Day 10: Cortina to Lago di Santa Croce 🇮🇹 80kms

An exhilarating day on the bike and so thankful after yesterday's episode to pull off this many kms.

I woke feeling so much better. Spots faded considerably and puffiness reduced and so after a great breakfast I headed off. The streets of Cortina were busy with hikers all heading for the hills! 
The first 5kms a stunning downhill through the outer suburbs of Cortina with low clouds on the Dolomites.
Then the forecasted rain began. Popped on my rain jacket and continued on my way. Quite a few tourers on the trail today. The rain and clouds descended and I rode through the fog which added a mystery to the beauty. I ended up sheltering for half an hour as many others were!
The intensity eased and I continued my journey through forest trails and then onto a rail trail complete with multiple tunnels with
the switchback highway beside.
The cycling infrastructure in Italy is amazing! 
The rain stopped and I started a 15km descent which would be the best downhill I have ever done.
I expect this was the old highway and only 3 cars passed me on my joyful downhill through a steep canyon and the further I descended, the taller the mountains got. I pulled into a picnic area for lunch.
The end of this amazing road got a bit sketchy when I had a 2km uphill section on the main highway with very little shoulder 😳 and then off to ride though a quaint village with steep descents.  
I missed a small cycle diversion sign and had a 4km detour. The whole valley has a raging torrent of a river flowing through it which feeds a hydro station and then the dam.
The cycle path follows a purpose built path carved into or bolted onto the cliff edge!
And then follows the water channel all the way to the lake/dam where I am camped. I diverted to the supermarket and literally just arrived when a storm with torrential rain started! I sheltered in the supermarket.
The ride to the campground is along an eco path with informative signage, art installations, current photo competition winner signs too.
I'm a bit tired but glad to have made the kms I wanted to. Brilliant day!

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