A new way of seeing

We’ve left the Dolomites’ fabled roads behind. And in so doing I’ve stumbled upon a unique window through which to view these mountains

My back wheel starts to slide from under me, my heart racing as time seems to stand still. I brace myself for the inevitable contact between body and ground and the wave of pain that will result. But it doesn’t come. Somehow I manage to wrest control of the bike back and avoid crashing onto the loose gravel underneath my wheels. It’s a timely reminder to keep my focus on the descent which, given the immersive beauty of the surrounding mountains, is easier said than done.

This isn’t the first time I’ve ridden in the Dolomites, but it the first time I’ve seen the region’s distinctive peaks from such tranquil surroundings. There are no reams of grey roads here, no car engines, no jarringly bold signs designed to remove the need to even think where you’re going. Instead, we’ve left the Dolomites’ famed and fabled roads behind and alighted onto its lesser-known gravel tracks. And in so doing I’ve stumbled upon a unique window through which to view these