Weekly Dispatch #84

Chasing Horizons on Two Wheels.

Welcome to Veloverse — an open journal dedicated to bikepacking wanderlust, Alpine switchbacks, gritty gravel descents, and obsessive technical gear breakdowns.

Explore Stories Route of the Month

42,800+

Kilometers Logged

Mountain Passes

100%

Chain Lube & Grit

Crossing the Dolomites: 450km Across Italian Scree & Fog

A 6-day self-supported gravel bike expedition across the dramatic limestone peaks of northern Italy.

9 min read

Recent Dispatches

Field notes, tested equipment reviews, and endurance route reports.

Featured Challenge

Route of the Month: The Passo dello Stelvio Loop

48 hair-raising hairpin bends carved into sheer rock. Known as the crown jewel of northern Italian Alpine passes, reaching 2,757 meters above sea level.

Elevation Profile & Waypoints

Interactive elevation contour showing key summit check-points

HC Grade Climb

Passo Stelvio (2,757m)

Prato allo Stelvio (915m)

Bormio Finish (1,225m)

Total Distance

63.8 km

Total Ascent

+1,870 m

Max Incline

14.2%

Surface Type

100% Tarmac

Rider's Briefing

Start before 7:00 AM to beat caravan traffic. The mountain pass remains closed between November and May due to heavy alpine snow accumulation.

Summit Temp Range 2°C – 11°C

Water Refills Trafoi & Summit Refugio

Recommended Gearing 34T Front / 34T Cassette

Rider Toolkit

The Century & Overnighter Packing Checklist

Never get stranded by an untamed puncture or sudden mountain squall. Mark items off before strapping up your saddle pack.

Always carry at least one tubeless puncture bacon strip dart even if you run sealant inside your tires!

Interactive Pack Status

0 of 6 packed

CO2 Inflator + 2x 25g Threaded Cartridges

Instant seating for tubeless tires on roadside bead slips.

Multi-tool with Chain Breaker & Quick-Links

Ensure 4mm, 5mm hex and T25 Torx are included.

Packable Wind/Rain Shell (GORE-TEX Paclite)

Critical for long 20-minute descent wind chill.

Electrolytes & 60g/hr Carbohydrate Chews

Sustaining steady wattage and avoiding the dreaded bonk.

Daytime Running Rear Radar Light (e.g. Garmin Varia)

Audible warnings for vehicles approaching at high speed.

Lightweight TPU Tube (Spare)

Takes 1/3 the space of traditional butyl tubes.

Elena Vance

Founder & Ultra-cyclist

"I've pedaled across Patagonia, the Scottish Highlands, and endless gravel farm roads in the American Midwest. Veloverse was built to share raw ride journals, genuine gear endurance feedback, and encourage folks to pack their handlebars and head out."

| Based in Boulder, Colorado