We crossed the northwest coast of France about dawn. We were served breakfast as we flew across France. I got a good relief view of the topograghy of France and could see the Alps as I was sitting on the left side of the plane. We crossed the south coast of France over Nice and I could see Corsica and Sardinia as we flew over the Medditeranean. We landed at Rome's Fiumicino Airport on time at 8:40 am.
Italy is 6 hours ahead of the US east coast on daylight savings time. We got through immigation and retrieved our bikes and bags. We breezed through customs and after a little confusion went outside to find our driver Paulo from Mattiazzo Limo and Coach waiting for us with a sign with my name on it. We walked to the bus with our gear and discovered it was a 15 passenger bus. We had ordered a 30 passenger bus to acommodate our bikes. Paulo, who spoke little English, called for a larger bus. We waited for over an hour until the larger bus arrived. We had trouble loading all our gear on the bus but finally managed with 3 bikes inside with us.
We finally left the airport at 11:20 am. We soon were in the mountains which were much larger and more of them than I remembered. I realized I had miscalculated the difficulty of this bike tour. We stopped in route for a sandwich and drink. There were some clouds but it was warm with a nice cooling breeze. We descended a long steep 15 - 20 mile hill to the coast. The highway was either elevated in a concrete trough like an acquaduct or passing through one of 7 or 8 long dark tunnels. That got everyone's attention as their thoughts strayed to biking hills like this one. We arrived at the three star Hotel Argentario at Via di Roma 45 in Ravenna at about 4:30.
We unloaded and I tipped Paulo 450,000 lira ($216.76). The hotel was ready for us and we went directly to our rooms. The rooms are spacious, clean and modern. The floors thoughout the hotel are marble or tile. Walt Pleines and the Huelskamps were in the hotel when we arrived. Several of us walked to the piazza where I bought 250 grams of cashews for 3000 lira ($1.45) in the open market.
All 16 of us from Baltimore went to dinner at the Ca De Ven at 7:00 pm. We were seated together at a long harvest table. At the next table was a slightly larger group from Colorado on a bike trip that started in Venice. I ate pork scallopini with mushrooms, pasta, salad and red wine for 74,000 lira ($35.65) plus 10,000 lira ($4.82) tip (about 2076 lira per $1) including Anne's meal. We all walked to a gelateria for pistachio ice cream (gelato) for 5,000 lira ($2.41) for two. After having been up 32 or 33 hours, we crashed about 9:40 pm.
I didn't sleep very well so I got up at 6:45 am and ran 5.1 miles in 45:49. I ran through Ravenna and out an ancient arch in the city wall into the countryside where there was a thick fog. I returned to the hotel to shower and eat a buffet breakfast of juice, milk, rolls, cheese, ham, butter, jelly, and yogurt. Paid my hotel bill of 120,000 lira ($57.80) including breakfast as tonight is paid for by our tour company Bike Tours. The British group arrived about 10:00 having come by rail from London. I unboxed my bike and assembled it.
At 10:30 am Barry and Carol Nelson and John and Barbara Buchleitner walked to the train station with Anne and I. I bought a litre of water in the station for 2500 lira and train tickets for two to Remini for 19,600 lira. The station had modern, clean high tech urinals with a light beam controlling the flow of water which drained under your feet under a grate. I saw this design repeated several times in Italy. We caught the 12:35 graffiti covered local train for the 55 minute ride down the coast to Remini a distance of 50 kilometers or about 31 miles.
We walked to the beach and into the Adriatic. Walked along the beach. We returned to the beach front street for lunch of bruchetti cheese bread, Italian sandwich and a Paulaner Marzen draft beer for 35,000 lira ($16.86) plus 5,000 lira ($2.41) tip at the Ombelico. We walked along the city wall and into old Remini through a Roman gate built in BC 27. We walked through the narrow cobble stoned streets of the old city to a Roman bridge built in BC 12. We caught the 5:20 train back to Ravenna. Bought two ice creams (gelati) for 5500 lira in the train station.
