56 Miles, 6,600'
http://app.strava.com/rides/6339614
Today was the main event, riding up Mt Etna. After some thundershowers yesterday evening, and supposed sub freezing temps at the top yesterday, we heading out a little earlier than normal today under iffy skies. Started out with a category 2 climb, dropped down again through some light rain, then started the main climb up Etna Nord, a 3,500' HC climb up to almost 6,000'. Etna tops out at 10,000', but this was as high as we could get. Hit snow around 4,000':
http://app.strava.com/rides/6339614
Today was the main event, riding up Mt Etna. After some thundershowers yesterday evening, and supposed sub freezing temps at the top yesterday, we heading out a little earlier than normal today under iffy skies. Started out with a category 2 climb, dropped down again through some light rain, then started the main climb up Etna Nord, a 3,500' HC climb up to almost 6,000'. Etna tops out at 10,000', but this was as high as we could get. Hit snow around 4,000':
The climb was reasonable, 6 to 11% grade, until we got to the turnoff to the ski area, where it jumped to 10 to 15% for a couple miles, which was tough at the end of a long climb (and a 500 mile week!). Ski lifts still running, lots of snow mixed up with lava:
And yes, that is steam venting from the top, mixed with the clouds. Then, on the decent, we saw sections of snow with black volcanic ash, almost like gravel, on top of the snow. Meaning that one of the eruptions in the last week or two covered this area! Anyway, what goes up.... we had a blast working our way all the way back to sea level, first through the resort town of Giardini, then up a short but steep cat 3 climb to our hotel in Taormino, a very nice tourist town above the coast. Nice to be back near the sea, now on the eastern side of the island. A short walk to a Greek amphitheater was nice, with Etna always in the background:
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