Saturday: Party Aftermath and River Fun (didn’t happen)

Still recovering from Misia's graduation party, we met at the BackcountryFinale office and packed up for Molini di Triora. The plan was to meet Alberto from Molini MTB and Francesca for a swim, but we arrived too late, and the water was freezing.

Instead, we drove up to Verdeggia, a tiny village with only nine winter residents. The sunset views on the way were breathtaking, especially the dramatic Loreto bridge and river. We set up camp near a bridge before Realdo and Verdeggia, waiting for our friends Branca, Carla, Michi, Cami, and Mati & Maggi. Together with the rest of the team, we hiked up to Verdeggia for their summer "Sagra," a lively festival with trippa, salsiccia, rostelle, and lots of wine. The traditional music was fantastic, and we danced under the stars before riding back to camp in the dark.

Sunday: Epic Rides in Val Roya

After an impromptu breakfast in Realdo, we set out for Val Roya. Starting from Sanson Col, we tackled technical trails with amazing views, using local shuttles but also doing plenty of pedaling. It was a hot, challenging day, with switchbacks and cows adding to the adventure.

Meanwhile, the other half of our crew went on an e-bike tour around Monte Saccarello, which proved to be quite tough. We all met up at Collardente and enjoyed a well-deserved beer in Realdo before heading back to Triora for a delicious dinner with a beautiful sunset.