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La petite Marmotte



La Marmotte je legendarna biciklistična rekreacijska dirka v francoskih Alpah, dolga 172 km in s 5200 m vzponov. Lahko bi se jo dalo prevoziti čez vikend, če bi Francija bila nekoliko bližje. A nič ne de, le 1 uro z vlakom iz Ljubljane smo že na štartni točki nič manj zanimive ture (la petite Marmotte, bi rekli francozi), ki gre okoli tromeje SLO/A/I, in ki vključuje najvišje ceste in prelaze v Sloveniji. Takole je izgledala kolesarska tura zadnjo junijsko soboto 2006.

La Marmotte is a tough, 1-day cycling event in French Alps, covering 172 km across some legendary cols and involving 5200 m of climbing. It could be done over the weekend, but France is a bit far from where I live for that. However, just 1 hour by train from my home there is a starting point of a nice Alpine tour - let's call it "la petite Marmotte" - around SLO/A/I tripple border point, about 150 km long and covering over 3000 m of climbing. That's where I went on June's last Saturday 2006, and here's how it looked like.

Rabeljsko
jezero / Lago di Predil POT: Iz Jesenic do Kranjske Gore, nato pred Podkorenom desno proti Korenskemu sedlu in v Avstrijo, nato sledimo smerokazom za Trbiž (Tarvisio) v Italijo, sredi Trbiža zavijemo levo pri oznaki za "Cave del Predil" (oznaka iz nasprotne smeri), čez I/SLO mejo na prelazu Predel, 1 km spusta in nato levo na mangartsko cesto kakih 12 km do vrha in nazaj, nadaljujemo dolgi spust mimo Loga pod Mangartom do odcepa pred Bovcem na levo, skozi Sočo in Trento na začetek vzpona na Vršič ter potem spust do Kranjske Gore in, če imamo še čas, do Jesenic.

CESTE: Cesta je asfaltirana vseskozi, z edino izjemo kakih 50 m makadama pri prehodu čez ostanke plazu takoj na začetku mangartske ceste. Asfalt je v glavnem dober, najboljši v Avstriji med Riegersdorfom in italijansko mejo, kamor bi jaz poslal naše načrtovalce kolesarskih poti, da si ogledajo odlične, enostavne in poceni rešitve, ne pa da si izmišljajo nemogoče kolesarske labirinte, ki so bolj v škodo kot v prid kolesarjem. Na nekaterih spustih (Korensko sedlo, Log p.M.) je asfalt razpokan, zato tam nekoliko previdnosti, kot tudi na zavojih z Vršča dol, kjer so postavljene kocke. Zavoji na Vršič so oštevilčeni 1 do 50; 24-ti je pri vrhu.

ROUTE: The start was in Jesenice (SLO), then to Kranjska Gora and a right turn near Podkoren toward Korensko sedlo/Wurzenpass at SLO/A border, in Austria we follow the signs "Tarvisio" to Italy, in Tarvisio a left turn toward Cave del Predil and on to the I/SLO border at Predil/Predel pass. After 1 km downhill there's a left turn on the Mangart road which leads to the highest road point in Slovenia (sign says 2100m), forms a loop at the top and descends back and further down to Log pod Mangartom. Left turn 1 km before Bovec leads to Soča, Trenta and the beggining of the Vršič pass with a final descent to Kranjska Gora and, if we still have time, back to Jesenice.

ROADS: There is asphalt all the way exept for 50 m gravel stretch at the beginning of the Mangart road, across the remnants of the 2000 landslide (which killed 7 people). The asphalt is mostly good, but there are some patches and potholes on several descends (Korensko sedlo, Log p.M.), so one should be cautious there, as well as on cobbed turns down the Vršič pass. The turns on Vršič pass are numbered 1-50; the number 24 is at the top.
Proti Rablju /
towards Cave d.P. PROMET: V soboto naj ne bi bil pretirano gost. Še najhujši odsek je med Jesenicami in Kranjsko goro, ki ga lahko tudi izpustimo in štartamo v Kranjski gori, četudi tudi ta ni problematičen. Nekoliko več pozornosti je potrebno pri spustu po ozki mangartski cesti ter v par neosvetljenih tunelih pred Predelom. Priporočam zadnjo utripalno luč. Veliko je motoristov, rekel bi da celo več kot avtomobilistov.

TRAFFIC: On Saturdays and Sundays the traffic should be low. The worst is between Jesenice and Kranjska Gora, but it's still managabe as the road is quite wide. Caution should be taken in some unlit tunels on the way to Predil and going down on narrow Mangart road (which also has 5 or 6 tunnels). LED tailight and possibly a small flashlight is reccommended.
v vlaku /
in the train JAVNI TRANSPORT: Iz Ljubljane (6:50) do Jesenic (8:10) sem se pripeljal z vlakom. Verjetno se da kolo prepeljati tudi z avtobusom, ki gre iz Ljubljane (6:30) do Kranjske Gore. Zadnji vlak iz Jesenic do Ljubljane gre ob 20:20, avtobus iz Kranjske gore pa ob 19:30.

