Epic Stelvio

By Glenn Ackerson

On our 2007 Maratona tour, day 1 began with a bang - a chance to return to the legendary climb. I jumped at the chance to revisit, because where else in the world can you climb a pass of such epic proportions? Stelvio is truly a road that harkens back to the days before automobiles and before the massive tunnels that bore through the Alps on the straight superhighways of today. As we began the climb, I was thankful for the cloud cover, because it kept us cool. And, as the switchback signs began their count backwards on the ascent – 48, 40, 30, 25, 20, a light rain began to fall that I actually didn't mind, because when you're climbing, a light rain doesn't get you that wet. As we neared the summit, I realized that the rain had changed to snow, but it somehow fit perfectly into the epic climb that is the Passo Stelvio. Where else but a pass like the Stelvio would you ride into the snow in July?

I will admit to doing something after that photo shot and a coffee drink to warm up that I've never done on a tour before - taking a ride back down the mountain in the van. It's a ride like that when you appreciate a tour company with a van always nearby. And, even the brave souls that descended before us on bikes, swearing to get in every last mile, soon jumped in the van, when the reality of the weather and the difficulty in feeling fingers with which to brake set in. The Stelvio, snow and all, didn't disappoint, and on this day, it lived up to its epic reputation.

Glenn

Alternate Title:  The New “Hardest Climb Ever”

by Mike Elmer

I have done a lot of the biggest climbs in the US, France and Italy:  Mt. Ventoux, Alpe d’Huez, Tourmalet, Forclaz, Col d’Izoard, Stelvio, Gavia, Fedai, San Pellegrino, Pordoi, Mortirolo, and Mt. Evans.  They are all good climbs, but with proper gearing (34” chain ring, 27” cog), I can get up all of them without bogging down nor extending myself, if I don’t want to.  However, they all take a backseat to the new, “hardest climb ever,”:  Mt. Zoncolon. 

The ‘Z’ is located in the western Dolomite Mountains in Italy, and the Giro d’Italia raced it this year.  When I watched the stage on TV, I was stunned at how slowly the professionals were climbing.  It was then, I knew I had to try it.

So, my friend Tobias (Gran Fondo Cycling Tours) and I headed to the ‘Z’ during the last week in July.  Tobias is a Cat 2 racer and a stronger climber than I am.  We were both in for a shock! 

The mountain is easy to find.  Heading toward the town of Ovaro, you can’t miss the billboards placed by the Giro.  We planned to start with a warm-up climb of about 25km, then join the route of the Giro stage about 35km from the finish.  The “warm up” had a rather steep climb to the town of Tualis, which proved more than a little warm up.  It was about 4km of 10-15% gradient, which was a good climb, and we kept the gears rolling fairly easily.

After the little warm up, we headed to Ovaro and turned up the ‘Z.’  The climb started at 9%, and I thought to myself, “This isn’t hard.”  About 1.5km into the ride, the road actually levels to flat!  Tobias and I were trying to figure out if this was part of the climb when we rode around a bend, and our jaws dropped:  we were literally staring at a wall! 

There was a sign at the base that said, “KM 0.”  The Giro d’Italia placed distance signs along the climb, complete with a picture and text about a different Giro grand champion.  Immediately, the climb began at a 15% gradient, and we instantly dropped in the 34x27 gear.  Our pedal revolutions dropped dramatically.  Several minutes ticked by while we were grinding away, when we see the next sign.  I was thinking, “Cool, one kilometer down.”  NO!  The sign said, “KM 0.5.”  Oh My GAWD!  It took us nearly five minutes to climb 500 meters up the hill.  This was going to be BAD.

We continued grinding in our pedals, when we finally saw the, “KM 1,” sign.  I thought, “This is going to be a long day!”  We continued at what was literally 30 rpms with no let-up in sight, and I was already drenched in sweat.  (Did I mention it was 90 degrees?)  But wait, we see the next sign.  Slowly, we approach it, and the sign says, “KM 1.3.”  Awe CRAP!  We rode only 300 freakin’ meters?!  At this point, I think my brain shut off.  We kept grinding up, rather wobbly, from one sign to the next, which fortunately included several switch backs that eased to probably 10 or 11% gradient.  That was like Heaven!  Some of the switch backs actually eased to around 8%, which literally felt like flat spots.

Then, came the steepest pitch at 22%!  We were out of the saddle, grinding at our 30 rpm, just plain suffering.  ‘Z’ doesn’t offer any breaks by leveling off after the steep parts; it just goes back to 15%.  There is no respite!  I made the mistake of asking Tobias how fast we were riding.  The answer tore through me like a knife in my heart:  3 miles per hour!  I have NEVER climbed this slowly.  This climb was going to take over TWO HOURS for 6.5 crummy miles.

I had not done so intentionally, but I realized I was tacking up the climb.  I have not tacked a climb in seventeen years!  I also noticed that Tobias was tacking also; however, he later said he wasn’t tacking, but simply wobbling.  The next apparent realization was how badly the bottom of my feet hurt from pushing down on the pedals.  I knew there would be some serious foot cramps tonight!

Most of the climb is in the trees and bushes, so there isn’t anything to look at for distraction.  Not that you could really look for fear of falling over.  However, as we were getting higher, the trees parted to reveal absolutely stunning views of the valley.  My heart lifted a little.  “I think I can get up this thing without stopping.”

After what seemed like an eternity, the road finally eased a little.  The gears started to turn over smoothly.  “What was going on?”  We should have studied the profile more closely (I didn’t realize how crucial that would be), because the middle 6.6kms average 15% gradient, but then ‘Z’ actually lessens to 9 and 10%, before the final kilometer.  And, the views were absolutely breathtaking!  Around a bend, we came upon a tunnel that was wide enough for only a Smartcar to navigate.  The tunnel was a blessing, as it was nice and cool.