I assembled Anne's bike at the hotel. We walked a ½ block to a restaurant on the corner for supper of pork scallopini, penne pasta, bread, red wine, salad, ice cream and fruit. I pitched in 10,000 lira ($4.82) for more wine at dinner. All dinners and hotels with breakfast are paid for by Bike Tours from now until we get to Rome. There are 36 bikers on tour plus Alex Badell, Rich Cooper (mechanic and driver) and Joanna Haylock on staff. There are 16 Americans from Baltimore plus Larry Raynor from Oklahoma and Dennis Crovella from California. Mal and Lorraine Blomfield are from Northwood NSW, Australia. There are 16 British riders. Went to bed at 11:30.
Consequently, it was 9:30 before the Maryland group and some British biked out of Ravenna together. There was a lot of traffic with people going to work for the first 2 or 3 miles. We cleared the congestion and were on lightly traveled country roads. This would be true for the rest of the trip with congestion around the big towns and small cities but not much traffic on the roads. The first 30 miles were flat as we cycled down the coast about 2 - 3 miles inland to Remini. It is very agricultural with dry gray soil that plows over in large solid chunks. Italy has not had rain in about 100 days. There are lots of vineyards with heavy dark grapes ready for harvest, peach and pear orchards and olive groves. The olive groves had nets strung on long poles that were opened to catch the ripe olives as they fell off the tree. The nets were closed when the olives were still green. This configuration was especially prevalent in hilly and mountainous terrain. Most of us stopped at a bar for an orange juice and ice tea (canned) for 6,000 lira ($2.89). The owners must have been cycling fans as the walls were covered by posters of Marco Pantani who won the Tour de France in 1998 and several Giro de Italia. Bars are not like American bars in that they sell candy, pastries, soft drinks and espresso coffee. The weather was clear and warm with afternoon clouds.
We biked into Savignano at noon as the street markets were closing. Entering town, we crossed the mostly dry Rubicone River where Caeser is credited with saying "The dye is cast". Asked a local who directed us to Bar Levante for lunch of chicken sandwiches and peach ice teas for 11,500 lira ($5.54).
Leaving town we soon climbed a couple of big hills that served as a wake up call for the group and then returned to the valley and level roads. We could see San Marino city in the distance perched on the top of a 2000' mountain that sloped towards the Adriatic to its peak then precipitously drops back to sea level. This was characteristic of many mountains in the area.
We entered the independent 23.4 square mile Repubblica di San Marino with a population of 25,091 and founded in 301 AD at about 40 miles. We started climbing immediately to San Marino city, a 750 meter climb over 11 kilometers. I followed Anne for about a mile when she stopped. I continued on about ½ mile to a good overlook and waited. I followed Anne again for some distance and she stopped again. She urged me to go on which I did to San Marino city. In the middle of the climb there was a stretch of about 1/3 mile that was a 15 - 20% grade which most people walked. This was supposed to be the toughest climb of the entire tour. Our route had taken us from Ravenna to Borgo Faino, Asteria, Castiglione, Pasignano, Forli Cesena, Villalta, Montaletto Sala, Sant Angelo, Gatteo, Canonica, Trebbio, Ponte Veruchio and San Marino.
Arrived at our Hotel Titano about 3:30 having biked 47.2 miles and stowed my bike for the night. Drank two Lowenbrau beers with Barry Nelson, Bruno Cartwright and others. While talking to Bruno, he told me his mother came from Jargau a small village on the Loire River east of Orleans, France. Amazingly, that village is where my mother's Huguenot family came from after the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Checked into room 212 with great unobstructed breathtaking views of the valley 2000' below and many mountain ridges for miles. I showered and washed my biking clothes as Anne came in on the truck.
At 8:00 we ate supper of lasagna, potatoes, spinach, veal scallopini, ice cream with chocolate, wine and bottled water. The wine cost 20,000 lira ($9.63). The food was outstanding.
