We played this one by ear because it was anything but clear what the weather was going to do. The forecast called for partly cloudy with very little chance of a small amount of rain, but it was actively pouring down as we had breakfast. Given the snow up higher and the amount of precipitation over the last couple of days, it's clear that our original (long) route over a high pass is not so clever, so we re-plan, get hotel suggestions for Pescasseroli from Antonio, and then hang out and wait for the rain to let up. Which it eventually does.
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| snow-covered hills |
We set off down the hill, past the restaurant, and then along the road on the other side of the valley from where we came in yesterday. There's fresh snow on all the mountains and frost/snow in the trees above around 1300m. Nice views all around, though the sky is definitely still cloud-covered. At a hairpin in the road, we set off along a marked path through the woods. We climb for a bit and then just hold height along the well-marked, but little used (by people at least) path. After 20-30 minutes, we're essentially following a pig path with trail markings. Pretty fun!
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| through the woods |
After a bit we spot a few big deer, including a couple with big antlers. Coincidentally at about the same time, the markings stop. We search around for quite a while, but there are certainly no markers. Ah well... the way we need to go is clear, so we just start following the pig paths without markers. After a bit more we get to a saddle on a small spur ridge and find the markings again. We're found! ;-)
A couple minutes later, a herd of big deer runs across the bowl in front of us, maybe 30m away, maybe 20 of them, several with big sets of antlers. They're loud! (Coincidence? We see deer and lose the path and then find the path and see deer?). On we go, around the valley, down gently to the pastures at the bottom until the markers lead us across one pasture and into another and then stop again. Great. We walk around the pasture looking for an exit while fending off the bouncy teenage horse that keeps trying to entice us to play. We end up cutting through the farmyard, through a couple of (luckily unlocked) gates, and then out the farm road.
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| looking back to Opi and the Monte Amaro (1862 m) |
This leads us past more horse pastures, past a couple campgrounds, into town. To the main piazza (very lively) and then around the corner to our hotel. Showers, naps, shoe dryings (the usual stuff), and then a stroll through town in the sun (wow!). A coffee and some sweets and then back to the room to get ready for dinner.
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