We take a wild bus ride to Lago Di Braes and see a beautiful lake and then start climbing... Dolomite adventure, Sept 11, 2026

Summer Rain in the Dolomite mountians in summer is just like rain the rain we have been having in Oregon. There were downpours at night but light drizzle during the day.

September 11, we had the usual great breakfast at Hotel Villa Trieste, we packed our extra bags into their storage room, and we were off.

Took the bus from San Vito town bus stop to Cortina, then began a series of bus switches to get to Lago di Braies which was the starting point of our AltaVia one misadventure.

The bus ride is of course terrifying if you are sitting where you can see the road. At one point the bus driver actually pulled to the side and deftly maneuvered his right side mirror into the window of a building close to the road to miss a concrete ledge sticking out of the building.

We soon discovered that we were hiking on the last week of the season. Regular bus service had stopped that very day and there was a complicated online system for getting tickets.  

Of course I was completely mixed up. I soon discovered that I can't remember words I can't pronounce. I usually try to compensate by "taking a picture," in my head but that also failed me.

I fell back to my usual coping strategy of just being an idiot and sticking with someone who knew something.

This worked surprisingly well as the trip was made up of generally enthusiastic problem solvers who loved to help anyone who would say "thanks."

We found the bus which was packed to the gills. I was standing holding the rail when a younger fellow motioned me to set with him. We both had backpacks but he wedged his to the inside.

My one great regret is I didn't get his instagram. He was from Portugal and was going to backpack AltaVista One same as us. But, he couldn't afford Rifugio's and was going to camp out. There is a 250 Euro fine for doing so but he was pretty confident.

We started talking farming and motorcycles and WW2. Apparently WW2 is not forgotten between Portugal and Italy. It sounded like his grandfather was involved and did not like Italians and Germans and the feeling that came to be mutual at border crossings.

Then we started sharing phone photos of motorcycles and cars. Had a great conversation. His Grandfather grows carob trees. Carob is used in gum and as a sweetener, and I think also grows Esparto, which is used for rope.

After another bus switch, and a fair amount of  confusion, we reached Lago Di Braies. This was a nice hotel and is generally the starting point for the AltaVista One part of the Dolomite hiking trail.

I could ramble on but Jose' just pulled up to the shop for coffee and if I don't go out he will make endless jokes about me staying in the house and practicing self abuse....

 

I was admiring Lake Braies. It is a beautiful blue-green lake surrounded by mountains. I kept looking for a path through those aforementioned mountains... Yeah, you are looking at it...

 

There were a lot of tourists taking selfies. The selfie phenomenon has made tourism much more entertaining. Again, you have to realize, our path was over those mountains.That low spot may look like a pass but it actually turns and runs along the second lowest peak in the middle of the picture.