We kept riding, and I thought that the top had to be coming soon, because there wasn’t much mountain left above us!  As we slowly rounded one more bend, the road crested.  It was the TOP!  One last excruciating 100 meters, and we were on top of the world!  Utterly soaked from sweat, and with sore knees, we made it!  It took one hour and twenty minutes to ride 10.5km.  Our hard work rewarded us with 360 degrees of stunning scenery.  It is definitely one of the most spectacular views of all those big climbs I’ve conquered.

‘Z’ is, bar none, the hardest climb I have ever accomplished.  And, it is certainly, the slowest I have ever ridden on a bike while trying to go so hard!

Pizza History

Pizza, like so many other foods, did not originate in the country for which it is now famous. Unless you have researched the subject, you, like so many people, probably always thought pizza was strictly an Italian creation.

The foundations for pizza were originally laid by the early Greeks who first baked large, round and flat breads which they, "anointed with oil, herbs, spices and dates." Tomatoes were not discovered at that time or, very likely, they would have used them as we do today.

Eventually, the idea of flat bread found its way to Italy where, in the 18th century, the flat breads called "pizzas" were sold on the streets and in the markets. They were not topped with anything but were enjoyed au naturel. Since they were relatively cheap to make and were tasty and filling, they were sold to the poor all over Naples by street vendors. The acceptance of the tomato by the Neapolitans and the visit of a queen contributed to the pizza as we know and enjoy it today.

In about 1889, Queen Margherita, accompanied by her husband, Umberto I, took an inspection tour of her Italian Kingdom. During her travels around Italy, she saw many people, especially the peasants, eating this large, flat bread. Curious, the queen ordered her guards to bring her one of these pizza breads. The queen loved the bread and would eat it every time she was out amongst the people, which caused some consternation in court circles. It was not seemly for a queen to dine on peasant's food. Nevertheless, the queen loved the bread and decided to take matters into her own hands. Summoning Chef Rafaelle Esposito from his pizzeria to the royal palace, the queen ordered him to bake a selection of pizzas for her pleasure.

To honor the queen, who was so beloved by her subjects, Rafaelle decided to make a very special pizza just for her. He baked a pizza topped with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil (to represent the colors of the Italian flag:  red, white and green). This became Queen Margherita's favorite pizza, and when word got out that this was one of the queen's favorite foods, she became even more popular with the Italian people. She also started a culinary tradition, the Pizza Margherita, which lasts to this very day in Naples and has now spread throughout the world.

History has not made it clear whether Rafaelle began to sell this creation from his own pizzeria, but it is known that the pizza, in much the same form as we now know it, was thereafter enjoyed by all the Italian people. Variations began to be made in different parts of the country. In Bologna, for example, meat began to be added into the topping mix. Neapolitan pizza became quite popular, and it brought garlic and crumbly Neapolitan cheeses into the mixture, as well as herbs, fresh vegetables, and other spices and flavorings. At about the same time that pizza’s popularity was growing, the idea of baking in special brick ovens came into existence, and the bread, as it is today, was a rather simple combination of flour, oil, salt and yeast.

Pizza spread to America, France, England and Spain, where it remained  little known until after World War II. While occupying Italian territories, many American and European soldiers tasted pizza for the first time. It was love at first taste! Italian immigrants had been selling pizzas in their American stores for some time, but it was the returning soldiers with a lust for the saucy delight that drew the pizzas out of the quiet Italian neighborhoods and into the main stream of city life all over the continent. In fact, the square "Sicilian Pizza," which is so popular and was the forerunner of the now well-promoted "Party Pizza," is an American invention. Real Sicilian pizza has no cheese or anchovies.

Today, we celebrate Pizza. February 9 is International Pizza Day, and the Guinness Book of Records states that the largest pizza ever made and eaten was created in Havana, Florida at 100 feet and 1 inch across!    

American and Canadian citizens will eat an average 23 pounds of pizza, per person, per year. Pepperoni and cheese is the favorite combination, especially with younger people, and is second only to the hamburger as North America’s favorite food.

Pizzas can be made either healthy or fatty, depending upon what you use for the toppings. They come in many forms, with one form called a calzone, where half the dough is topped, and then the other half is folded over to form a large half-moon shaped pizza pocket, which is then baked. Other forms include breads, rolls, pan pizza, stuffed-crust pizza, thin-crust pizza and thick-crust pizza, with whole-wheat or bagel crust. The concept has also taken on other nationality’s influences, such as the Mexican pizza, which is a pizza dough topped with chili or taco filling, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions, tomatoes and jalapeño peppers. Desert pizzas come in forms of ice cream pizza, candy pizza, and even pizza cake. Pizza has even moved into the snack cuisine with pizza flavored items such as potato chips and tortilla snacks!

So, next time you enjoy a pizza, stop and think of Queen Margherita and Chef Rafaelle, and be grateful that a queen would dare stoop to eat peasant bread.

About the name:  the word "pie" does not refer to the crust, nor even to the shape or position of the crust. The Oxford English, the Webster's Unabridged, and lexicographer, Charles Earl Funk, all agree that the elemental word "pie" relates to the Magpie, a bird with feathers splotched in two colors. The Romans called the Magpie, "Pica,” hence the English "pie" and the alteration of "Pica" to "Pizza". The name relates to the bird's double color, and to its habit of gathering odds and ends as does a pizza, or pie, gather, and consist of, varied ingredients.

Thank you to Cliff Lowe and Diana Serbe

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com , for this great article.