Choice of the route
The weather forecast for the weekend is good, so we decide to leave for a two-day bike ride. We have never made long journeys with intermediate accommodation without a car in tow, so we consider it a good test for any future holidays on two wheels. The planning of the itinerary took away a few days of study and analysis before the weekend, more than anything because the intention was not to go too far, to follow a path mainly on the road, not to do too many efforts and climbs ( we are simple cyclists, not sports cyclists) to make a ring in two stages, round trip, more or less equivalent as mileage. We are very attracted by the new bike path inaugurated in 2017 that goes from Borghetto di Valeggio on the Mincio to Pontoncello Veronese, the so-called Risorgive cycle route, which joins the Mincio all'Adige through the countryside south of Verona and following the course of drainage canals . But since we do not like going back and forth on the same route, to close the ring we decide to get to Valeggio from Lake Garda, thus covering part of the cycle path on the Canale Adige and part of the well known Mantova-Peschiera. We have not booked anything for the night because we are not able to evaluate a priori as far as our strength will bring us the first day. However, we trust that we will not have difficulty finding adequate accommodation.
DAY 1 - From Verona to Valeggio Sul Mincio
Departure
Early Saturday morning, immediately after breakfast, we load our bikes by car and leave for Verona, which we reach after a good half hour. Porta Palio parking is the place of the city that we have chosen as a base for the car, first because it is a free parking, then also because the path that we have to take start not far away. After arranging the bikes, prepared our backpacks with the few belongings we decided to bring with us (toothbrush and toothpaste, a change of linen and a "civil" estate for the evening, maybe to have dinner at the hotel or at a restaurant , we'll see), at 08:45 we start our adventure. At the exit of the parking lot, we take the city cycle path on the right side of viale Colonnello Giuliano heading north. After 500 meters, at the traffic light, we cross the intersection because on the other side of the road, on the bridge, begins the cycle path.
Exit from the city
At the beginning, the cycle path develops for a couple of kilometers along the city streets and therefore it is often interrupted by intersections with very busy roads and relative crossings, some regulated by a traffic light. The directions are clear and then on the left there is the canal that indicates the direction to follow, it is really impossible to make a mistake. After cycling for 3 kilometers we arrive at the Chievo dam, a dam that rises at the confluence with the river Adige, or rather, which regulates the output of the canal that we have climbed up to here. Here we turn left, crossing the canal directly on the dike, then we get into the ordinary road (via Airport Berardi) that we keep for about a mile and a half, until we find the canal, with the cycle path to his right.
Landscape and panoramic route
After about 5 kilometers on the route next to the canal in a dedicated path, near Bussolengo, we return to the ordinary road network proceeding along the cycle paths on the side of the road to cross the city center. From the maps consulted in the previous days, we know that the cycle track resumed in the Pol area, which more or less is located near the dam of the hydroelectric plant. Passing Bussolengo keeping the right direction to resume the track is not easy and after a while we lose the references of the signs and make a couple of laps to empty before finding the right path. We arrive anyway on the Pol road and resume pedaling alongside the canal. From here begins the perhaps most beautiful and scenic part of the cycle path. In light and imperceptible climb soon we reach a good height that allows us to enjoy on our right a splendid view of the vineyards of the Adige valley. As we proceed we realize what is the great engineering work that is the Medio Adige Canal (or also called Biffis Canal from the name of its designer) that we are following: at some points the canal is built on viaducts, suspended at several tens of meters on the valleys below.
Towards the Garda Lake
From the resumption of the cycle path after Bussolengo we have now covered another 11 kilometers and we have reached a fork: on the right we descend towards the river Adige, on the left the road climbs uphill towards Rivoli Veronese. Our goal is to get to Lake Garda near Lazise so we decide to go down to the right so as to go back a bit 'back to cross the provincial road no. 31 that will take us to the lake. Proceeding towards Rivoli, beyond the effort that we should have to do, we would have out of the way since we would have reached the lake a little' further north, near Bardolino. On a normal road with low traffic we pass then the localities of Gaium, Rivolti, Tezze and Sega, then, near a roundabout, we take the SP 31 more or less at the point where we should have to exit the cycle path a few kilometers before (picture on the side) . Here we are unfortunately forced to a couple of rather difficult uphill, on a very busy road. But everything goes well and around noon we are finally in the center of Lazise where we make a short stop in an ice-cream bar overlooking the characteristic port.
Along the Garda Lake and Borghetto di Valeggio SM
After a few minutes of relaxation, we leave Lazise and haed towards Peschiera following the cycle path at the edge of the lake.
To be honest, rather than a bike path we can say that it seems an obstacle course, with dirt sections in the middle of the reeds, or other asphalted stretches between the bungalows of the coastal campsites, or even directly on the raw sand of the beaches (It is extremely advisable to descend here and proceed on foot on the sand). At this point we realize that morning is gone so we decide to stop for lunch; we choose one of the several restaurant-bars that we meet on the way, eating some salad and vegetables, and then start again to ride towards Peschiera. As we are in Peschiera we take the beautiful and well known cycle path to Mantua and cycle to Borghetto di Valeggio sul Mincio.
