Nightmare before Christmas

There are different ways for flying
(Talking to a paraglider)





There are 2 kinds of bike ride: when I guide a group and I have to draw a tailor made tour thinking at the needs of someone else. 
But when someone purpose me to join. I love to fit in, specially when the trail is far over my possibilities.   



This weekend, it's mid December, I followed Maurino and Fede on a ring tour on some remote single tracks of Beigua park, touching all the huts and winter refuges.
It sounds like a soft tour from one cafe to the next, ending up drinking a lot of wine before Christmas holidays ...I like it!

When it starts the short way down to Passo Pian di Lerca we have a nice preview on how technical the rest of the day will be like.



Cogoleto: Saturday morning 8,00 a.m. The sky is perfect, no wind, not cold at sea level, but just 3 participants: Maurino, Fede and me... Why did the Ciclopirla crew aborted this tour?! I read again the message and I notice the last 3 letters: “OC+”. Today I’m gonna eat tough cookies!


OC+ roughly corresponds to the french M4+ and german S3+. It is not extreme but here on Beigua it means steep and slow rocky trails in the best alpine style.



It is the last sunny weekend before the big snow fall of mid December that will cover the mountain until next Spring. 
Far clouds from South will meet North wind in the late afternoon to start a huge snow party tonight.


We climb up to Rifugio Prato Rotondo and start riding East on Altavia dei Monti Liguri (AV). Today the air is clean: Monte Bianco and the Alps, on the other side of Piemonte, look very near. In the other direction the sea is just under our feet.





The climb in the woods to Cima Giassetti is not steep but is quite broken, and riding an ebike helps to be continuous on the irregular stones. It’s the first time that I try fatty tires on frozen ground and it’s just unbelievable the grip you have both up and downhill. I’m using the 10% of engine power, the minimum I can choose, to keep the same pace of my analogical friends and to save battery.



I'm using a Specialized Turbo Levo Comp: I like how the engine is conceived and how gentle can be the power delivery, but I love it even more for the geometries of the frame that makes it reactive and fun also downhill when the engine is off.



After Rifugio Argentea, we reach Passo del Faiallo where we get to Nuvolasul Mare: the refuge is opened all the year and it is run by a crew of local guys in a super nice way. Food is great and it is possible to find maps and books on Beigua UNESCO Geopark wild life, like wolf repopulation projects.


My cappuccino is over and I have to leave the fire place. We will climb to Faiallo peak where it starts Malanotte: one of the best trails I remember to ride. It is a worm sunny slope looking South on the sea from 1000m hight: a line hidden in the grass that cuts the mountain mixing flow sections to technical switchbacks. I don’t believe in paradise, but if i have to figure out one for light and landscape, that could be the place. 


A turn right introduce us to the darkness of Malanotte creek: the light changes and you get swallowed inside the mountain. After the spring everything changes: the trail becomes extremely technical on smooth, shining rocks worked by the water and I'm happy that today it's a sunny day. It would be impossible to ride it wet.Once at Passo Gava we refill the bottles while organizing the the climb to Tardia di Ponente peak: Fede and Mauro will carry their bikes on the shortest line, while I avoid portage with my heavy tool, pushing to Passo Tardie and to the top.


Following the ridge to Belliventi Hut, we descend to Passo Gavetta through the direct vertical line that we often dreamed from below, but never dared to ride. The super panoramic track is full of sharp stones: keyword is “precision”. Speed is slow not to get hurt in case of flight, but fast enough to be balanced. I think I've never been so happy to get to Passo Gavetta!

We hit the “White V" trail: the last wild rocky trail to Riparo Scarpeggin, but we end up so grind to skip the last beautiful flow line that would bring us to town. I’m starving! 

Back in Cogoleto we step by HotelSereno, where a friend of us is staying: a XIX century building owned by a local biker that shares with us his terrace just a few meters form the sea for a happy hour with focaccia ligure, cold beer and a chat on this unbelievable, unforgettable day.   

Suggested Soundtrack:  
UP:   Fiona Apple - The Christmas Song
DOWN: Cypress Hill - Temple of the Boom