In the fall of 1995 I arrived to the Italian Dolomites for the first time. I was fresh out of a Roman jail (long story) with my mother and, this being the case, was quite ready for a change of scenery. At the time I was a full time climber and a part time employee of La Sportiva USA. The visit to the Italian offices was to learn about the new line and meet everyone. The ultimate bonus was that I had some days scheduled to climb with the legend Heinz Mariacher.
Little did I know how influential that little visit would be. To this day, I vividly remember arriving to the Val di Fassa, looking down its length to the towering Sassolungo and Sella Group and thinking I had arrived in heaven. Then came the food, the hotel breakfast complete with the best yogurt of all time, the pizza, the polenta, and oh my my my… the coffee.
Heinz did take me climbing and it was as good as the scenery made it out to be. I had found a place that I never wanted to leave. Six years later I returned and slowly worked to make it my home. Finally, in 2007 that became a reality. Those same peaks I marveled at 14 years ago, I still lovingly stare at each time I ride, ski or run in the Dolomites – but from my front door.
All of these memories came flooding back last week as we returned to the Val di Fassa for some photo work for La Sportiva. Lorenzo Delladio, the owner of Sportiva, once again proved the perfect host. 14 years ago he personally gave me the tour of the factory, this time we simply went for a ski. He too, like seemingly everyone here, is obsessed with ski rando racing.
Being at Sportiva, in the Val di Fassa, amongst the Dolomites reminded me that if you put your mind to something that you want bad enough, no matter how seemingly unlikely, dreams most certainly occur.
Super Hero Lorenzo Delladio
Lorenzo Delladio ski rando training in the Dolomites
