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Bicycle Tour Adventure #39: South Tyrol, Italy, Day 12
Ray and I were originally going to meet in Munich, Germany, on 1 Oktober, because Munich is Ground Zero for the entire planet for celebrating Oktoberfest. But 8 months before, when we were booking rooms, we discovered that a single bed that normally goes for €40-45 at a pension was going for €350 on the 2011, 1 Oktober weekend (for one person). So, knowing that we could spend that kind money better somewhere else, we changed our meeting area, from Munich to Ray's home town, Lana, South Tyrol (Italy).
Above Right: Terry is waiting for the camera guy, so that we may break fasting. A special smoked sliced ham and soft boiled egg is served without question. Kafe was fresh brewed and no one could believe that Terry did not drink coffee, it is unheard of, and the proprietress took special delight in serving Terry Heiße Schokolade, each morning.
![The front of the Apfel Obstgarten [Apple Orchard] Pension.](2011-10-01 011.JPG "The front of the Apfel Obstgarten [Apple Orchard] Pension.")
Above Right: The Tyrol Mountain view across the tree tops. We are nourished and satiated, it's time to head for Ray and Letizia's place and build a bike.
Quick and Relevant South Tyrol History
See Austria for the lead-up to the South Tyrol and Tyrol Trentino States (called Alto Adige and Trentino, respectively, by the Italian government).
After WWI had started, the Entente (the War Governing Body formed by Representatives of the Allied Nations) offered the Italian government the Counties of South Tyrol and Tyrol Trentino if Italy would join forces. Some say that it was already clear that the Allied forces of The Great War were going to defeat the Germans and the Austrian-Hungarian forces. Italy joined the Allies. Italy had occupied the region since 1915 until the war's end in November, 1918. The territory was Annexed by Italy in 1919. Later, there was some German-Italian back and forth governing that concluded at Germany's loss in WWII. [Wikipedia]
For some reason, Italy was allowed remain in control of South Tyrol and Tyrol Trentino after WWII (by Allied Forces, even though Italy was an Axis Ally), even against national protests to world organizations and governments in 1946.[Wikipedia]
In 1928, the Dictator Benito Mussolini had the 'Bolzano Victory Monument' built, supposedly to acknowledge a 'Unified Italy' (even though the Tyrol area is completely German in language and culture and has not ever been considered Italian) but it was really a Tyrol Annexation Victory Monument. The monument is located in Bozen/Bolzano (German/Italian), the state capital of South Tyrol and the monument has never known peace. The monument is always under attack (symbolically and physically), even to this day - it is hated by most of the citizens of the Tyrol States. [Wikipedia]
The Italian government even tried social integration but met heavy resistance. The problem is and always will be that the citizens of the area are culturally German speaking Austrians and that is the native language. The Italian government tried to force the Italian language as the primary language and a resistance movement emerged [called the South Tyrolean Liberation Committee {Befreiungsausschuss Südtirol (BAS)}]. During post WWII times, the BAS actively destroyed or bombed strategic Italian targets in the Tyrol regions (killing some government officials, military, and some civilians [not deliberately like the IRA]). Finally, the UN became involved in 1960 and the International Court of Justice in The Hague, in 1971. It was resolved that the Tyrolean people had a right to their language and cultural history and self government. The Italian government ceded these rights and allowed the Tyrol region to have an semi-autonomous self government and peace more or less fell on the land. [Wikipedia]
The majority of the Tyroleans still dislike the Bolzano Victory Monument (whose sculptured soldier's faces look surprisingly like Mussolini). And there is an active underground movement to destroy the monument. Also, there is a persistent cultural mindset that wants the Tyrol region to return to Austrian ancestorship.
South Tyrol wants to join with North Tyrol just as much as East and West Germany wanted to re-join one another.
Dennis and Terry Struck Assemble a Tandem Bicycle
These are the two S&S Aluminum Shipping Containers (Suitcases). They happen to be 10"x10"x26". Therefore, the system is setup to use 26" wheels (versus the more popular 700mm wheels [about 27.25" diameter]). We have to deflate the wheels just a little to allow them to fit the cases. We carry the wheels in one suitcase and the main frame in the second suitcase. We are limited to 50 pounds for shipping and that means that both suitcases are not shipped as full as possible.
In the old days, international flights allowed 70 pounds per suitcase and we could load everything in the two cases to include some clothing. Now, we have to carry some components in our clothing suitcases (usually the seats and seat posts).
It takes a little over two hours to build a Tandem Bicycle and if one is touring and mounting panniers and associated camp gear and clothing, it takes about three hours to wheels rolling go-time.
Above Right: First we lay out the Main Frame. The black wrap is ballistic nylon that is used for shipping scratch and dent protection.
Dennis has made a major mistake, he set the frame up on the metal cable channels and folded the retainer such that it will not hold the shifter and brake cable. It will take another 10-15 minutes to re-bend the metal cable channel walls/retainers.
