the valley down to the river and then back up the other side. Nothing too strenuous but with an initial headwind which changed into a tailwind once we started heading upwards. 

The road was in the process of being tarmacced which created some beautifully smooth surfaces, but also meant lots of temporary traffic lights over 200 or 300 metres. There was no way that we were going to make it through on a green light and do we started to do the only sensible thing - we ignored the red lights. 

It worked like a charm, until it didn’t. An oncoming lorry driver took such umbrage with me pulled over by the side of the road that he stopped and would not move again until I’d wrestled me and my bike over the barrier, before wrestling it back over said barrier once the coast was clear. 

The road was reasonably busy but eventually turned into a quiet cycle path (presumably the old main road) which followed a stream uphill. The temperature was already over 30 degrees and after a few km we stopped by the side of the stream, initially dunking our feet in, then our legs, then - just because - I laid down in the cold water. It was shockingly cold but I was dry in minutes, such was the heat. 

Reluctantly we climbed back on our bikes and headed through Limone Piedmont and towards the Colle di Tende. I say “toward”, in fact the 30km climb had already started albeit the lower slopes weren’t too offensive. 

Before long the climb proper was upon us, a rude awakening as we guided ourselves up an initial 7 hairpins before the road split: motorised transport heading towards the tunnel under the mountain and pedal power heading up the quiet climb. 

The road climb was 14km long and topped out at a cafe - with 18km still to ride, we took the opportunity to have a coke and a rest, before once more road turned to gravel and up to the Via Di Sal - the Salt Road. 

The service was - well - Italian. Eventually I played the diabetic card which enabled the fairly swift procurement of the cokes…

The initial 12km of the Salt Road was almost all uphill, with a few stretches of flatter parts as the track followed the contours of the mountain. 

There were, once again, a lot of Marmotts. 

The surface was notably more harsh than the Strada Gardetta, and it needed a fair bit of concentration to avoid the worst of the rocks and keep balance on the loaded bikes. 

I was in my element. I loved it, and all of my fatigue I felt on the Colle Di Tende disappeared. It was, however, one of those tracks which defied science - just as you thought you couldn’t possibly climb any higher, you’d turn a corner and see a wall in front of you. 

Eventually, the climb ended and the track headed downhill for 4km before rudely climbing back up over 800 steep metres, to the track which led down to the Refuge San Barbara, our home for the evening. 

It was already 6pm and we set about getting tents up, before “enjoying” a cold shower. Allow me to elaborate. The water was, as described, cold. But the icing on the cake was the 10 litre water ration. Really helpful when you’re covered in trail dust. 

But the discomfort was quickly forgotten as we got tucked into standard refuge fayre. 

Tonight’s offering:

• bread with melted cheese and a walnut
• Risotto
• Second helpings of risotto
• Sausage and beans with sautéed potatoes
• Second helpings of Sausage and beans with sautéed potatoes
• Bread
• Panne cotta. 

Happily full, we headed back to our tents for what would almost certainly be a good nights sleep. 

Each evening on this trip Drew and I have been commenting that each particular day had been the hardest day we’d spent on a bike. Today was no exception, but for me it was up there with the very best.