20/08/08 - 80+ hairpins in 1 day

A short stroll from our sleeping spot, was a stone building that,
apart from being covered in scaffolding, looked to be of no particular
interest to us. However, come round the other side and there was an
entrance to a small museum that explained the mysteries of the
trenches above us and apparently every other mountain top around us.

Before the 1st World War, the whole area - the Südtirol (South Tirol)
province was part of the Austria-Hungary empire. Italy decided that
this was on their side of the Alps, hence the resulting battlefield,
that for a couple of years turned into a bit of a stalemate in the
mountains. There were some amazing stories such as miners digging
through the rock to plants mines under enemy positions, and the -30
degree winters where the poor watch guy had to sit motionless in the
cold for fear of snipers seeing him if he moved.

By the end of the war, Italy took control of the province in 1919 when
the Europe map was rewritten. It is interesting to note however, that
the majority of the Südtirol people prefer to use German as their
language of choice.

On the road, and down the other side of the Passo Vaporola - where had
we been a little more on to it. We would have started counting the
number of hairpins as today was a bit of a driving day, but a very
very scenic driving day at that. Just for the record it was about 15
hairpins down.

So down the Passo Vaporola road going from 2,199 to 1,506 metres
(1,506m was the altitude at the last hairpin, although we did drop
further). Then immediately it was back up 33 hairpins to Passo
Pordoi, sitting at 2,239m.

A bit a lunch and looking round the top, then 27 more hairpins down to
approximately 1,500 metres again. Another hours drive of down a
valley, then we were given some great (although a little hazy) views
of the large valley where the cities Bolzano and Trento lie. Apart
from a few villages and towns dotted about on the river plains below,
the rest of the valley was packed fill of vineyards while on the hills
that surrounded it where apple trees everywhere.

A couple more hairpins to add to the grand total and we were down to
the valley floor and vineyards, then up up the other side towards
Dimaro. Then finally one last climb and about 8 hairpins and we
reached our destination of Madonna di Campiglio just before dark. And
luck was definitely on our side as we seemed to come across yet
another campervan friendly parking area!!