Scenes from Lake Garda Italy, Part 1

No visit to a city is complete without going for a run through its streets, paths, and environs. Our stay in Gardone Riviera by Lake Garda was no exception. I rolled out of bed to run up to the Via Panoramico to see what delights might be in store for me. Going up was quite steep and hot in the 95F degree weather. The road had many river-smoothed stones stilled by cement but even so, footing was surprisingly uneven. The slope and the uncertainty made a walk much more practical than a jog:

Via Cecelio by Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson ©2014

Fortunately, the road up Via Cecelio was very quiet with nary a car on the up and only one coming down. The road passed by some beautiful homes.

Cheerful Home by Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson ©2014

I almost gave up before I reached the top. Fortunately, I could see a guard rail far above me. That meant via Panoramica so I kept going. Finally, I crested the top and could see the sign for the trail I had been unknowingly following.

Trail Sign by Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson ©2014

Gratefully, I began running downhill, stopping every little bit to photograph the great view.

View of Lake Garda by Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson ©2014

Surprisingly, there were few cars and few cyclists so my run on the narrow road was quite safe. A kind young biker who was painting a t-shirt on a picnic bench shared the secret of a path bisecting the many hairpins. Alerted, I darted down this shortcut, an upside-down version of via Cecelio:

Shortcut by Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson ©2014

At the end of my run, I saw a woman on a cane tap her way into a park.

Woman with Cane in a Park by Jennifer Hartnett-Henderson ©2014

She was barely moving forward but she was out there. I cheered her on. All in all, it was a great run. No tour of a city is complete without breathing the air, sweating in the temperature and humidity, and seeing the sites while on foot.