It all started with a Facebook message which, as a fan of the riding offered in Livigno, hooked me in quite quickly. I knew the trails from the proposed itinery, plus a night ride and another overnight in a Refuge so really, it was a no – brainer.
Friday started early with a gathering and registration, think there was about 20 people all together. Titanium, carbon, Aluminium, Unobtainium, Steel all present. Rigid to full suss, its all here. Everyone was in their own niche.
Fat_bike_GM_14-7308 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
A real mix of people and bikes. Industry folk, bike shop owners and distributers, Giuliana Massarotto the Italian 24hr Mtb champion, tour divide and Iditerod riders, local riders and me, the pie eating ex pat… so as the only Brit, it was like joining a group of mates for a weekend away.
Fat_bike_Livigno_GM_14-7698 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Day 1 was a local loop for press and photos. It included the Motolino bike park after the ride, personally, Livigno is a duty free zone so I went shopping for Schnaps and other stuff… The evening was a night ride to a superb spot for dinner. What took about 90 mins of climbing was equal to 10mins of free fall fatbiking in the dark. Those bikes kick up a load of dust at speed. But smiles and laughter all round.
Fat_bike_GM_14-7501 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Fat_bike_GM_14-7440 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Day 2 was set up for a trip through to Cancarno and an overnight at Fraele http://www.rifugiovalfraele.com/ saw us setting off latish for the climb to Trela. The sun was beating down as we ticked our way up to the top of the pass at 2295m. Everyone going well and making a good social day of it. Bikes were swapped around but the full suss fatty ripped through the descent, loads of smiles again. Trela was a superb lunch break amongst the mountains and much the local food was superb.
P1190696 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
P1190692 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
P1190705 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Another kamikazie downhill duststorm saw us at the Cancarno reservoir with a gentle roll in to a beer at an organisers house and then the accommodation for the night. Another superb evening of food, beer and chat was a welcome end to the day. Fraele is a superb location, I will be back.
P1190710 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Day 3 broke, sunny, warm, still and clear. Honey, fresh bread and cheese was the breakfast of champions and we saddled up again for the run over to Livigno. Reunited with the others of our team we also met an Italian legend Marurizio Deflorian who had popped over that morning to see us.. His 10kg Beargrease was a thing to behold.
Climbing back through Passo De Alpisella was a joy, big mountains, good company and chat to get you up the hills. An obligatory photo call at the top
P1190719 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
P1190721 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Then another charge to Lago Di Livigno. There were loads of folk climbing towards us as it’s a classic circuit… I think we gave them something to talk about that night. 20 fatbikes descending at speed make a lot of noise and dust…
More pics around the lakeshore as we finished the run back to town in glorious sunshine and a little bit of narcissistic pleasure through the main street, slowly dodging tourists and locals alike. We did turn a fair few heads. Had a pit stop where I met Hans Rey on a previous trip
No Way by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
So all in all, a superb weekend, impeccable organisation and preparation plus the backdrop of the Livigno area to top it off. The bikes just ate up the ground, coped superbly on all the terrain and technical sections without feeling out of their depth.
P1190702 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
A big thanks to Livigno for hosting us, Marco Costa, Michele Boschetti Nure, Michele Zanoli and Daniele Castelani as organizers and guides.
Picture credits G Meneghello
More here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/musselburghbikers/sets/72157648510039455/
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.713245018769889.1073741963.143645509063179&type=1
Friday started early with a gathering and registration, think there was about 20 people all together. Titanium, carbon, Aluminium, Unobtainium, Steel all present. Rigid to full suss, its all here. Everyone was in their own niche.
Fat_bike_GM_14-7308 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
A real mix of people and bikes. Industry folk, bike shop owners and distributers, Giuliana Massarotto the Italian 24hr Mtb champion, tour divide and Iditerod riders, local riders and me, the pie eating ex pat… so as the only Brit, it was like joining a group of mates for a weekend away.
Fat_bike_Livigno_GM_14-7698 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Day 1 was a local loop for press and photos. It included the Motolino bike park after the ride, personally, Livigno is a duty free zone so I went shopping for Schnaps and other stuff… The evening was a night ride to a superb spot for dinner. What took about 90 mins of climbing was equal to 10mins of free fall fatbiking in the dark. Those bikes kick up a load of dust at speed. But smiles and laughter all round.
Fat_bike_GM_14-7501 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Fat_bike_GM_14-7440 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Day 2 was set up for a trip through to Cancarno and an overnight at Fraele http://www.rifugiovalfraele.com/ saw us setting off latish for the climb to Trela. The sun was beating down as we ticked our way up to the top of the pass at 2295m. Everyone going well and making a good social day of it. Bikes were swapped around but the full suss fatty ripped through the descent, loads of smiles again. Trela was a superb lunch break amongst the mountains and much the local food was superb.
P1190696 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
P1190692 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
P1190705 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Another kamikazie downhill duststorm saw us at the Cancarno reservoir with a gentle roll in to a beer at an organisers house and then the accommodation for the night. Another superb evening of food, beer and chat was a welcome end to the day. Fraele is a superb location, I will be back.
P1190710 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Day 3 broke, sunny, warm, still and clear. Honey, fresh bread and cheese was the breakfast of champions and we saddled up again for the run over to Livigno. Reunited with the others of our team we also met an Italian legend Marurizio Deflorian who had popped over that morning to see us.. His 10kg Beargrease was a thing to behold.
Climbing back through Passo De Alpisella was a joy, big mountains, good company and chat to get you up the hills. An obligatory photo call at the top
P1190719 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
P1190721 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
Then another charge to Lago Di Livigno. There were loads of folk climbing towards us as it’s a classic circuit… I think we gave them something to talk about that night. 20 fatbikes descending at speed make a lot of noise and dust…
More pics around the lakeshore as we finished the run back to town in glorious sunshine and a little bit of narcissistic pleasure through the main street, slowly dodging tourists and locals alike. We did turn a fair few heads. Had a pit stop where I met Hans Rey on a previous trip
No Way by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
So all in all, a superb weekend, impeccable organisation and preparation plus the backdrop of the Livigno area to top it off. The bikes just ate up the ground, coped superbly on all the terrain and technical sections without feeling out of their depth.
P1190702 by Andrea & Rick, on Flickr
A big thanks to Livigno for hosting us, Marco Costa, Michele Boschetti Nure, Michele Zanoli and Daniele Castelani as organizers and guides.
Picture credits G Meneghello
More here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/musselburghbikers/sets/72157648510039455/
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.713245018769889.1073741963.143645509063179&type=1