I didn't sleep well for the 3rd straight night. Got up at 7:00 and packed up. Went to breakfast in the hotel at 8:00. The buffet breakfast consisted of 3 rolls, ham, cheese, juice, milk, butter and peach jelly. Got 200,000 lira ($89.82 or 2227 lira/$1) from an ATM outside our hotel. Anne and Carol Nelson stayed in San Marino to shop.
Barry and I biked down the mountain at 9:00. It is sunny, windy and hot. Our route took us from San Marino to Murata, Fiorentina, Mercatino Conca, Ripalta, Monte Altavellio, Auditore, Casinini, Schieti and Urbino. At 4.1 miles we exited the Republic of San Marino. We did a lot of climbing including a 2.1 mile climb beginning at 8.4 miles. We stopped in Casinini for a fruit tart and orange drink for 6,000 lira ($2.69).
We biked into Urbino at 12:10 and stopped for a 2/3 litre of Tuborg beer for 4,000 lira ($1.80). Walked upstairs in the hotel to a cafeteria called the Montefeltro for lunch of lemon ice tea, pasta and fruit salad for 9,100 lira ($4.09). Biked back down the hill about 1.2 miles to the Hotel dei Duchi covering 29.9 hilly hot miles at 2:10 pm. Barry and I rode fairly quickly averaging between 15 and 16 miles per hour.
The hotel is located on a side residential street a block off the highway on the edge of Urbino. Our luggage had not arrived yet. After it arrived, I took it to our room number 326 and showered. Drank a litre bottle of water in the lobby for 1,900 lira ($.85). About 5:00 pm Anne arrived in the truck. She had 4 flats because the rear brake pad was aligned slightly off the rim and had worn to the point that it punctured the sidewall of the tire. Richard Cooper ground down the pad and realigned it. I gave him a new tire to mount and he put a new tube in it for £3 or 9,000 lira ($4.04).
We took a bus into the old walled city of Urbino with many narrow cobbled streets and large stone churches and other structures. Very nice, quaint and historical. Found an Email business and sent a message to about 20 people for 3000 lira ($1.35). Walked down a steep narrow side street from the main piazza to supper at the Bonconte Hotel at 8:00. Supper was pasta, bread, wine, water, veal scallopini, mashed potatoes and banana custard. The bus never showed up after supper. We waited for over an hour so Alex started shuttling us back to the hotel in his car. We arrived at 10:30 and I finally got to bed at 11:30.
It rained with wind, thunder and lightening during the night. I slept well for the first time. Got up and packed up for another day of cycling. Went to breakfast of ham, cheese, 2 rolls, butter, jelly and juice at 8:00 in the hotel.
It was a little after 11:00 and many people were stopping to eat on the main piazza by an old church. We asked a polizia for a grocery store and he led us down a narrow alley to a store with no sign and a door in a wall with strung strands of beads hanging in the opening. We bought bread, cheese, tomatoes, a peach, a nectarine, 3 boxes of orange juice and white grapes for 13,875 lira ($6.23). Barry and Carol Nelson, Anne and I cycled on to about 19 miles and the village of Secchiano with park benches where we stopped for lunch at 12:10. We ate our picnic lunch on the benches and a friendly Border Collie joined us. We had plenty of bread, cheese and grapes leftover from lunch.
The Nelsons left us as Anne fiddled getting ready to leave. We didn't get out of the village when Anne had a flat caused by a small piece of a shell embedded in her rear tire. I pried the shell out and put a new tube in the tire which took about 20 minutes. Anne and I were alone as we rode about 8 miles up a narrow gorge with folded rock strata on the sides against a fierce headwind. It blew me off the road and blew Anne off her bike at one point while virtually stopping us in our tracks several times. It had to be in excess of 30 miles per hour and we were gradually climbing the whole time. We finally emerged from the canyon and biked through Pianello with the wind subsiding to a tolerable level. At about 30 miles we started a long 2.1 mile climb up a mountain. At about 31 miles we finally caught the Nelsons. Richard Cooper arrived with the van. Carol and Anne decided to pack it in and sagged back to the hotel with Richard.
