The path that had been a sea of mud the day before was all but dry. The sky was bluer and the clouds not much more that fluffy decorations. Mere backdrops to those dramatically atmospheric photos that we hear about.
There was a huge cliff behind the rifugio. We had missed it yesterday. The weather had been that good.
With renewed spirit and breakfast we set off. Back the way we had come the day before. Necessary because of full huts. But we make it a habit to only look to the right on paths that we have to walk back on. That way everything is new.
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| The view missing from yesterday |
Again we seemed to be at the edge of one set of mountains with good views of the others dotted around. The mud as you can see not entirely gone.
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| A panorama |
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| Gravity defying |
We approached a cliff which appeared to have a natural heli-pad hanging at the top. It looked impressive until you realise that the path goes directly under it. We are hoping that gravity is having a lie in this morning.
Bits are falling off the Dolomites all of the time so you have to be careful. But careful wouldn't help here. So off we went. But we with a certain spring in our step.
The sun was shinning and the limestone was doing its stuff. But it just wasn't enough to get rid of all of the water that had fallen in the past couple of days. But a bit of mud never hurt anyone.
Well, except for the poor lady yesterday.
We had boots and water proof legs and the promise of a shower at the end of the day. Maybe not an actual shower - but at least the promise of one.
All rifugio's so far had had showers. A luxury that we luxuriated in every night. Even when you have smelly clothes putting them on a nice clean odor free body feels good. If only for a little while.
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| Mud |
The mud of course offered a chance for the irresistible photo. Something that we don't miss very often.
But the weather was definitely improving: it was drier and warmer with the sun shining most of the time.
Life was good again and we were making the most of it. Back to shorts and T-shirts without waterproofs.
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| Just a view |
Everything looks better in the sun. The ups are less up and the downs less down. But, the views remain unaffected, luckily.
The Dolomites are very up and down. More so, we feel than anywhere else where we have walked. They are shorter and sharper. Everything is steep: up or down. Nothing gentle but then again they are mountains. And that is what we came for.
But our packs are lighter,than usual, and if anything the days are shorter. But we are 'tireder' at the end of the day. Just because they are easily accessible doesn't mean that they are easy. The cottages are great and there are lots of them. But the going is hard.
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| Atmospherically dramatic |
A bit later in the day the clouds tried to exert their grip but didn't really have the where-with-all to do this. Dramatic? Atmospheric?
But after a few more ups and downs the weather had another try. We had just climbed out of the valley and past a rifugio where we would have loved to have stayed (full). But over the next col we were rewarded with a view along a hanging valley, lake below us and the cottage where we were to stay. The latter, unfortunately, in the distance.
Looking back, the weather was wining, a big storm was rolling up the valley towards us. We could see the rain. The hope was that it would stay in the valley back there. Blocked by the mountain.
But... while being blocked by the mountain might not save us as the clouds found a way around
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| Approaching storm |
We were trying to out-run it but it was a losing game. Luckily, geology saved us. The storm was deflected and went around us. With only a few half hearted rain drops falling on our heads. So we didn't have to sing (#Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)
A final steep climb up to the rifugio which had a view of the most incredible cliff face we have seen all day. We'd sort of failed to stop and appreciate it, in its full grandeur, while running from the rain. It was so big one picture just wasn't enough.
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| Left |
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| Middle |
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| Right |
It probably had a name.
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