25 July 2025 (cloudy then wet) 35km

Does hard work equal luck? (the harder I work, the luckier I get).

We had some decisions to make this morning. Did we head down to Cortina d'Ampezzo with the original plan, which was just 12km away and all downhill. Guaranteed supermarket. Campground there which may or may not have room and which would probably be astronomical in price as Cortina is such a touristy town. 

But from there we could decide whether to loop back towards Auronzo di Cadore and then Slovenia or head straight south to Venice, and probably better weather and all downhill. Most of it on the recognized Munich to Venice route which would probably be good signposting and cycle path. Tempting.

Or, if we went back up the road a bit, we could cross over directly to Auronzo di Caldore, via the Tre Cime de Lavaredo and only have 350m of climbing and 40km to get to the campground at AdC.

But by going that way, we would increase our altitude and therefore the likelihood of rain and cloud with it. Currently we were at 1500m and Lake Misurina was at 1800m.

We had no access to the latest weather forecast to help with decision making, which in all honesty was probably just as well as they have been way off the mark many times.

We had decided last night if the weather looked good, we should go via Tre Cime de Lavaredo as the views were sure to be spectacular.

The day dawned very misty, but we could see the outlines of the mountains through the mist which looked like it might burn off. Looking towards Cortina, the clouds were dark and foreboding, so we decided to go back up the road which had been too busy to cycle on yesterday.

In the 4km to the turn off, we only had about ten vehicles pass us, and that was because we were constantly stopping to take photographs.

We turned off on the road to Misurina, hoping that our day wouldn't turn to misery as we climbed up to 1700m.

It was tough at the time and we were soon sweating, but with all that practice in Switzerland, it was actually ok. It got me reflecting on the rewards of hard work. And that awesome saying, “Fortune favours the Brave”. So often this has been the case for us. We could so easily have pushed ahead in the rain yesterday, blind to the other possibilities. Or just had a couple of hours break in the barn/garage, dried out the tent and cycled to the next campground.

We are so glad we stayed the night there as we were presented with a magical morning. Don't get me wrong, it still wasn't clear cut, but the clouds were lifting and there were glimpses of sunshine, so we felt reasonably confident heading uphill.

A handy water bottle filling station halfway up the climb.

And boy were we rewarded. As the amazing rock formations revealed themselves, we remarked how it was like nature's cathedral, an almost religious experience to witness. The ever shifting clouds made it especially ethereal and we both almost cried with the beauty of what we were witnessing. 

It seemed even more special when we realized how a few different decisions would have led us to missing the whole thing. How if the weather hadn't played ball, it could have been an entirely different experience. And how our own hard work, our wonderful old bodies had got us here, and how great we felt in that achievement, as well as basking in all this natural beauty. We couldn't stop smiling. With relief and our good fortune as well as the spectacular views.

So, does hard work equal luck…or does it just equal happiness?

Pete here: Awake at 5am after a peaceful night. Julia slept well, but I had to blow up my mat three times, but still felt rested.

It was decision time. Down to Cortina d'Ampezzo, then a big climb to Auronzo di Caldore on our way east to Slovenia.

Or, climb part way back from where we'd come from yesterday, but turn off for Lake Misurina and climb 300 metres over 11 kms, where hopefully we would be rewarded with great views. In the end, we decided if the weather looked good, we'd go up to Lake Misurina.

Easy pack up, no one to worry about disturbing and off uphill. Then a big downhill to the turn off and that's when the work began.

However, it was work with a bonus. Even with cloud cover, the mountains were majestic. Stopping every couple of hundred metres, but we soon came over the top and rode into Misurina.

It was one of those WOW moments and made all the effort this morning and the soaking we got yesterday, totally worthwhile.

Got two lots of tourists, even at 7.30am in the morning, to take shots of us, then just kept snapping.

The supermarket was already open, so we bought breakfast to eat by the lake and as the cafe was open, we got two coffees.

Rode further around the lake, where we found cover under the eaves of the Info office, which was still shut, (opened at 9am) where we ate our delicious breakfast. Every now and then, one of us would get up and get another angle on a shot and return to eat.

After even more photos to try and soak up these mesmerizing views, we finally began the 18km downhill to Auronzo di Cadore.

Shortly into it, we donned our wet weather gear and continued. 8kms and a hundred shots more, we pulled over to the side of the road and sheltered under the large eaves of a barn, directly opposite from one of our mate's houses. At present we have been sheltering and writing for about forty minutes. This morning's experience was the closest I'll probably ever get to a "Godly" one, but it is one that has had a major impact on me.

Still not out of the mountains, but there is very little to see now as the rain, mist and cloud have really set in.

We definitely were travelling in the right direction from the lake down this morning. Most of the traffic on our way down, were heading up.

Took off and all downhill to Auronzo. At first all good, but soon the rain arrived.

It began with drizzle, but we were soon pretty wet, due to downhill travelling. Sheltered again at a covered picnic bench and Ju brewed up a coffee. We were very glad we weren't going up this way as we descended 1000 metres down to Auronzo di Caldore in a slow, photo drenched morning.

Travelled the last few kms to the campsite, which was just off the main road.

Young guy, family camp, was Euro 37, let us off with 35 and gave us the only site left under the trees. As yet we haven't put up the tent as it's still raining.  Julia wanted to shower first so she's doing that as I blog.

The mist has followed us in from the mountains so just as well we got up early this morning, as we got the best of the weather. So at present, we are caught in a front sweeping over the north of the country. This wet weather is looking bad for another three days.

Last night in the old barn, even though it was a concrete floor, it gave "Nessie" a chance to dry out. Looks like she'll be in for another hammering tonight.

We were contemplating getting a cabin or a room, but they have neither, and elsewhere in town they are Euro 150 = NZ 300.

We do need to charge our power packs though and phones, otherwise we'll have a mutiny from our readers.

So we spent the best part of the afternoon in the bar, over a couple of cappuccinos while we waited for it to stop raining.  Charged our phones and the powerbanks and managed to get one day posted and the next one nearly there. We were also doing a lot of weather checking, campground research and trying to decide where to go next. 

Decided we've had enough of rain so heading south, only thing is, not many camping options.