PRENOČIŠČA: V Kranjski Gori sem prespal v penzionu z zajtrkom za 22 EUR. Nekoliko stran bi se dalo dobiti kaj ceneje (videl sem tablo 15 EUR za sobo nekje okoli Žirovnice).

PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There is a train from Ljubljana (at 6:50) to Jesenice (8:10) which takes bicycles. Alternatively, one may put a bike on a 6:30 bus from Ljubljana to Kranjska Gora. The return train departs from Jesenice at 20:20 and the last bus from Kranjska Gora at 19:30.

ACCOMMODATION: Nice pensions with breakfast in Kranjska Gora are from 22 EUR up for one person.
Sava dolinka HRANA IN VODA: Vodo (2x 0.5 l) sem natočil na bencinski postaji v Gozdu Martuljku, iz fontane v centru Arnoldsteina, iz potočka tik pred plazom na mangartski cesti (2x, gor in dol grede) in iz pipe približno na polovici vzpona na Vršič. Hrano se da kupiti med potjo.

FOOD AND WATER: No problems. There are enough restaurants, petrol stations and stores to buy food and drinks. Water can be taken from a number of clear streams. I took water (2x 0.5 l) also from the fountain in the center of Arnoldstein, from a creek just before the gravel stretch on the Mangart road and from the tap about half way up the Vršič pass.
sneg na
Mangartski cesti / snow on the Mangart road VREME: Vršič je zaprt do maja, mangartska cesta pa še dlje, tako, da je pravi čas nekje med junijem in septembrom. Kljub višini se kar pošteno našvicaš. Priporočam lahek anorak za spuste. Preveri tudi verjetnost poletnih neviht.

WEATHER: Vršič is closed up to May and Mangart road even later, so june to september is the time to go. Take a wind/rain jacket for the descends. Check weather report for possible summer storms.
ostanki kasarne
pod Predelom / WW I barracks below Predil KRAJI: Pokrajina je izvrstna - Sava dolinka, Jezernica, Rabeljsko jezero, Mangart, Soča s svojimi koriti. Ti kraji so tudi zgodovinsko zanimivi - Soška fronta, rudnik svinca.

NEVŠEČNOSTI: Predvsem je treba paziti na promet ob spustih. Nevaren 20% spust je kak km od Korenskega sedla - tukaj je pred ostrim levim ovinkom celo narejena zavorna pot v hrib v slučaju odpovedi zavor. Na vrhu mangartske ceste taleči se sneg zna tudi zamrzniti.

SITES: The scenery is excellent, with wild mountain rivers (Sava dolinka, Soča, Jezernica), the Predil lake, Mangart highlands. There are also remnants (barracks, graveyards, memorials) of heavy fighting during the WW I.

ANNOYANCES: Be careful when descending (see some pointers at the "ROADS" point). Special care at 1 km after the Korensko sedlo: there is a big 20 % descent with emergency bail-out path before a tight left turn. Thawing snow (ice?) near the top of Mangart road.
na vrhu ceste
pod Mangartom / top of the Mangart road OPREMA: Kolo št. 8. Razen obutve, oblačil in klobuka sem imel še malo torbico na krmilu, bidon, ključavnico, anorak, fotoaparat, mazilo za kožo, rezervno zračnico, flik-pribor, pumpo in 3 imbus ključe. Kot zanimivost sem stehtal stvari: na sebi sem nosil 1.3 kg, na kolesu pa še 1.8 kg (vključujoč vodo), skupaj 3.1 kg. Zanimivo bi bilo probati ta pravo, recimo enomesečno, turo na tale način.

POPRAVILA: Nič.

EQUIPMENT: My latest touring bike: No. 8. Beside the shoes, cycling shorts, cycling jersey, hat and glasses that I was wearing, I had a small handlebar bag (made out of an old underseat bag) with wind/rain jacket, digital camera and skin ointment in it, water bottle, lock, spare tube, patch-kit and pump attached to the frame and small allen keys set in jersey pocket. Just out of curiosity, I weighed things: I was wearing 1.3 kg and had 1.8 kg of stuff on the bike (including water), total 3.1 kg. It would be interesting to try a proper, say one-month, tour this way.

REPAIRS: Nothing.
cockpit KOLESARSKI PODATKI: Razdalja 151.5 km, vzpon 3040 m, čas kolesarjenja 8 ur 49 minut, čas s postanki 11 ur 40 minut, povprečna hitrost 17.2 km/h, največja hitrost 52.7 km/h.

CYCLING DATA: 1st day: la petite Marmotte (see diagram above): distance 151.5 km, 3040 m of climbing, overall time 11h 40min, riding time 8h 49min, 17.2 km/h average, 52.7 km/h max. 2nd day: Kranjska gora to Ljubljana, distance 101 km, cycling time 4:25, 22.6 km/h average, 53.2 km/h max.

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