DOLOMITES HIKE

There are technical hikers, and then there's me. I enjoy hiking because it allows me to be in nature, appreciate the surrounding beauty, and provides a different physical challenge compared to doing a spin class on my Peloton or running on a treadmill. Backroads organizes the group into easier and more difficult hikes, allowing everyone to choose without any judgment, ensuring a good time for all. The goal is to do what your stamina and joints can handle. On the first day, we all took an easy walk to warm up and reach our initial destination. Gondolas were often used to take us up or down, depending on the route.

On the second day, a rainy one, I opted to not push it and took the easier hike, to avoid slipping and potential injury, but after that, I took the tougher climbs on the subsequent days, when it was dry and beautiful.

Only on one of those hikes did i question my sanity and wonder if I was going to be able to traverse this narrow wood plank path on the edge of a steep drop, but I held my breath, pulled up my big boy pants, and just did it...with a sigh of relief when I got to the other side.

My impression of the Dolomites is that it's a place where the mountains seem to reach the sky. Depending on the weather, the clouds either brush against the peaks or conceal them, whether it's a sunny day with large, fluffy clouds or an overcast one. Even on a rainy day, there was something ethereal about how the fog enveloped the meadows, with cows quietly grazing to the sound of their bells. There was no street noise, no shouting, no sirens, and no planes overhead—just tranquility and cowbells. It was all incredibly beautiful and serene.

We would have our lunch usually in one of the huts that are located at the top of the various mountains. These huts are staffed by people who typically stay there for the season sleeping on the second floor. The huts had great food. The soups, goulash, pasta, trays of cold meat and cheeses were all wonderful and much better than any fast food joint you might find in our state parks. They were a real joy to eat at. Of course, we were starving after the rigors of the hike, happy to sit for a bit, and that may have made the food all taste better, but I do think it was all quite good.

The longer hikes I joined averaged about 12 miles, with an ascent of roughly 2400 feet, reaching an altitude of around 8200 feet. Initially, I felt the altitude but gradually acclimated to it. I didn't experience headaches, just initially some shortness of breath on the steeper sections. Some in our group moved like mountain goats, quickly navigating the hills; I was more like an old goat, proceeding with extra caution to avoid slipping or injury. The walking sticks were crucial in preventing accidents and also provided a workout for my upper body. While the group showcased a variety of hiking footwear, most wore some type of hiking shoe, not the traditional hiking boots; my Merrill Moabs worked perfectly.

The day pack was essential for schlepping rain clothes and to layer up or down depending on the temperature, and to carry your snacks, which is a signature and essential part of the hikes. Backroads is affectionately known as "snack-roads".