Reverse of my previous trip. This time climbing by the easier route but with the poor road surface. It really is much easier this way with just a couple of short ramps to conquer.

A day of flatter riding with a classic tour of lake Orta from Pettenasco with a little detour to check out the fish ponds of Laghetti di Nonnio. The road up to the ponds has a few steep ramps.

After three days of gardening work including a lot of hedge trimming - we were profiting from the rare cooler weather this summer - a trip to stretch the legs direction Col du Coq.

50 minutes for the climb ! Almost my mountain bike speed in 2015. A little afterwork to turn the legs. Nice views from the plateau.

a bit of exploration. Took a "short cut" Gozzano - through "mirkwood" - an unpaved forest road.

I've cycled around the lake of Orta before, in both directions. In my opinion the climb out of Omegna is the easiest even if it is sun exposed as the gradient is never severe.

First time out on my rebuilt Spitfire where I didn't get a puncture but at the same time I didn't ride on any gravel.

I wanted to retry this route but in the direction I originally planned via the Col de la Croix de Ban -> Col de Luere -> Col de Malval -> Col de Pars -> Châteauvieux.

The Crêt de l'oeillon is a bit like le Mont Ventoux for the Lyonnais. A mythic summit that you can see in the distance from downtown Lyon. The climate this autumn hadn't been bike friendly.

DescriptionFrom Omegna there is 420 meters of climbing over 6km giving an average grade of 7%. However the section from Germagno to the Alpe Colle is steeper, an average of 11% with ramps around 15%.