We got into the San Marco Hotel about 4:35 having biked 52.7 miles. Drank a 2/3 litre 150th Anniversary beer for 8,000 lira ($3.60) with several others in the hotel lobby. Checked into room #2 off a square courtyard with many kinds of blooming flowers to shower and shave. Every hotel and most buildings have marble floors, stairs, etc. that are really beautiful. Hotel towels are big, almost square and they have no pyle. At 7:30 we ate supper of bread, rice with mushrooms, pasta, chicken, potatoes, salad, wine, bottled water and pudding cake in the hotel. I paid 20,000 lira ($8.98) for the wine and water. We got to bed early with the earlier supper.
For more photos and other trips click on Graham's web site
| September 22, 2000 | Friday | Bike Gubbio to Assisi |
Got up at 6:53 and packed up. Went to breakfast of bread, cressant, butter, jelly, juice, 2 cheeses and a hardboiled egg. Anne and Carol got a lift with Alex Badell to the top of the mountain.
Barry Nelson and I walked up the hill into the old walled city of Gubbio. We ran into Clive Davison, Graham Chamberlain, John Mortlock, Bruno Cartwright, Diane Brook and John Lane in the piazza in front of the cathedral. We all walked through the town to the funicular. Five of us took it to the top of the mountain for 9,000 lira ($4.04) each. We stood up two to an iron bar cage. We had great views of the city, the valley beyond and the mountain ranges beyond that.
Barry and I biked out of Gubbio about 10:35 across the flat valley floor. We biked on rough narrow farm roads that turned to gravel and dirt for some distance. We finally started up and basically climbed in steps for many miles with a couple good downhills thrown in. Our route took us from Gubbio to Colpalombo, Carbonesca, Casa Castalda to Assisi. It is sunny with low humidity and a moderate temperature.
We stopped for lunch at 11:40 in Casa Castaldo at a pinic table in a park. I bought tomatoes, fruit and a drink in a grocery store for 4,375 lira ($1.93). I had leftover bread and cheese.
We biked up some more then finally headed down a 6.8 mile hill almost into Assisi. We passed a tractor going about 25 miles per hour on the way down. Caught up with our group near the edge of town.We pulled into Assisi and the Dei Priori Hotel right in the center of town about 1:30 after biking 30.7 miles.
Assisi is another old walled city with narrow cobbled streets and lots of churches and cathedrals. Anne and I drank beers at a cafe next to the hotel for 14,000 lira ($6.29). Checked into room #202 to shower and shave. Our room is realy nice with high painted ceilings and indirect lighting. We walked our bikes up to an underground parking garage and locked them. Walked uphill to the Rocca Maggiore castle and paid 3,000 lira ($1.35) to walk around the battlements. Walked down to the duomo St Francis Basilica with Barry and Pete Flaton. St Francis was the founder of the Franciscan monk order. Drank another beer for 16,000 lira ($7.18). Ate a cannoli for 2,000 lira.
Went to 7:30 supper at the hotel consisting of salad, pasta, veal, carrots, vanilla ice cream with chocolate, wine, bottled water and bread. My share of the wine cost 10,000 lira ($4.49).
| September 23, 2000 | Saturday | Bike Assisi to Spoleto |
Got up at 6:55 and packed up. Went to breakfast at 8:00.
Walked up to the parking garage and biked down to meet the group. The group biked out of Assisi at 9:00. We had a big downhill and then a long flat before we got into hills at 17 miles. Our route went from Assisi through Viola, Capodacqua, Cannara, Cantalupsa, Anunziata, Capro, Bevagna, Montefalco, Monte Penina, Cotignano, Mercatello and La Bruna to Sopleto. Stopped at the Enoteca on the piazza in Monte Falco (Mount Falcon) for a fruit tart and milk for 2800 lira ($1.26). Monte Falco was one of my favorite towns situated on top of a mountain with falcon brass plates embedded in the piazza cobblestones. It is sunny and comfortable.
