Lost in Prealps: An Update on The Unique Bikepacking Experience

Biking comes in different shapes and sizes. Some go biking as a means of transportation, some do it competitively, and there are also those who sees it as a travel experience. But nothing brings a community of cyclists, pros and amateurs, like bikepacking. While the name suggests the simple concept of “packing everything you need on your bike,” it gives a deeper meaning to traveling and exploring with your bike. For cyclists, this experience is far from the adrenaline-filled cycling races as bikepacking is more focused on leisurely exploring new places, seeing new cultures and meeting new people.

We recently had a catch-up interview with the Lost in Prealps’ organizer, Manuel Gatto. What started as a bikepacking trip for the Treviso Prealps in 2017, is now an enriching two-day biking experience attended by cyclists from all walks of life.

Lost in Prealps events are always characterized by connecting your thoughts and emotions with the landscapes as a contemplative image to rekindle the instinct for exploration. The quality of experience became the perspective of facing every day with the openness that every adventure can become a story to tell.

Why Prealps?

The Prealps became the organizers’ location of choice as it is a territory close to home. Through numerous readings in the middle of the mountain, it became evident that the Treviso Prealps were the ideal place to experience nature. What makes this experience unique is that the areas were once abandoned by farmers to descend to the more industrialized plains, became attractive places for skiing during the economic boom, and abandoned once again at the end of the eighties due to the lack of snow. As these areas had gone through arduous tourism, the Prealps were chosen to be viewed in a different light – with more awareness and respect.

This year’s event in a nutshell

This year’s format was a two-day global call to bikepacking aimed at raising funds for cultural projects of the Lost in Prealps social promotion association. Participants explored areas between Col Visentin and Monte Cesen, including several points of interest like the valley of the lakes, the Val Belluna, the green pastures of Pianezze and many more. The focus of their journey was the Casera Vecia farmhouse, uniquely located at 1000 meters above sea level. Here, the community was able to engage with one another and develop new relationships through their shared experience.

Bikepacking to create awareness on sustainability

This year, participants received a welcome bag with vintage postcards representing different tourist places of the Prealps, graphically re-worked to raise urgent climate change and mass tourism issues. The goal to raise awareness on environmental issues was very well-achieved by incorporating the experience in bikepacking with the reflection on the relationship between man and nature.

The Lost in Prealps team has also achieved an excellent level of sustainable management of the events held in the past couple of years. With continuous improvement as part of the team’s philosophy, new awareness campaigns will be launched in 2023 and the years to come. This includes campaigns like providing participants with the tools necessary to eliminate the use of plastic during the event and to encourage public transport or car-sharing to arrive at the location. These campaigns are all geared towards slow and sustainable tourism.