The Discovery Bicycle Tour, from the Dolomites to Venice, began in San Candido, a small resort town in the mountains. Our first day was a short orientation ride; the second was 27 miles, mostly flat or descending, along the Drava River, through fields (and stopping at the Loacker Chocolate Factory for very thick hot chocolate) and forest, to Lienz, Austria, with a train ride back. The next day included a 23-mile ride, in which we headed toward Cortina, with nearly constant views of the jagged Dolomite Mountains, of Tre Cime di Lavaredo (Three Peaks), and with a stop at a World War I cemetery. We biked up a wide, gravel trail to a small chalet for lunch, then descended to Cortina, site of several events in the 1956 Winter Olympics and scheduled again for the 2026 Olympics. We stayed at the beautifully set Cristallo Hotel, and walked into town, where residents and tourists celebrated at a wine festival. The following day we took a chairlift and then hiked from Rifugio Cinque Torri (2137 meters high) to Rifugio Nuvolau (2575 meters high).

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