The primary reason I came to Locarno was to climb Lago del Narčt 2311m,
the 34th highest paved road in the Alps.
I was looking forward to the climb, it is well reviewed...
Sure I was hoping to have a sweet view of the lake, but I thought there
were only
one or two big climbs in this area.
Turns out that was wrong, the 2022 Giro plans to go from Bellinzona to
Thusis over Passo del San Bernardino 2065m ... I planned to take the
bus through the valley instead
I was outside in the dark at the nearby Locarno bus terminal shortly
before 6am, waiting for the 620am first bus to Bignasco.
(During the week, bikes aren't allowed on buses during rush hour.)
This was my first bus in Switzerland on this trip, until now I'd only ridden trains and gondolas and funiculars.... Ferrovie
Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi Bus 315
took about 20 stops and 48 minutes to get to Bignasco, and got fairly
full during the long ride before emtpying out again nearing the end.
The bus driver dropped off bundled newspapers at businesses at a few
stops along the way.
There's not much in Bignasco, and nothing was open when I got there
shortly after 7am.
It was chilly and dark, the valley walls kept the sun out.
I started cycling up the road, and it continued to be chilly and dark.
08:07 Switzerland time 00:07 California time
Shortly after Menzonio
Ah hour later, I've seen alot of this valley, and no sun.
08:15 Switzerland time 00:15 California time
Broglio
08:25 Switzerland time 00:25 California time
Prato Sornico
09:20 Switzerland time 01:20 California time
Crossing the Magglia between Camblee and Croisa
09:37 Switzerland time 01:37 California time
Fusio.
After two hours of riding, this was the first nice sunlight I'd seen
today.
Not too keen on dark valleys.
I'd read that Fusio is the last town up this valley
I wanted to buy something to eat or drink, I was already famished.
I road off the main road up the steep incline into town looking for
food...
Nothing as open yet, and it appearred that there was perhaps a single
hotel with an outdoor restaurant, and not much else in the way of
commercial enterprises in Fusio.
Eventually I gave up and kept riding.
09:49 Switzerland time 01:49 California time
This house just outside Fusio reminded me of the Beasley's house in the
Harry Potter movies.
10:11 Switzerland time 02:11 California time
Lago del Sambuco
The ride along the lago was stunning...
10:20 Switzerland time 02:20 California time
Lago del Sambuco
10:20 Switzerland time 02:20 California time
PANO - scroll right
Lago del Sambuco
It was only after I took this pano that I realized there was a perfect
mirror reflection in the lago...
10:25 Switzerland time 02:25 California time
Divers prepping for Lago del Sambuco
After the lago, the road becomes interesting quickly...
1 km of 13.5%, a 750m flat respite, then 5 km of 10.4% to near the
top...
10:38 Switzerland time 02:38 California time
10:51 Switzerland time 02:51 California time
11:15 Switzerland time 03:15 California time
11:26 Switzerland time 03:26 California time
moo
11:28 Switzerland time 03:28 California time
PANO - scroll right
11:41 Switzerland time 03:41 California time
PANO - scroll right
Lago di Sassolo, the first of four lakes at the top of this ride
The second and third lakes impressed me so little that I didn't get a
single picture of either of them.
I may have been more forgiving if I hadn't been so hungry and beat.
It was a long steep ride, I needed to top out, it was brutal steep now.
I was hoping against hope that someone was selling food up top.
Nope.
Someone did have a fire, apparently to grill the fish they were trying
to catch off the dam in the lago, but no concessions...
There are twos dams at
Lago del Narčt
12:09 Switzerland time 04:09 California time
PANO - scroll right
Lago del Narčt 2311m
North dam from the south
12:11 Switzerland time 04:11 California time
Lago del Narčt 2311m
North dam from the south
12:15 Switzerland time 04:15 California time
Lago del Narčt 2311m
North dam from the north end of the dam
The valley in the left background is the valley I came up.. (not immediately below the dam on the right)
Lago del Narčt from the north end of the north dam
12:16 Switzerland time 04:16 California time
Unlike nearly every other lake in Switzerland, no glacier, so the water
is clear.
Lago del Narčt - the north end of the north dam
12:20 Switzerland time 04:20 California time
Lago del Narčt - south end of the south dam
PANO - scroll right
Lago del Narčt - south end of the south dam
12:24 Switzerland time 04:24 California time
PANO - scroll right
Lago del Narčt - both dams
12:53 Switzerland time 04:53 California time
12:53 Switzerland time 04:53 California time
Lago del Sambuco
The clouds are in front of me, and I've got a long way to go before I
get back to the busstop at Bignasco....
I am racing against the weather...
13:24 Switzerland time 05:24 California time
Lago del Sambuco
13:38 Switzerland time 05:38 California time
Lago del Sambuco
13:57 Switzerland time 05:57 California time
13:57 Switzerland time 05:57 California time
I found an open kiosk and ground to an immediate halt.
I bought a candy bar and a soda and a beer.
Then a bought more candy and another soda.
I was so happy to have some serious calories...
13:58 Switzerland time 05:58 California time
14:04 Switzerland time 06:04 California time
I rode, and rode, and rode downhill....
I had a real headwind coming down the canyon, the mountain winds we working against me...
I finally got back to the intersection in Bignasco and found a bus at
around 245pm
Oh my god it is my bus Ferrovie
Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi Bus 315!
It is ready to pull away in like a minute, I just made it!
I was so lucky...
The bus was fairly full, but I had no problem fitting it inside in the aisle next to me.
Mission accomplished, I was done with the bike.
However, the bike lock is back in my room...
This means I go all the way back to my room, then ride 4km back to the bike
shop in Ascona to drop off the bike.
After dropping off the bike and the lock, I caught the crowded bus in Ascona back to Lorcarno...
17:58 Europe time 08:58 California time
Dusty: What is anyone doing for Labor Day other than going camping in
California?
Jed's pic
18:02 Europe time 09:02 California time
Jed: Early morning brewpub-ing.
18:03 Europe time 09:03 California time
Ray: neat
18:03 Europe time 09:03 California time
Dusty: Awesome! What game are kids playing?
18:06 Europe time 09:06 California time
Jed: The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game
Jed: They have it at home so pulled it out of the pile
18:31 Europe time 09:31 California time
Paul: Camping is next weekend for us
Paul: Both boys played football last night, and both lost big
Paul: Probably going to grab some cheap tickets for the Padres tomorrow
Paul: Plenty of sections where we can sit by ourselves.
19:04 Europe time 10:04 California time
Dusty: Different restaurant than last night, this one seems more
crowded and had a real roof overhead in case it rains...
19:05 Europe time 10:05 California time
Dusty: Where are you going camping Paul?
Paul's pic
Paul's pic
19:15 Europe time 10:15 California time
Paul: Green Valley Falls Campground
Paul: All National Forests closed due to fire danger, but I managed to
get a really good campsite at this State campground right by the stream
due to a cancellation
Paul: Since there were about a dozen campgrounds shut down in the
County due to the Forest closures, campsites at the few remaining open
campgrounds are a very tough find
19:17 Europe time 10:17 California time
Paul: The falls aren't huge, but there's a couple of pools that are
deep enough to "cliff" jump into, and fun to wade down the stream
