BIGs SICILIA - by Mauro Repetti - August 2011
Who has never been to South Italy do not imagine how different is this land from the rest of Italy
(and Europe). ... So hot, so much rubbish in the streets, very undisciplined traffic (car drivers that
drive with a hand on the wheel and one on the horn ....), a crazy confusion, a consideration of the
cyclists close to zero) ... .. but also a warmth and an welcome that here in the North is almost
disappear... ..
In Sicily there is NOT the culture of cycling, except for a few like us ... .. then the average
motorist cannot imagine what it means to sweat with the bike uphill ... indeed, it is against their
own principles ... ... . some respect you, but most do not ....
Pedaling uphill in the heat is not only extremely difficult but also frustrating. The feeling of fatigue
grows exponentially with the increase of each degree of temperature, so much effort and very few
results (I did go up in some time with the category Big n. 5 - 6 instead of my usual 9 - 10 ..)... I
would strongly recommend not to climb big in the summer (free-time and holidays permitting
clearly)
Photos are in the albums on the sites and almost all are shoted by my son Alex ; his presence has
been fundamental in this project; without him all the things should not have been so great…thanks
Alex !!
THE CLIMBS
MONTE PELLEGRINO (Palermo) - 11 aug 2011
Km 9,05 – average 4,3 % - max 10,4 %
Climbed from Palermo; highly recommended NOT to ride in the streets of Palermo; I say to go
with the car until the first parking along the climb, then bike down to the junction adjacent where
Big begin and going to the top.
Climb in the middle of beautiful greenery of palm trees and prickly-india,.
Each hairpin is cobbled (see photos) , beautiful .... great views over Palermo and the sea.
Arriving at the junction of the sanctuary , go right to ascend to the place where is the arrive and
where the statue of Santa Rosalia wait us (she is the patron saint of Palermo city).
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ERICE (from Trapani - Casa Santa) - 11 aug 2011
7.18 km - average 8.1 % - max 16.4%
There are three roads leading in Erice, after having traversed all three with the car, I chose to do
(and I highly recommend) the most challenging (and less busy for not large road) from the village
Casa Santa.
Challenging climb (average 8.1 - max 16.4%), with several hairpin bends ... beautiful views of
Trapani and its salt marche and on the inland Sicily ....
The other climb from the cable car is beautiful but more traffic, while the third from Valderice is a
wide street full of cars of tourists (every year on this side, there is a Italian championship race climb
car)
Fantastic view from the top of Erice... ... .. here the temperature was acceptable, a cool breeze ...
well.
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CARBONARA PIANO BATTAGLIA (from Campofelice di Roccella - PA) –
12 aug
lenght 35.43 km - average gradient 4.63% - max 13.3%
Ascent from average gradient not high, but very long (km 35) and with 1.642 meters of
difference!
Up to the beautiful country of Collesano the road rises in a sparse vegetation, typical marine.
From Collesano (mt 468) starts to enter in the mountains called "Madonie" and the vegetation
becomes typical mountain.
From Piano Zucchi to Piano Battaglia (top mt 1656 ) there is an air of mountain …..you pedal
with the view of Cima Carbonara (nearly 2 thousand meters); Piano Battaglia is the second sky
resort in Sicily after Mount Etna.
A little traffic up to Collesano, then almost zero.
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SELLA MANDRAZZI (from San Biagio - ME) - 13 aug 2011
29.49 km - average gradient of 3.7% - 14.7% max
Long climb, but quite challenging. You can divide the rise in two pieces. The first part from San
Biagio up to Novara di Sicilia (beautiful country at 650 meters above sea level)
The second from Novara to the top (m 1.125)
The first section climbs gradually along a river without a drop of water (as all the rivers in Sicily in
the summer) and reaches Novara that you can see already a few km before climbing.
Cross Novara for about 1 km on a bed of stones squared pretty rough. Immediately after the bridge
out of the town begins the second part, the most difficult to the top Mandrazzi, you go through a
forest with a few bends.
Traffic = slightly up in Novara, near zero up to the top.
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PORTELLA dello ZOPPO (from Randazzo - CT) – 16 aug 2011
15.97 km - average gradient of 3.3% - 9.5 max
I made the side from Randazzo, a charming town 740 meters , several times saved from the
eruptions of Etna. The climb starts just before the bridge over the river Alcantara (which forms
narrow gorges with cold water some km down!)
The road gains altitude with a few hairpin bends to the village of Santa Domenica Vittoria.
From here to the top the slope decreases .
Attention = difficult to identify the top because:
1) There is NO sign
2) the top is not the end of the climb, the road continues still climbing.
I asked some local people ... .. I have been assured that the Portella of Zoppo is in a curve to the
right (see my photos) about 400 meters after restaurant.
Traffic = moderately supported
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Portella FEMMINA MORTA (from Ponte Bolo - CT) - 16 aug 2011
- 28.5 km - average gradient of 3.2% - 18% max (wall in Cesarò)
Ascent to be divided into three parts: the first from Ponte bolo bridge to Cesarò (alt m 1,150) ; you
go up in a lonely and desert area where the road climbs steeply among the burned from the sun
yellow grass. I left the base in the early afternoon and the feeling I had was to be in a forgotten land,
with stinking animal carcasses in the street and a monstrous august sicilian sun. I had to slow
down the pace to amazingly complete lack of "air". Big test for my body!
In Cesarò there is a wall of 300 mt at 18% slope (though there is an alternative route).
The third section (along km 18) just after the wall of Cesarò enter in the forest, with slopes not
difficult for to reach the top at 1.524 m where there is a large square (and a seller of drinks with
his truck).
= Almost no traffic.
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ETNA (from Zafferana Etnea - CT) - 17 aug 2011
18 km - average gradient of 7.3% - 12.4% max
Long Climb , difficult and with high difference (mt 1.300) , compounded, in my case, from the
sun of 11 am hours when I left Zafferana ( alt mt 587)
At the beginning you will cycle among the chestnuts, then comes out in the middle of the lava flows
of the different volcanic eruptions.
The road is very wrinkled and this make you sweat a lot more.
Traffic = important because many tourists reach the top. Numerous bus but wide road.
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CASTELMOLA ( from Taormina - junction SS 114) - 18 aug -2011
8 km - average gradient 5.45% - maximum 16%
My advice is NOT to do this climb during the day (in summer) because the traffic is crazy to
Taormina and cars and buses will "crush" you…..is impossibile to go ride without stopping (rows
of cars everywhere), and there is a deadly killer heat.
In fact, I decided to do this climb in the early morning - departure from Cape 114 SS Taormina at
5.45 am still in the dark (and in spite of the time there were already 26 degrees!!!!... imagine during
the day !)
I sweated a lot, I can not imagine thinking this in the hot sun and with the traffic (for to reach
Castelmola you have to cross Taormina, which has narrow streets and cars parked everywhere ...
very high risk to s put foot on the ground several times!)
It 'a pretty tough climb, with peaks of 16% in Taormina.
The route indicated on the website Big is relative to an old pedestrian street that is hard to do with a
bike especially for the many steps that you meet (you must get off the bike several times and then
start many times with a slope of 25%).
Traffic = as I said, in the early morning traffic almost zero ; but during the day is crazy!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ciao
Mauro Repetti
--------------------------------------------------------Photos are in the albums on the Big site.