We stopped at L' Incontro in La Bruna for lunch of preschutti ham sandwiches, peach drinks and grapes for 4000 lira ($1.80) at 12:15.
Barry Nelson, Pete Flaton and I took the longer hilly route to Spoletto. It wasn't bad although one hill in Spoleto was tough. Most everyone assembled in the Piazza Republica for drinks and food. I had pure lemon juice and ice tea for 8,000 lira ($3.59). Andy came in with his right leg in a cast. He had spent the day in a hospital getting his leg muscles repaired. They were cut when his foot came off the pedal and went underneath it while racing with Bruno Cartwright.
We reluctantly set off to climb the 650 meter mountain in 7 kilometers. It wasn't very steep about 5% and switchbacked so we got to our hotel on top in 45 minutes.
Drank a .66 litre Peroni beer on the hotel veranda with several others for 5,000 lira ($2.25). Checked into room #34 in the Michelangelo Hotel located in a park on top of a mountain. Showered and washed my biking clothes. Hung the clothes on my 3rd floor balcony. Went to 7:30 dinner of vegetable soup, wine, bottled water, bread, pasta, lamb, shishkebob, sausage, french fries and chocolate cake pudding. We were given a large heavy paper envelope to keep our cloth knapkins in for the two day stay. We put our names on the envelopes and left them on the table so we had the same seat for both suppers and breakfasts. Some knapkins were pretty soiled by the time we left. Went to bed at 10:30 and slept well in the cool silent night.
| September 24, 2000 | Sunday | Tour Spoleto |
Got up at 7:00 and went to 8:00 breakfast of bread, butter, strawberry jam, blood orange juice and milk. The insurance company sent a taxi for Andy and he flew home to England.
At 10:00 am Graham Chamberlain, Ed Clifford, Barry
Nelson and I walked down a trail and across a Roman acquaduct from about 100 AD into Spoleto. Walked around the town and ran into virtually everyone on our tour. Got 300,000 lira ($138.71 or 2163 lira/$1) from a bank ATM. It is sunny and comfortable with low humidity. Ate lunch of a mixed grill, beer, ice cream (tartufo gelato) and bread for 27,00 lira ($12.48). Tried some of Ed's truffles. They taste like mushrooms but with stronger flavors. Spoleto is a neat town and has a Roman arch dating from 100 AD. I split with Barry and Graham and walked around town exploring by myself. Found an outdoor art garden with sculptures and paintings on display. Stopped for some cookies, pastry and milk for 3,700 lira ($1.71).
I returned to the bus pickup point and ran into Ron Dowell, Bucky and Barbara Buchleitner, Mal Blomfield (from Australia), Carol Nelson and Anne. At 3:30 Barabara, Carol, Anne and I took a Mercedes taxi up the mountain to our hotel for 50,000 lira ($22.09). We have no shower curtain and the shower is in the corner of the basthroom. We see a lot of figs and sugarbeets. There is a Roman amphitheatre next to the Piazza Republica.
Went to 7:30 supper of red wine, bottled water, bread, chicken barley soup, salad, lasagna, cicken and mushrooms, pudding cake, zucchini and eggplant, and fruit.
| September 25, 2000 | Monday | Bike Spoleto to Todi |
Got up and packed up for another day of biking. Went to breakfast of bread, jelly, butter, juice and milk.
We biked away from the hotel at 8:45 and down the mountain mountain in the cold morning air retracing Saturday's route. Pete, Barry and I met the group in La Bruna as they had gone the shorter flatter route. We immediately turned off Saturdays route into the hills. The route took us from Spoleto to Uncinano, La Bruna, Castel Ritaldi, Torre Grosso, Calle del Marchese, Casanaticchia, Bastardo, Duesanti, Plan di Porto and Ponte Rio into Todi. At about 20 miles we stopped for a sweet roll and milk.
