The beach at the lido was filling up as the tourists emerged, meanwhile replacement tyres were being fitted to my hired Z1000SX at a chic and friendly Honda dealer in the centre of Riva del Garda - the local Kawasaki dealer has gone on holiday! Tyres sorted, I’ve taken to the local hills and limestone cliffs to scrub in the new Dunlops. This is not the South Downs, nor even Provence so a quiet day is relative and my lunchtime stop was amongst the butterflies in the cool of the forest at just over 1000 m. altitude.
These routes are more scenic than sporty, although some of the “Strada agricole” rise rapidly up through the terraced vineyards, half a kilometre of straight, then a hairpin and repeat in the opposite direction. Lots of views of industrialisation down in the hot, dry valley of the river Aldige up to Trento, but rather rarer to see Lake Garda from above, as at Mont Velo. And I’ve counted half a dozen different sorts of butterflies whilst writing this, now a rare pleasure to be amongst these flappy, colourful creatures.
And the Dunlop tyres after the Bridgestones? Maybe I’ve not got them hot enough yet or maybe they’re not worn in enough but they don’t seem quite as sticky.