A quick round of hairpin bends moves through the Matilda chestnut groves, before unraveling and climbing inexorably to the 1,000-meter elevation. The first few kilometers are generous, but the closer we get to the Alpe, the more uncertain the terrain becomes. All in all, it’s a good price, because the Cavarzano Pass will reserve us one of the most beautiful white roads in the area.
From the village of Vernio the climb start with switchbacks that don’t let up for a second. As we gain altitude the road crumbles; the gradient increases and we find ourselves riding toward runaway mountains.
We are in the protected area “Alto Carigiola and Monte delle Scalette,” and right from the Alpe we bypass between Emilia and Tuscany. For those of us who are on the steps of Landscapes of Limentre, we say goodbye to the Tuscan ridges to throw ourselves down to the great Brasimone lake.
All along the ridge Cavarzano Pass is a fabulous dirt road, with only a few gently sloping sections. We are still on one of the many routes used in the past to connect two regions centuries ago.
Alpe di Cavarzano is truly one of the toughest and fascinating climbs in the area, ranging from the beautiful centuries-old chestnut groves to the repeated elevations that follow to the summit one after another.
