Saturday Run - June 24, 2023

Special Stages events usually take place on Sundays, but this brings two main problems: greater traffic due to more tourists on the roads we like and planning a program that provides for the end of the event at a suitable time to allow participants to return home at acceptable times.

The Saturday Run however, as has already happened in the past, allows you to take advantage of less busy roads thanks also to unusual times, thus being able to admire a sunset that occurs very late in this period.

The tour

The meeting point is in Fornovo di Taro at 2.00 pm. Although it is Saturday, there is a lot of traffic on the highways to reach the meeting point.
We chose the Bel Sit restaurant to offer members a small buffet to recharge their batteries before departure, a restaurant that is right at the foot of the first road we will travel on, the Cisa Pass.

At 15:30 we leave to begin the ascent towards the first pass. We then take the SS62 which, a few hundred meters from the start, immediately begins to climb the Apennines.

There isn't too much traffic, even if it's a little bit lucky; in fact, someone in the group finds the road clear, others maybe a few motorcycles that act as a stopper, but whose tortuosity of the road prevents you from overtaking.

The SS62 is as always spectacular. We've already gone down this road on two other tours in the past and it's always been an incredible emotion.
The fund is in excellent condition, apart from a few small points where the ground is giving way and has created depressions. The roadway is more than sufficient to be able to drive safely and the landscape is also very pleasant.
There would have been a probable stop on the pass but, as we saw on arrival, many motorbikes occupy a large part of the parking lot, so we decided to continue.
From the Cisa pass we descended on the Tuscan side up to Pontremoli to then begin a peaceful transfer up to Aulla.
Then begins the totally new part of the itinerary, never traveled in the past, namely the SS63. In the first part it is busy and passes through various villages until the road begins to climb towards Passo del Cerreto. Superb road, traffic is reduced and as we climb we also discover a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.
Arrived at the pass we make a stop, also taking advantage of the bar to refresh ourselves before continuing our tour and descending on the opposite side.

From here the traffic becomes practically non-existent and we can enjoy this road which has nothing to envy to the Cisa Pass, both for the quality of the road surface and for the continuous curves that we face up to the valley.

After the town of Cervarezza, turn left onto the SP15 in the direction of Ramiseto - the road section is still wide and in fair condition.

At Taviano we leave the main road to take the SP103 and then the SP665 and then the SP75 towards Passo di Ticchiano.
This whole part is characterized by a reduced road section, but thanks again to the non-existent traffic we continue maintaining a good average distance up to Corniglio.

Leaving the town on the SP40 we stop in a large square, which is actually a heliport, with an incredible panorama to reunite the group.

Thus we arrived at the last stage of the day.
The SP40 has a wide and fast track again; the sun is now setting and illuminates the mountains that surround us as we cross the Passo del Silara along the SP74, another wonderful stretch of road.

We descend towards Berceto, which we cross, and then proceed towards Ghiare and then arrive at the valley floor. In this last stretch the road is very suggestive, going through a narrow gorge between the valley stream and the mountain, which almost seems to be catapulted into one of the roads of France.
We just have to take the SS523 in the direction of Borgo Val di Taro to get to the Black Jack, the place where the buffet dinner will take place.

A Tour focused a lot on driving, with its total 230 km. Very little traffic though, and that little was all concentrated in the first part. The rest of the itinerary was pure driving pleasure, thanks to a very varied route and full of beautiful roads.

Next event?

We look forward to seeing you at the Tour Des Alpes to ride the most beautiful roads you can imagine and the most incredible panoramas! From the highest road in Europe at over 2800 meters of altitude to the panoramas on the French lakes!

Click HERE to see all the photos from the event!

Click HERE to see photos of past events.

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