Above Right: Terry is mounting the rear rack.
Background: There is an Old Joke that Tandem Bicycles are Divorce Machines for couples that can't seem to work together (there is some truth in the joke).
Ray Asked: How is it going?
Dennis Answered (Cheerfully): We're still married! [Insert Chuckle Here].
The final test drive reveals that everything is OK - We park the bike for tomorrow's use. It's lunch time.
Above Right: Letizia rewards us with an Italian Luncheon. Yum, it's good!
Above Right: Then came Desert. Ray is recently returned from Normandy where he has studied the D-Day Invasion from multiple perspectives. Ray is a bit of a WWII history buff. He even showed me a picture, in a book, of a German Officer helping Allied Officers read a map - We would all like to know the rest of that story.
Ray came home with 'Buiscuits' from 'Sainte-Mère-Église' called 'la petite Para' (Para as in Parachute). It happens that Sainte-Mère-Église is where a soldier of the 101 Airborne was suspended in a church tower for the duration of the gun battles that played out in town - all the soldier could do was to pretend to be dead - he could not unhook himself safely without falling 60-70 feet to the ground. Lots of German Soldiers had seen him suspended there.
It is a classic French act to celebrate an event using food; it is just like making and eating Croissants (Crescents of the defeated Muslim Empire).
We had Para's with an Ice Cream like Pudding - It was very good!.
This is a cool event that we are all sharing.
We are heading for 'Knottnkino'. It is a place on a mountain overview that looks at the Adige River Valley somewhere between Meran and Vilpian, Italy. It is quite the panoramic view. In German, 'Knottn' means Rocks and 'Kino' means Cinema. At the viewing location metal seats have been added (similar to theater seats but made of stainless steel) where one can sit and contemplate the view (or life). Ray and Letizia are sharing their part of the world with us, we are honored.Above Right: We walk up hill to a point that leads us in between the far house and the barn. It is very trusting of the farmer to allow this access; places like this in the USA have banned hikers (because of bad behavior). We are, at the moment, heading for the clear break on the ridgeline of this picture, then turning right (south) to follow the ridgeline to the overview area.
Big Joke: Dennis has a running joke with the world. He tells everyone, at any indication of a sign from nature, that 'X' Nature Event means that we are about to have the Worst Winter Ever.Above Right: Our back trail. The sun is showing all the air moisture and air pollutants of the Adige Valley.
Above Right: It is not unusual for farm cats and dogs to get along with one another.
Above Right: This image is a blow up of the area under the lantern in the previous picture - The view is quite pastoral.
Above Right: Yield to Deer? It almost looks like a Warden's Warning - Don't mess with the Deer. I asked Ray if he has ever seen wild deer here and he said 'No, I have never seen live deer anywhere in Europe'.
Above Right: The Cinimatic Seats that give this location its name, Knottnkino. A Reminder: In German, 'Knottn' means Rocks and 'Kino' means Cinema.
Above and Below: Same Mountains, Same Scale; Slightly Different Viewing Angle (South).
Stainless Steel Panoramic View (the actual Steel Diagram was three times as wide as seen in this image)
Above: KINO! Ray, Letizia, Terry and Dennis' shadow. It was a little warm and a little bright (but that is way better than gray and drizzlely - no complaints - the Weather Spirits are looking out for us).
Above Right: Grazed forest land.
Above Right: A view almost due north, along the walk; this looks like a fruit tree, I missed it, but this is Apple and Grape country.
Above Right: Plaza of the Merano Spa Hotel. We happened to catch an Um Pah band walking in for a show. We walked through the Spa but felt that it was in appropriate to take pictures.
Meran/Merano is a resort town whose natural hot baths usage seems to date back before recorded history, to include use in early Christendom as a road stop. In the 1300s Merano became the Tyrolean Capital and the Tyrolean Counts lived in Meran although the power slowly shifted to Innsbruck. Meran and its popularity increased dramatically when Impress Elisabeth (Sisi) of the House Hapsburg frequented the community on a regular basis in the 1870s. The town has a statue dedicated to her; she, like many Hapsburgs, met with a tragic end.
The Ski slopes of Meran make for perfect skiing because the town's elevation at 321 Meters allows for warm weather days in the town while the 2000 Meter ski slopes are high enough and cold enough to hold Alp snow for downhill and cross country skiing on south (sun) facing slopes. Skiing in Meran-o is particularly popular among Italian, Austrian, and German skiers.
Merano is known for its promenade of shops and cafés. Interestingly, Merano was one of the first towns to go digital and offer GPS location information for location services.
Above Right: Promenade store window.
Above Right: One of the town plazas.
Above Right: A religious mural is disappearing over time.
Above Right: Gate in the Old City Wall. After we went through the gate with Ray and Letizia, we stopped at a café and sampled desserts and drinks. Dennis tries Sambucca, made from a local herb.
Above: Impress Elisabeth (Sisi) of the House Hapsburg.