Italian Lake Country??



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Rick Warner

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Hi,

After a pleasant tour in Umbria/Tuscany last fall my SO wants to return but is now thinking of the
Lake Country. Info on bike touring in that area seems to be rather sparse; I can find nothing in a
Google search for this group and not much anywhere else. Is that because bike tourists avoid the
area? Other reasons? Anyone tour in this area and have recommendations?

- rick warner
 
Matti Rinta-Nikkola suggested
> http://www.bicitalia.org/laghi/index.htm
which avoids a lot of the riding on the roads right alongside the Lakes. I've driven the northern
section of the main road along the west side of Lake Como a couple of times, and I remember thinking
that it seemed a bit scary to me (a visitor) even driving in a car.

That www.bicitalia.org website also leads to some other interesting websites and route ideas, like
the Cycle-Route of the Sun on the FIAB website: http://www.fiab-onlus.it/english/cpse.htm

Ken
 
Jobst wrote
> don't miss Lago di Lugano

Very spectacular from the main city, especially from the NE side of town looking south to San
Salvatore. A possible advantage of Lugano over the other lakes is that a major limited-access
autostrada runs right thru it, which might help draw many of the high-speed cars away from the other
obvious through-travel roads that are roughly parallel to it.

Note that there are only two kinds of roads around Lugano: gentle-to-moderate alongside the lake,
and very very steep anywhere else. A topo map is recommended if you want to get creative about
route planning.

There is a bicycling map which covers much of Lago Maggiore and Lugano -- a totally amazing map by
American standards: road-traffic-volume indicators, road-steepness indicators, and full topo contour
lines. Kummerly+Frey foglio 16, Carta ciclistica Locarno - Bellinzona - Lugano - Varese 1:60000.

> Lago di Garda

Thanks for the advice -- it looked interesting on the map.

Ken

P.S. I am shocked by this account, Jobst:
> up Monte Generoso on the 800mm gauge cog wheel train
You took the _train_ up? Am I understanding rightly that _you_ did not ride your bicycle from
Mendrisio up to Bellavista?
 
[email protected] wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > Lago d'Orta, Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como, Lago d'Iseo, Lago di Garda
>
> While you're at it, don't miss Lago di Lugano that,

Jobst,

Thanks for the input and suggestions. We will mix this into the planning stage; still early in the
process of selecting area and potential routes.

BTW, was that you on the big yellow bike I was leap-frogging on Page Mill a few weeks back?

- rick warner
 
"Rick Warner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> After a pleasant tour in Umbria/Tuscany last fall my SO wants to return
but
> is now thinking of the Lake Country. Info on bike touring in that area
seems
> to be rather sparse; I can find nothing in a Google search for this group and not much anywhere
> else. Is that because bike tourists avoid the area? Other reasons? Anyone tour in this area and
> have recommendations?
>
> - rick warner

Where is Lake Country in Italy ?

Ciao,

from Milano-Italy
 
The small (2-person) British groups www.wideopenroad.co.uk is offering a Geneva-Verona two week trip
this September (675 Brit. pounds, I think). I took their Pyrenees trip last summer and may take this
one too and have my wife meet me to spend some time walking in the Dolomites afterwards, as I've
never been to Italy. Looks like good route.
--
Steve Juniper ([email protected])

"Tests show that a frog will passively remain in a very slowly heated frying pan until killed.
We are now conducting that experiment with ourselves on this planet with the Bush junta turning
up the heat."
S.Juniper

"Rick Warner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]... Hi,

After a pleasant tour in Umbria/Tuscany last fall my SO wants to return but is now thinking of the
Lake Country. Info on bike touring in that area seems to be rather sparse; I can find nothing in a
Google search for this group and not much anywhere else. Is that because bike tourists avoid the
area? Other reasons? Anyone tour in this area and have recommendations?

- rick warner
 
Piemonte of course.

"mr.sli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Rick Warner" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi,
> >
> > After a pleasant tour in Umbria/Tuscany last fall my SO wants to return
> but
> > is now thinking of the Lake Country. Info on bike touring in that area
> seems
> > to be rather sparse; I can find nothing in a Google search for this
group
> > and not much anywhere else. Is that because bike tourists avoid the
area?
> > Other reasons? Anyone tour in this area and have recommendations?
> >
> > - rick warner
>
> Where is Lake Country in Italy ?
>
> Ciao,
>
> from Milano-Italy
>
 
I and some friends did some of it about 6 years ago. We cycled from Milan to Verona, then up the
east side of Garda, then into mountains, and eventually down both sides of Lake Como. I came on the
east and they on the west.

General observation.

Beautiful but roads are busy, though I came the old and quiet road down the eastern side of
lake Garda.