At about 25 miles we stopped in Bastardo to buy lunch of bread, cheese, tomato, cucumber, peaches, orange juice and cookies for 14,600 lira ($6.75). The Nelsons, Pete Flaton, Anne and I rode out of Bastardo a short distance and stopped in a shady grassy area next to a small stream that was a little lower than the road to eat lunch.
Underway again we came upon Richard Cooper and Joanna Haylock with the van alongside the road. We continued on to Todi. Most people turned off at the base of the mountain below Todi and took an easy circular route around the mountain. Barry, Pete and I biked up the 1.3 kilometer mountain that started out about 15% grade and then got worse a 1/3 of the way up to over 20% grade. I had to stop twice to catch my breath due to the extreme exertion even in my 32 x 28 gear for a 1.14 gear ratio. I had to lean over the handlebars to keep the front wheel on the ground. It is the toughest hill I have ever biked up. We topped the mountain by the city gate and regrouped. Biked around the city wall then down a sort distance to our Hotel Villaluisa at 1:45 pm after 38.9 miles.
The hotel sets back off the road and is quite modern with extensive gardens and a swimming pool. A group of us sat under a pavillion in the garden and I drank a .66 litre Kronenborg beer for 7,000 lira ($3.24). Checked into room #207 and showered. Went to the hotel desk and sent an Email to about 20 people.
Walked up the hill through a city gate in the wall surrounding Todi and finally caught Anne and Barbara Buchleitner. We walked around the vertical city visiting the Duomo, piazzas, shops and other significant buildings. We walked out another gate and around the wall to a basilica. We continued around the wall inside the city then back down the hill to our hotel. It was getting dark as we descended the hill along the road and we had little room to walk.
We arrived just in time for an aperitif white wine and hors d'oeurves in the garden pavillion at 7:15. We walked to the hotel restaurant for dinner of white wine, bottled water, pasta, salad, pork, french fries and cake at 8:00. My share of the wine and water cost 6,000 lira ($2.77).
| September 26, 2000 | Tuesday | Bike Todi to Orvieto |
Got up and packed up. Went to breakfast of cressant, milk, juice, butter and strawberry jam. There were about 10 people from a hiking group that mixed into our group. They ate some of the food allotted for our group. We ran out of cornflakes and the waiter wouldn't give us more. Phil Gasson tried to tell the waiter that some of the people didn't belong to our group but the waiter insisted he had served 39 people. Phil offered to buy some cornflakes to no avail. We all had a good laugh about the incident despite the fact that we didn't get anymore cornflakes and the late comers got none.
At 8:45 we biked up the hill to Todi's wall and stopped at a Coop supermercato. We bought our lunch consisting of bread, cheese, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, nectarines, cookies and orange juice for 9200 lira ($4.25). The fruit and vegetables have a large number and name next to them. Nearby are scales with a touchpad behind that has a grid with a 2 digit number and a picture of the produce. You put your produce on the scale and touch the appropriate number/picture. A sticky bar-coded label is printed that the cashier can scan. These were in almost every store and worked quite well. I packed our purchases in my rear bag with difficulty having to unzip my extension so the bag would expand. We biked downhill then turned up a steep .5 kilometer hill to a stop sign. Turning right, we continued up a 10 kilometer climb with great views back to Todi. We stopped near the top on the edge of Pontecuti on some benches to rest and reassemble. We watched two men building and iron bar fence and gate for a stone manor house across the road. We had a nice downhill then we climbed another 6 kilometers.
We stopped near the top of the climb in a field behind a hedge row and next to a row of trees that afforded us shade to eat lunch at 12:05 with the Nelsons and Pete Flaton. It is sunny and warm.
Riding again we are soon on top of the world before a fast and exiliarating 11 kilometer downhill. At the only bad curve in the hill, we stopped for a great overlook of Lago di Corbara on the Tiber. After the descent we we could clearly see Orvieto as the city is located on top of a geologic upthrust which created sheer cliffs all around the city. We had a 6 kilometer climb into Orvieto which wasn't too bad after the Todi climb yesterday especially since we stopped in the middle of the hill for gelato.
