The Dolomites Taught Me Everything

Hike Local. Travel Global. | July 2026

We Made It Back

Two weeks. Three countries. Nine women. One mountain. We are back in Wisconsin, and I am still processing it all. I want to tell you about this trip because it was more than a vacation. It was proof that the training works, that community matters, and that your body can do hard things when you prepare it right. Italy was truly amazing.

 Amsterdam and Venice First

We started in Amsterdam—two days of canals, bikes, and the Heineken brewery. My legs felt good. My mind was already shifting into adventure mode. I was shocked to see so many people smoking; they triggered my allergies and sinuses. It was rough for me on the streets

Then Venice. After three nights, I was completely surprised. I thought Venice would be big and grand. It is not. It is small, walkable, and full of hidden corners. We explored the islands, Murano and Burano, ate food that stopped us mid-bite, and walked 25,000 steps a day. It was hot. Way hotter than I expected. I ate way too much gelato daily and have no regrets. I must say, getting in a boat from the airport to Venice felt like a dream. I didnt want the boat to stop; it was mesmerizing. It felt like a dream to see the traffic in the water. I felt very important for some reason.

What blew my mind most was that Venice has almost no trees and no street crossings. So when I spotted a dog on one of those narrow streets, I almost stopped completely. It made me miss my dog so much.

We found a little restaurant with the fluffiest pancakes. We got lost in squares full of locals. We moved slowly. It was exactly what we needed before the mountains.

Then the Dolomites

Five days of hut-to-hut trekking with nine women through Much Better Adventures. This is why we came. We spent two nights in proper mountain hotels with saunas and wellness facilities. Your legs get to recover before the next push. Then three nights in the rifugios, and that is where things got interesting.

Every rifugio was different. Some had elaborate three-course Italian dinners served at altitude. Others were so remote that breakfast was a bread roll and whatever you carried in. Beer at noon is completely normal out there. And yes, men and women share bunk rooms. Nobody tells you that ahead of time. You figure it out.

What I learned on that mountain is this. We trained hard for this trip. Tuesdays and Thursdays through a Wisconsin winter. Elevation drills. Long weekend hikes. Early mornings, when staying in bed would have been easier. And when I got to that mountain, all of it made sense.

But the training was not really about fitness. It was about becoming the kind of person who shows up. And when you train with other women, you build something real. Trust. Friendship. The knowledge that when it gets hard, someone is walking right beside you. You do not build that sitting at home. You build it on the trail. I learned that flat means get ready to climb even higher. We were below 7000 ft elevation, but hiking at 85 degrees while jetlagged can really affect your hike, and we kept moving forward.

International Women’s Trip in 2027

March – Drakensberg, South Africa, and Safari 2 spots

June – Peru 10-day adventure hut-to-hut 10 spots

July 7 -17, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Women’s Retreat 4 spots

July 27- Drakensberg, South Africa, and Safari 10 spots

October 17 – Patagonia Adventure Travel goes live on August 31; only 12 spots

Local Retreats

• Free Fall season retreat on my property, invite-only, camping in tents, cooking outdoors, kayaking, and Hiking.
• All-inclusive Winter reset retreat on Jan 1-3, stay tuned for more details

 Keep Hiking This Summer

I will be back in Wisconsin Trails this fall as we kick off training for our March trip to South Africa. You are welcome to join us even if you are not traveling with us. But do not wait for me. Text your trail sister. Pick a Saturday. Get outside while the days are long and the weather is good. You do not need a group hike on the calendar to move your body.

Gear of the month

Pack Your Trekking Poles: I used MSR trekking poles on this trip for the first time on a major trek. By day three, I could not imagine being without them. They protect your knees on the way down. They give you power going up. They help your balance on rocky sections. And packing them is simple. Cap the tips and check them in your luggage. They arrive fine every time. If you train with poles, bring them on the mountain. Do not leave them at home.

In June, I Told You to Start Where You Are

Walk your neighborhood. Pitch a tent. Bike the tr—graduate to the parks, then the bluffs, then beyond. In July, I am back from beyond. And I am telling you that everything in that newsletter was true. The training was real. The friendships were real. The mountain was real. And none of it happened by sitting still. Show up for the Tuesday morning hike. Get your body ready. Because when the hard thing comes, and it will come, you will already know you can do it.

See you in September. Or sooner if you want to hike before then. Just send me a message.

Dini

Dineo Dowd | Author | Founder, Wisconsin Adventure Family LLC | @dineodowd | http://www.wiadventurefamily.com | dnmokhele@gmail.com | WhatsApp +1 608-515-6472

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