Val Cannobina - Val Vigezzo - Val Formazza  Sunday 01/08/04

VIEW THE PICTURES - Click to enlargeThe colleagues, Alessio and Gianluca, and the ex-colleague Davide have been urging me, all the week long, to prepare the draft for a tour.
The destination was more or clear in my mind, the exact route not at all.
Yesterday, saturday, we fixed the meeting point, and, at the last moment, I recalled that my cousin Cesare could have joined us: at the age of 56, he decided to become a motorbiker, and has just  bought an R1150R .... before of joining us, he had a riding experience of 900 km, overall !

VIEW THE MAP - Click tio EnlargeThe meeting point is for 08,30 at the gas station just passed the paytoll on the Hiway to the Lago Maggiore.
Alessio is already there, when i arrive, having his morning coffee. Then Gianluca and Barbara come in, followed by Davide, and eventually my cousin Cesare: and naturally there is always someone that has to refuel !
After the subsequent coffee and cigarettes, we are ready to go. We take it easy, riding on the boring Hiway: there is quite a lot of traffic in this first sunday of august. Luckly enough it doesn't take much to reach Sesto Calende, where we get rid of the Hiway: we follow the nice road bordering the lake, not exactly on the shore, to Laveno, where we jump on the ferryboat, just sailing to Intra, on the opposite lake shore.

From Intra we take north, riding on that wonderful snaking road, closely bordering the lake shore: unfortunately the road is filled up with speed limit signs (50-60 km/h !!! ), and the Police has promised to take strict surveillance, today !! So, again, we take it easy, up to Cannobio.
 
 

From Cannobio we start to go uphill into the severe Val Cannobina: really enjoyable this lonely, snaking road ! But after few km's we stop again, just to have a look to the deep and narrow canyon of the "Orrido di Sant' Anna"
Back again on the saddle, we continue to go uphill into the Val Cannobine, the road becoming narrower and narrower.
When the road widen up again we are almost in Finero, where starts the exciting descent to Malesco, Val Vigezzo.
It's time for lunch ( the main goal for my colleagues ! ) ... but the restaurant ,I had in mind to stop by, is completely booked !!!!
So we wonder for a while, and eventually we stop at the "Ristorante La Stalla", in Craveggia ... good choice !
And after the typical local Menu, 4 bottles of wine, 2 beers, schnapp and coffe, as early as 3 o'clock in the afternoon we are back on our motorbikes, heading to the Val Formazza ....

We have been lucky ! Today the Toce river is allowed to flow down through its natural course, through the majestic waterfalls !