Most people turned off at the bottom of the hill and took a funicular into Orvieto.Our route today took us from Todi through Pontecuti, Quadro, Prodo, Colonetta, Mossa, Citta d' Orvieto to Orvieto. Today we biked 30.2 miles to the Grande Albergo Reale on a major piazza in Orvieto arriving at 1:45.
The hotel was certainly grand a 100 years ago and still is very nice. We walked up two flights of 20 foot wide white marble steps to the desk clerk. He was a character out of a World War II movie and we dubbed him the Nazi. He was a small hunched bespeckled man with thinning hair and a strange whiney voice. He was curt and very officious. He studied everyones passport with a magnifying glass for hours. All other hotels returned our passports within minutes. We checked into room 35 which was at the end of the hall on the third floor. We entered a small hall with our bathroom containing a huge bathtub and shower straight ahead through a door and our bedroom to the right through a door. Our room is huge with a 15 foot domed and painted ceiling. We have a very ornate king size bed. Everything is large, antique, artsy and ornate. Hanging over our door in the hall is an antique original oil painting. Showered.
Walked down to a cafe on the piazza next to our hotel for a .66 litre Wuhrer beer for 5,000 lira ($2.31). Walked around the town to the Duomo which cost 3000 lira with the Huelskamps and Buchleitners. The Duomo is the most beautiful I have seen. It is built out of black basalt and another white volcanic rock so that the entire building is prison striped. The front is covered with mosaics. Inside the chappels on each side that form the cross are totally painted with biblical scenes by Italian masters in the 1400s. Stopped for gelati for 3500 lira ($1.62).
Went to dinner at 7:30 and the Nazi was one our waiters all decked out in cumberbun, white shirt, etc and acting very supercilious. We ate a fine meal of white wine, bottled water, pasta, bread, salad, beef and fruit salad. The wine and water cost 13,000 lira ($6.01).
| September 27, 2000 | Wednesday | Bike Orvieto to Viterbo |
Got up at 6:53 and packed up. Went to 8:00 breakfast of cressant, butter, jelly, milk and juice.
At 8:40 we biked from the hotel through town then down a steep narrow cobblestone street through a gate in the city wall and down many switchbacks to the valley below. We climbed a steep 2.5 kilometer hill with about a 10% grade. Great views of Orvieto from overlooks around the switchbacks. Our route was very hilly with many ups and downs as we biked from Orvieto through Orvieto Scalo, Porano, Bagnoregio, Roccalvecce, Grotte San Stefano, Vitorchiano, La Quercia into Viterbo. It is sunny and warm. We stopped Anne & Carol in the arch
in Bagnoregio for milk and a creama cressant for 3,000 lira ($1.39).
Stopped in a park with picnic tables in Grotte San Stefano at 11:23 and ate some leftover cheese and drank a box of orange juice. Stopped at the Il Vicolo di De Felicis Sandro in Vitochiano for lunch of beer, water, bread and fettucini with mushrooms for 13,400 lira ($6.20).
We biked downhill to the Balletti Palace Hotel near the train station in Viterbo arriving at 1:53 having cycled 37.8 miles today. This is the first day we didn't end on an uphill climb. Stowed our bikes in a conference room. Drank a Moretti .66 litre beer for 5,500 lira ($2.54) in the hotel basement restaurant with a sundeck. Anne came in a little before 3:00 pm. Checked into room #121, shaved and showered. Walked around town with the Nelsons. Viterbo is a walled city with small gently sloped hills compared to all the previous towns. It is a prosperous commercial town with wider streets and lots of traffic. Consequently it is not as quaint and pretty as previuos towns. It is known as the city of Popes as eight straight Popes centered the Roman Catholic Church in Viterbo when Rome was under siege or attack. Stopped for gelati for 6,000 lira ($2.77) for Anne and I.
