Birds wake me before sunrise and I start out at 7.30 down to Oliena/Uliana. I buy some water and start up what must be one of the steepest roads in Sardinia up to Monte Maccione. Almost 200 m ascent in roughly 1.5 km over 20 curves on rough cement. Yay! At the top I’m rewarded by a great downhill.
The road then winds up the mountain to Orgosolo and right in my lunch break it starts raining again. This time I just stand under thick oak trees and wait it out.
Afterwards, the landscape changes, sparse mountain vegetation is replaced by forest with huge old oaks. Again, there’s livestock everywhere.
Going off road again, I traverse a valley, Ford the river and see evidence of how dangerous Sardinia can be all the while enjoying the fabulous panorama views.
Later, I ride along the old main road, while the new highway runs below to my right and I almost have the road to myself. During the last hours, clouds draw in, obscuring the view into the valley. The may flowers along the road make up for it.
