Today was one of the best days on the bike ever. 1100 meters up over 9ks (3 cobbled and ancient) like the historic prints in the Casa Italiano of last night.
I filled my bottles at an ice fed cloud stream and had not an exhausting ascent. Le gotthard is Hannibal's ancient route and is profoundly beautiful.
At the top a weird musee to st gotthard. Awful. I sense the church will be again in my face through the Italian summits. Everyone lays claim in the face of the humbling utterly huge untamrable vast mountains that are the alps.
There are two descents as described by andy rivett of days passed. I choose the cobbled car free and singularly beautifil descent. Yesterday Cameron Meyer ( I was wrong about Simon Clarke) ascended on the 12ks of cobbles known as la tremolo. Winning stage 2 of the TdS after 3 other ascents no doubt equally awe inspiring. What an athlete.
Then 50ks of beautiful descent. After the cobbles forest afain rushing streams and always my little signs guide me down and down...to Bascia and a shower down the landing auberge. Nearly 70ks of brilliant riding.
Thanks to my dear parents for giving me the legs and the will to accomplish the Gotthard. For years I used to expound this dream to my colleagues at the nga and now the dream has come true.
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