So this year’s biggest event was over and done with.  It was time to leave the event village and head back to the car, a five mile downhill ride which proved there was actually quite a lot left in my legs, bizarrely enough.  It was also quite a lot of fun :).  Back to the Ostaria, and all that was left to do was to abandon the bikes in the hotel basement, wash the ride away, and head downstairs for celebratory drinks and canapés with the group.  Lots of tales of how well or otherwise people had done, standing around in the sunshine, basking in our achievements.  Very nice.  Apart from being interviewed by Ian as part of his coverage – I bet I looked and sounded terrible!

The evening meal completely unexpectedly included gluten free pasta just for me, as well as recommendations as to not eat various things on the menu because they included flour – the hotel had really gone the extra mile which was just lovely.  I hate being the fussy customer, and to be not made to feel that way was wonderful.  For whatever reason the sauce on the pasta didn’t affect me the same way as the night before, so maybe it wasn’t the same sauce!  I think the best part was getting to eat al fresco, something I haven’t done for forever.  Oh, and that white wine wasn’t at all horrible either…  It wasn’t the latest night in the world, as it had been a long long day, but it was a lot of fun chatting to everyone, including the odd rider who reads here – hi guys, and thanks for the company :).

So, time to go home.  Not directly though.  We were coming back via an overnight stop in Munich mostly because I’d never been and also because I believe German beer to be a good thing.  Well, maybe not the wheat beers…  Hey, I’d earned a break right? ;).  The drive back there took a little while to get going, as several thousand cyclists tried to exit the valley at the same time, but it wasn’t like we were in a rush, and it was a fairly pleasant journey for all that.  The further we went, the worse the weather got, and the temperature dropped.  Sunny Italy turned into grey wet Germany, which seemed oddly appropriate, as if indicative that we were leaving the Maratona properly behind us.  We got into Munich in time for lunch, and the hotel turned out to be very central – ideally so in fact.  I’d like to say I did touristy things in Munich but barring a bit of walking around to get my bearings, it was more about the apres-ride – nice food, nice beer, nice wine…oh, and some shopping of course.  No-one who knows me will be surprised to know that that involved new shoes…*grin*.

Munich was a surprisingly bike friendly city.  Well, full of bikes anyway.  Bikes being used for transport, for fun, for city tours…and parked up everywhere.

Another night out on the tiles, well the wet cobbles actually, and it was time for the final part of the journey home.

Sadly my insides were properly miserable, and I was on the painkillers again, which made the whole journey less enjoyable.  Or maybe that was just because I wasn’t in Club class this time ;).  I got some sleep on the plane, and even gave the wine a miss because I didn’t think it would sit well and was due to drive a few hours later anyway.

Back to the UK where, unsurprisingly, it was raining.  Truly back in Blighty then.  And the rest of the journey is of no interest to you whatsoever so I’ll spare you the details :).

So here I am, back home, blogging for all I’m worth, and trying to catch up with everything.  The bike is back together, and I plan on riding it today or tomorrow depending on how I get on.  I haven’t suffered at all from the ride – and I mean not at all.  How amazing is that?  It’ll be interesting to see how I feel later when I’m back at the gym, or on the bike, maybe I’m wrong…

Here’s my haul from the event.  There was a mini bottle of fizz in there too, but I appear to have mislaid that somewhere ;).  A lot of souvenirs to go with the memories.  I also have these that my daughter made for me in honour of the event, worn on the day, and due to remain in situe until they fall off.  And some interesting additional tan lines – I managed to tan through my cycling jersey!

So, this should be the summation, conclusion, paragraph.  The Maratona dles Dolomites – verdict?  Well…  I had a great ride.  Don’t get me wrong – it was hard work.  Not, I think, quite as hard as last year’s Etape, though the stats suggest it should have been.  Is that because the climbing was different?  Or because just possibly I’m a better rider now than I was then?  The heat for both was the same so it can’t have been that.  If it had been cooler I’d definitely have found it easier, and the climbs were totally my kind so I might even have enjoyed the pain a little more ;).  The scenery IS absolutely stunning, as everyone had told me.  The road surfaces were, for the most part, and taking into account the odd cracks as the roads slide down the mountains, incredibly good.  The organisation is great, the goodies likewise.  The timing and photos and videos were all massively efficient – all up and available either instantly or before I got home.  Hard to fault the event in any kind of serious way.  Niggles?  Rider behaviour.  The re-opening of the roads towards the end.  The repeat of the Campolongo.  But that’s all they are really, niggles.  Speaking personally I’d like to have done it with a bike that was working properly, and got a slightly better time, but hey, it’s not a race right? 😉

Would I do it again?  Hm.  Not as my big event of the year, no.  I don’t really do repeats.  Maybe as part of a cycling break, or with a group of friends, as more of a leisure laid back ride though – it really is beautiful riding country.  And I would definitely recommend it to anyone else.  In the meantime I’m already trying to figure out next year’s challenge.  Etape again (Ventoux)?  Haute Route (I may well not be up to that)?  And my current front runner – the Quebrantahuesos, which several people have recommended already.  Any other suggestions?

So it’s back to the grindstone and back on the bike soon…  I am cyclist, hear me roar… *grin*.