Take a hat

Stage 4 Kellerberg to Bad Hofgastein - 11 th June -  83km plus the train Kellerberg to Bad Hofgastein Kellerberg to Mallnitz route profile The Drau River A typical Austrian breakfast of bread, ham and jam washed down by good strong coffee - lovely! I could understand quite a bit of my hostesses German so we had a bit of a chat over breakfast. They used to run a farm and had cows but they did not have much land and the winter feed was very expensive. So the barn next door was now empty and the cows were gone. The next generation, sleeping one floor below me last night, now had other careers. Seems a bit sad but I suppose it happens a lot. Cafe by the Schloss Portia Soon time to head off on again. Back on the Drau Cycle Path, just a stone’s throw away.The weather was still dull but at least it was not raining. First destination of the day was the large town of Spittal. The bike route took me straight into the centre and the lovely park by the Schloss Portia....

Stage 3 Resiutta to Kellerberg - 10 th June - 102km Resiutta to Kellerberg Resiutta to Villach profile Not a road - One of the tunnels on the cycle path Busy Valley Looking left from an Iron bridge The Autostrada Looking forward to getting away from the Hotel and heading up the bike path this morning. Booked breakfast for 8am. The Restaurant was in darkness but someone surfaced after about 15 minutes so I could take breakfast and pay my bill. Then it was a walk, or was it a run, across the road to the start of the ride. No rain, a great surface with massive snails being the only obstacles. The river valley itself is quite busy with road noise from the old and new infrastructure. My bike route was superb until Chiusaforte Station where it suddenly stopped being a bike route and became a disused Railway Line again. I was a bit disappointed as I left the track and joined the road. Looking right from an Iron bridge The older road bridges Chiusaforte Station - st...

Stage 2 Udine to Resiutta - 9 th July - 60km Udine to Resiutta Udine to Resiutta profile - not too steep Another day, another Breakfast Buffet. This was a really good spread and despite my best efforts I made little impact upon the piles of food available. Bit of rain, unfortunately, so once I had raised the bike from the cellar, I gingerly pedalled over the cobbles. Don’t think I would make a Classics racer somehow. Getting out of cities is not my strong point but I managed to get to the outskirts of Udine without any problems. The cycle paths were fine but unfortunately I ended up in an out of town shopping area with multiple roundabouts, bit like a UK new town. I had gone too far west. I could have turned back to follow the valley but would probably have ended up on the Autostrada or back in Udine. Decided to head for the hills and took a route through Martignacco and Moruzzo towards Colloredo di Monte Albano. Is this the way to Colloredo? Had to ask the way a coupl...

Stage 1 Grado Pineta to Udine - 8 th June In the pink until I dropped my Holux - not painful! Grado Beach Area - yours for the day for 2 Euros Grado - smart and well cared for resort After a good night’s sleep I was awoken by a dawn chorus of smokers coughs echoing through the hotel. My dining room companions from last night were clearly coming alive. Down to the restaurant for a repeat of last night’s procedure, this time with the expansive breakfast buffet.  Another very good demolition job, even if I say so myself. Another receptionist at check-out and another friendly face. I used the expression, 'what's the damage' when asking for my bill so we had a bit of a laugh over colloquial expressions. There was no damage honestly! Time to fill the bidons, load up and head along the coast towards Grado.  Had a good first impression of Grado, even more umbrellas and a much tidier beach.   Umbrellas on holiday Grado is where the Alpe-Adria cycle trai...