At 3905 m, the highest mountain in the autonomous region. The mighty Monte Zebrù and the shapely Königsspitze are enthroned next to it. These three are our constant companions. Our aim was to cycle clockwise around the entire Ortler region from Latsch in the Vinschgau Valley and ride the region's most beautiful trails. You don't get that for free. The air up there is pretty thin. The highest point of the tour is over 3000 meters. More than half of the altitude difference has to be covered uphill, with the bike on your back. As we only stayed in mountain huts, we also had to shoulder our luggage for the week. Thank heavens for lifts! Downhill, the trails demanded a lot from us and our equipment.

And, of course, our espresso maker and a piece of bacon. In an emergency, take a break, come down and check the situation. We were often on the verge of despair, especially when we had to climb the almost 2000 meters of altitude to the Rabbijoch - the bikes mostly on our shoulders. Or when 30 cm of unexpected fresh snow prevented us from completing the last stage over the Madritschjoch. There were also minor and major breakdowns, such as a brake lever that was destroyed in a fall and forced us to take a break for repairs. But the effort was worth it! The views and the atmosphere there, so high up, are very moving. We met wonderful people in the huts along the way. We got to know each other (ourselves) better and, of course, we didn't always agree. We marveled and cursed and cheered together. We had flights of fancy and sublime views. This tour is something very special.