Day 14 - Nauders Austria (60 kms - " Its thigh slapping time " !

Our B&B owner had asked us if we were going to tackle the 2,900 metre Stelvio pass the night before and while we laughed saying no way it sure felt that by mid afternoon we'd taken one of our famous wrong turns somewhere and were in fact on tract to do something we had not intended !

We started out on yet another hot morning in Coldrano with H well equipped with his "lifted" breakfast goodies and set about to cover the 50+ kms to the Reisa Pass which according to our profiles had a few distinct bumps in it !

At least the early stage of the day was pleasant following a brilliantly signed trail along the Adige river over fairly flat terrain.

We knew it wasn't going to !ast and sure enough we went off road for 5 kms through the beautiful Stelvio National Park that contained near our exit point a series as of sharp 8-10% climbs albeit only fairly short ones.

We emerged back on the made trail at Lasa, an ominous name reference to H's last cycling implosion (Tibet 2010), where the trail again flattened giving us time to enjoy  some spectacular scenery.

At Prad we were treated to views of the magnificent snow capped Stelvio Mtn which often features prominently in the Giro tours

Our relaxed morning cycling ended near beautiful Gulzen  where for the next 15 kms we were subjected to repeated sections of 10-15% gradients that had us spinning furiously and sweating litres when we weren't walking !

I was amazed at the regular peletons of mainly MTBs that came hurtling down in the opposite direction. Looking at the riders it was obvious that they had been transported up towards the pass and then as a group let loose and who could blame them when for 50+ kms the terrain is predominantly downhill !

Eventually the profile started to flatten out as we cycled along side two magnificent lakes that provided for stunning views of snow capped mountains and emerald colored waters !

Rounding the 2nd of the lakes and following a short descent we arrived at the Austrian border at the Reisa Pass at 1455 meters where we obligingly posed for some gappy snaps.

Hurtling 7 kms downhill following we saw a noticeable change in scenery - somehow the valleys seemed to close in while the fields appeared to get bigger with families out on this 1st of July helping to cut and store grass feed.

We eventually found our hotel in The ski resort of Nauders (not that far from St Moritz) rested before having dinner in our next door restaurant with H not happy that we were shepherded into the plebs corner although one could hardly blame staff with self not wearing socks and H walking in swinging his big bag of fruit !

With only 2 days in Austria we work our way still following where we can the Claudio Augusta trail with our biggest challenge now being the heat wave that is sweeping Europe and Henley's flatulence which has upped a notch ever since we crossed the border !!!!