Switching Gears: #5: Tarvisio, Italy

On the cycling trail, being out in the elements and riding through different towns really makes every day a brand new, spanking day. We were happy to high-tail it out of the miasma of Spittal the next morning. Unfortunately, Markus had caught my head cold.

So after cycling a 10k or so, we made a quick pit stop in Villach. This bright, bustling town on the river Drau would have made a much nicer overnight stop than Spittal.

Markus asked around for a local pharmacy and we quickly found the "Angel Pharmacy" just a few blocks off the cycling trail. It was already busy. (Bakeries and pharmacies always seem to be packed in the morning in Germany and Austria. Can't start your day without pills and pretzel rolls!)

After stocking up on more natural cold remedies, we hopped back on our bikes. It wasn't long before we reached the border...

With the open Austrian-Italian border of the EU, all the customs/checkpoints were deserted. Felt a little eerie riding through it--like the ghostly concrete remnants of a forgotten civilization.

The signage for the Alpe-Adria trail got very dicey around the border. Even when we could find a sign, it wasn't clear which road it was referring to. Our map wasn't detailed enough to show all the small windy country roads.

Here, we're wondering if we're heading for the Italian mountain town of Tarvisio (our destination), or to Melania Trump's homeland.

But one pedal push led to another, and finally we reached the beautiful, pristine town of Tarvisio.

We lucked out finding a great place to stay...

After a delectable Italian pizza and cold beer at L'Atro Gusto, a great local restaurant, and a sound night's sleep at friendly Hotel Edelhof, we were completely recharged.

The next morning, we were psyched to hit the road again. Right outside of Tarvisio, the route becomes a sleek two-lane paved road accessible only to bicycles.