Wednesday
I rode around the Stella. 4 or 5 passes, I can't remember but I saw 2000 meters at the summits more than once. I felt much better than I expected. My body has ajusted to the time zone. Going up the Pordoi wasn't anthing like last year were I thought I'd never make it to the top. This short ride in distance took me 5-6 hours ( I don't have a watch or bike computer) to complete. My brake pads have less than 500 miles on them and they look to be half gone. As one mate would say "they're wearing out like **** pencil erasers". At this rate 3 to 4 more days of this descending and I'll be metal to metal.
I'm shipping 1/3 of my clothing back home as I need to lighten my load and there's no need for cold weather gear. I'm throwing away 1/3, now I can carry all my gear without going into a anaerobic state.
1 beer outside on the deck, then dinner. It was a early night.

Thursday
I'm in need of something else do as this morning I felt completly drained. I guess 2 beers was to blame or was it the fact that I'm old? The map of the local area shows a gondola that goes south which I can see and one that goes north which I can't seem to find. After short walk (less than 200') I found the ski lift that goes north out of town. You take the escalator up to a tunnel that moves you through the hill just behind the hotel. From there you take the gondola to the upper base area and chair lifts from there. I'm too beat (lazy) to take the ride up and catch the view from up top,
My plans for tomorrow are shaping up. I'll catch the bus out in the morning to Bolzano and the train south from there. Once I get to Verona I'll go west to Torino and settle in for a few days. Sunday In the morning of the 24th I'll get into Lyon pick up the car and be ready for a long but with luck quick drive south with Jim. In the mean time I'll look for some flatter country.