This area of Italy has a large population and a lot of traffic. Better off going into the Dolomites
which are the most beautiful mountains in Europe and possibly the world.
 
"Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Piemonte of course.
>

It is not obvious :) there are 4 major lakes

Lago d'Orta, Lago Maggiore,Lago di Como,Lago d'Iseo, Lago di Garda

If you are reffering to Como and Maggiore lakes. I have no problems to give you informations since I
live near Milano , 50Km from the lakes. It is not difficult to find road with low traffic

Ciao
 
"Gear id Laoi, Garry Lee" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> I and some friends did some of it about 6 years ago. We cycled from Milan to Verona, then up the
> east side of Garda, then into mountains, and eventually down both sides of Lake Como. I came on
> the east and they on the west.
>
> General observation.
>
> Beautiful but roads are busy, though I came the old and quiet road down the eastern side of
> lake Garda.
>
> This area of Italy has a large population and a lot of traffic. Better off going into the
> Dolomites which are the most beautiful mountains in Europe and possibly the world.

can anyone recommend how to hire bikes in the Italian Lake Country.
 
"mr.sli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Tom Kunich" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Piemonte of course.
>
> It is not obvious :) there are 4 major lakes
>
> Lago d'Orta, Lago Maggiore,Lago di Como,Lago d'Iseo, Lago di Garda
>
> If you are reffering to Como and Maggiore lakes. I have no problems to
give
> you informations since I live near Milano , 50Km from the lakes. It is not difficult to find road
> with low traffic

I think you are the gold mine that Rick Warner was looking for.
 
Americans tend to refer to the region of all 4 lakes you mention as the 'Italian Lake Country'.
Sorry for the confusion.

We have not narrowed down which of the 4 lakes we would like to visit; I have never been in that
area and my SO was a small child when she last visited that region. Any suggestions of areas to
visit and areas to avoid would be helpful. Specific road recommendations would be greatly
appreciated. There seems to be a wealth of information on touring in Umbria and Tuscany, and much
less for any other region.

Thanks in advance for your help.

- rick warner

"mr.sli" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> It is not obvious :) there are 4 major lakes
>
> Lago d'Orta, Lago Maggiore,Lago di Como,Lago d'Iseo, Lago di Garda
>
> If you are reffering to Como and Maggiore lakes. I have no problems to give you informations since
> I live near Milano , 50Km from the lakes. It is not difficult to find road with low traffic
>
>
> Ciao
 
> Lago d'Orta, Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como, Lago d'Iseo, Lago di Garda

While you're at it, don't miss Lago di Lugano that, although lies mostly in Switzerland, is as
Italian as the others. It even has a bit of Italy inside Switzerland on the shore across from
Lugano, at Campione d'Italia, and enclave with rules of it's own, such as taxes and gambling.

Definitely worth the time is a ride up Monte Generoso on the 800mm gauge gog wheel train that
gives a view to the alps and the Lombardia. THe train leaves from Capolago at the southern tip
of the lake.

http://www.mowgli.it/catalogo/monte_generoso.htm

The ride around Lago di Garda is probably not the best in mid summer, the road being largely in
tunnels with windows along the east and west shores. It's not that this is dangerous but rather the
breathing of diesel exhaust on a confined road isn't fun. From Rt SS45b on the east side Rt SP38
branches into a long tunnel of its own, up into Parco Dell'alto Garda Bresciano. Thise is also a
wonderfully scenic area worth a visit.

It's a beautifully scenic route and fun to ride if you do it early in the morning or some other time
when traffic is low.

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> > Lago d'Orta, Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como, Lago d'Iseo, Lago di Garda
>
> While you're at it, don't miss Lago di Lugano that, although lies mostly in Switzerland, is as
> Italian as the others. It even has a bit

from Capolago there is a spectacular climb

(Lago di lugano)Capolago-Arogno-Bissone-ValMara-Lanzo d'Intelvi/Porlezza- Argegno (Lago di Como)

BTW you can find (more or less in a 80Km circle) : Campo dei fiori , Valganna (from Varese) Monte
Bisbino,S.Fermo (old road), Brunate, Alpe del Vicere', Piani del Tivano (from Como) Ghisallo, Onno,
Piani del Tivano (from Lecco/Bellaggio)

these are the roads of the old Tour of Lombardy

Ciao, from Milano-Italy
 
Rick Warner writes:

>>> Lago d'Orta, Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como, Lago d'Iseo, Lago di Garda

>> While you're at it, don't miss Lago di Lugano that,

> Thanks for the input and suggestions. We will mix this into the planning stage; still early in the
> process of selecting area and potential routes.

> BTW, was that you on the big yellow bike I was leap-frogging on Page Mill a few weeks back?

Could be, I ride there often. How would recognized you if we met again?

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA
 
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