Today we rode into Austria via Passo Falzarego (the highest part of the day) and a breathtaking descent into Cortina – the premium ski resort of Italy.

The Sella Ronda from our Hotel…

Hotel Cesa Padon…

An old castle keep on the climb unto Passo Falzerego

The hotel Cesa Padon is somewhere down there…

the final ramps up the Passo Falzerego, it was very cool going through the tunnel…

At the top of the pass…

Im sure old mate was having a chuckle at the silly cyclists…

After a very long and exhilarating drop down to Cortina…

we stopped in the town square for a coffee or hot chocolate…

Apparently Cortina has the most expensive real estate in all of Italy (unconfirmed), I can see why, it was a stunningly beautiful place…

After leaving Cortina we climbed north towards the flats near Monte Piana and the Lake of Landro for lunch…

After lunch we crossed the border, somewhere?, into Austria and followed a series of beautiful bike paths into Lienz. The scenery was stunning in the early sections, but got busier as we got closer to town with lots of families out riding the paths. It got pretty sketchy at times with little kids pulling out in front of us, but all ended well and we arrived in Lienz mid afternoon.

Peter rolling along without a care in the world…

Damo cooling his heels…

what was this on the bike track?

John was focussed, no ‘autobus’ for him today…

A quintessentially Austrian town, Lienz was settled  circa 2000 BC. It boasts heritage from the Bronze age as well as Roman occupation and early Christendom. A beautiful and historic city, and our hotel – Vergeiner Traube – sits right in the middle of the old square, near restaurants and local cafes, where you had plenty of choice to dine and enjoy the atmosphere of a summer evening.

 Dean, Ross and John at a very nice pizza/pasta restaurant.