In Borghetto we rest for a few minutes enjoying the enchantment of the place, then back in the saddle because it is now 15.30 and we must look for a place to stay overnight. With a bit of effort we go up to Valeggio, a fairly hard but short strain, but perhaps this is due to our tiredness. On the bulletin board of the tourist office, unfortunately closed on Saturday afternoon, we pick up the list of Hotels and B&Bs in the area and start to consult it. Nearby, in the central area, we see that there are 3 hotels that could do for us. We head towards the first, the Hotel Restaurant La Bastia but unfortunately there are no rooms available. We are told that for this weekend a Honda Gold Wing motorcycle reunion is expected and therefore the hotel accommodation is limited. Despite this Alberto, the person at the reception, shows extremely friendly and helps us with a few phone calls to find a suitable accommodation and not too far for the night: the B & B "Il Girasole" in Vanoni-Remelli, just three kilometers outside Valeggio in south direction
Evening of first day
Since the B & B is outside the village of Valeggio, we imagine that there are no restaurants in the area so we stop in a supermarket to buy something for dinner. For sure we will not have enough energy to go back in the evening by bike and look for a restaurant, we are really tired after having ridden for 75 kilometers. We arrive at the B & B at 18. Here Mirella, the nice landlady, welcome us and gives us the key of a spacious room on the ground floor. Then we discover that in the evening, in front of the church of the village, there will be an outdoor solidarity party, the Amaranto Festival, with kitchen and accompanying musical group. We're lucky, it means we will not skip dinner. After a refreshing shower and a couple of hours of well deserved rest, we go out and walk to the site where the party is held, which is a few hundred meters away. The menu is varied, there are the typical Tortellini di Valeggio, Risotto con Tastasal, polenta, grilled meat, salami, desserts, beer, wine and the inevitable grappa. We remain until 22.30 to dine with the musical accompaniment of the band, a tribute band of Vasco Rossi, then we return to the B & B. Tomorrow another tiring journey awaits us.
Day 2 - From Valeggio Sul Mincio to Verona
The second stage
Wake up is at half past seven in the morning, we want to have breakfast and then leave for the return to Verona no later than half past eight. A very hot Sunday It is expected and we know that on the path that we will have to run the shadow is very little. Our goal is to arrive in Verona for lunch.
Mirella prepared for us and for the other guests an outdoor breakfast under the big gazebo in the garden. We share the space in a convivial way with some bikers arrived in Valeggio for the Gold Wing meeting, yhen we prepare us to leave.
But before leaving there is the ritual of the photo for the album of memories. Mirella asks us to write a comment on her paper Guestbook and takes a picture that will be held as a souvenir.
At the end we felt very well, excellent hospitality and peaceful place.
The "Risorgive" cycle route - From Mincio river to Adige river
This cycle route connects Borghetto di Valeggio sul Mincio with Pontoncello Veronese, 35 kilometers of countryside along the drainage canals that branch between the river Mincio and the Adige. The B&B where we stayed was in a suburb of Valeggio that is not on the same direction of where we should go so, to find the bike path, we have to back to the center of Valeggio and follow the signs "Adige River". We ride for a first stretch on the provincial road (sp 24 direction Villafranca), then turn right to a secondary road that goes through the orchards and becomes a dirt road quite soon. After about six kilometers we arrive at the gates of Villafranca.
Here we have some difficulties in finding the right direction because the cycling signs become incomprehensible. Thus we decide to follow the canal that we find on our right and we arrive at the urban park of the Scaliger castle where we ask information to a passing cyclist. He suggests that we take via Trieste (which is just in front of us) overcome the level crossing and take the dirt road that will take us to Povegliano, where the cycle path will become paved and in its own dedicated site.
In fact from Povegliano onwards we cycle on a real cycle path, with very recent asphalting, which is wedged between the cultivated fields, completely isolated from motorized traffic. We meet many cyclists, even families with small children, but also many runners. We proceed so for several kilometers then, at the height of Pozzo, a fraction of San Giovanni Lupatoto, given the tiredness and the time that has been done, we decide not to get to the bottom of the route (there are less than 5 kilometers, but then we should climb the embankment of the river Adige, which with its loops, would lengthen the road a lot) but to go out and head towards Verona on ordinary roads, exploiting wherever possible the bike lanes on the side of the road.
In this way we arrive at the Porta Palio parking lot a few minutes before midday, perfectly in line with the goal we set ourselves. In this second stage we traveled 43 kilometers.
Conclusion
Our first experience of traveling by bike with overnight accommodation has been all in all positive. Good weather accompanied us and the spirit of adventure too. The cycle paths on which we cycled were all well kept and well signposted so, apart from some indecision in population centers, our journey has been linear and free of problems, both orientation and technical (no drilling and no breakdown). All this makes us look with optimism for future experiences.
(June 2018)