From my bed facing the single window, I watched the sky lighten. It was not quite 5:00 a.m and everyone else was asleep. I crept to the window to soak in the view. Our last day on the AV1 is here! Tiptoeing lightly, I began packing.
After one last simple breakfast, a flurry of activity, eager hikers packed up and departed. Jim and I were among the last to hit the trail. Only 8 miles, 870 feet of climbing and 4,700 feet of descent to go today. There are up and downs, twists and turns along the way.
Forcella de Zita Sud
I was so excited, my feet barely touched the ground as I skipped downhill.
After crossing the stream that created the valley, the trail presented one last test of elevation gain, zigzagging up about 700 feet to Forcella la Varetta. My legs were pretty tired from the previous day’s epic descent but I plodded with determination like a cow headed to the barn.
our shoulders to find Pian Di Fontana on her perch – can you see it?
awaits hikers in need of more coffee and an apple strudel – can you see it?
Recess was over as we began the descent through Val de Nerville, similar to yesterday’s knee-breaking course to Pian de Fontana. Next we entered a lovely deciduous forest, soft leaf litter and dirt tread that led us gently to Rifugio Bianchet, a welcome sight. (Note: this is the overnight option for AV1 hikers who cannot book a bed at Pian de Fontana.)
Emily and Erin had also stopped at Bianchet and were shouldering their packs to continue on. Most of the other hikers we knew were ahead of us. We’d read that we could buy passes at the rifugio. (They were out of bus tickets but staff assured us we could pay on the bus.) As we ordered our well-earned coffee and strudel, we checked the bus schedule and saw that if we hustled we could make the 12:20 p.m. bus.
So Jim gulped his cup of coffee as I wolfed down half a strudel and we kicked into high gear. From this point the trail was a wide gravel road (similar to the Smokies, where most major trails descending from the high peaks become roadbeds).
Eventually we caught up to Erin and Emily. No more enjoying the scenery - we were focused on that bus. We all thought the gravel road would take us straight to it, and fortunately Jim was still following GAIA, which indicated leaving the gravel road via a side trail.
The side trail was quite rough, crazy steep, narrow, unmarked and poorly maintained. Almost immediately we regretted taking it but felt committed. Will this really get us to the paved road quicker? Closer to the bottom, it felt a little more established, but not much.
After an eternity, we could see pavement and hear traffic. A bridge appeared crossing a small ravine with a pretty waterfall, then a set of concrete steps to the road.
We jogged half a kilometer alongside the busy road to the La Pissa bus stop. We felt like participants in “The Amazing Race” TV show as the hikers ahead of us cheered – a momentous ending!
(Jim’s AV1 total stats: 78 miles, 21,206 feet of climbing, 19 beers.)
We piled up our backpacks as we boarded the bus. The locals on board were overwhelmed by smelly hikers for the 30-minute ride back to the real world.
At the bus stop/train station in Belluno we all disembarked, a little dazed, hugged goodbye and wandered off in various directions looking for our accommodations for the night. Is it really over?
Jim and I found Hotel Astor and luxuriated in the hot shower, A/C, wifi and king-size bed with clean sheets. We wandered through the main square and indulged in all the things, gelato, sandwiches, and adult beverages (of course).
What’s that buzzing sound? Ah, my phone. It’s Emily and Erin wondering what we’re doing for dinner! We thought they’d be glad to get away from the old folks. We met up for pizza and wine and laughter. A few other hikers passed by and waved. The hiking world is so big and so small.
A toast to our AV1 adventures, 9 days of sunshine, no injuries, and to the next chapter of our travels in Italy: Florence and Rome! Arrivederci!
“It is good to have an end to journey toward,
but it is the journey that matters,
in the end.”
~Ernest Hemingway
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