Went to supper of wine, bottled water, bread, pasta, chicken, potatoes, olives and a sweet creamy filling with top and bottom dough crusts at 7:30. The wine and water cost 11,00 lira ($5.08).
| September 28, 2000 | Thursday | Bike Viterbo to Lago di Bracciano |
Got up at 6:55 and packed up for our last day of biking. At 8:00 went to buffet breakfast of cressant, rolls, butter, jelly, orange juice and milk.
We biked from the hotel at 8:30 through Viterbo's heavy traffic. We soon were in the country and started climbing. We entered the gate to San Martino al Camino then up a cobbled street to the church. The last block was very steep and we had a couple classes of school children in front of the church giving us the business as we cranked out that block. We left town and the sign said 10% grade as we climbed the mountain for 6.3 kilometers. We had a great downhill with no bad curves and smooth pavement down to a cafe on Lago di Vico. Most everyone was assembling there along with Anne and Carol Nelson who had been shuttled there by Alex Badell. The Nelsons, Pete Flaton, Anne and I biked in together. We biked along the shore of Lago di Vico and through Ronciglione.
We started a long gradual climb where we stopped near the top for a picnic lunch of bread, cheese, tomato, onion, cucumber, peach juice, peaches and cookies for 9,200 lira ($4.25). It is sunny and warm.
We topped the mountain and descended down to Lago de Bracciano and then along it's eastern shore for several miles. We passed through Colle Diana, Sutri, Viale G Marconi and Travignano Romano. We turned left off the road and climbed for about 2 kilometers before turning right onto the dirt drive for ½ kilometer to the 4 star Hotel i due Laghi (Hotel between two lakes) at 1:48.
Parked our bikes in the garage. Checked into room #15. Drank a .66 litre Peroni beer for 8,000 lira ($3.70) on the shady veranda. We had the company of a big white dog with the claws missing from his right rear paw and a tabby cat. Went swimming in the pool which was very refreshing. Showered and shaved.
Went to supper of red wine, bottled water, cheese, tomatoes and vegetables on toast for appetizer, pasta, fish, potatoes and a fruit cup with ice cream. The hotel is actually a ranch with about 60 beautiful horses. There is a large group of riders from Ireland in the hotel on holiday.
| September 29, 2000 | Friday | Tour Anguillas Batavia |
Got up at 7:00 and ran up the dirt drive to the road and turned right up the hill. The road immediately turned to dirt. I topped the hill and saw a small boy and girl that looked like Muslims probably Albanians waiting for a school bus that came up behind me. Their bikes were locked to a fence. I ran down the hill and across the valley floor past a large fenced estate. I came to a fork in the road and took the left fork for some distance before turning and retracing my steps to the hotel. I ran 5.1 miles in 44:28. It is cool and overcast.
I was a little late and sweaty for 8:00 buffet breakfast of rolls, ham, cheese, butter, orange juice and milk. Assembled our flattened bike boxes in the garage. Everything was there and they went together nicely.
Biked into Anguillas Batavia on Lago di Bracciano. It is a nice old town sitting on a knob above the lake and spreading down the shore along some nice beaches. We walked through the old town and up to the church. Stopped in a supermercato to buy rolls, cheese, cucumber, onion, peaches, Pringles, boxed peach juice and cookies for 15,570 lira ($7.20) for lunch. We're getting closer to Rome and the prices are higher. It started to sprinkle lightly so we decided to ride back to the hotel for lunch on the veranda. It started to rain as we finished lunch and it rained most of the rest of the day.
I tried to use the internet in the hotel but the lady could only get me into her Email and not onto the net where I could get to my Hotmail account in English with my address book etc. Disassembled our bikes by removing the handlebars, pedals, seat and both wheels then boxed them ready for traveling. Showered and shaved. Drank a .66 litre Nastro Azzurro beer for 8,000 lira ($3.70). Won a game of pool with Joe Wisniewski.
At 7:00 the chef and a lady cook gave a demonstration on how to make spaghetti as described by the hotel manager in broken English. She made gnocchi with 1 pound of mashed potatoes and 1 pound of flower, a glass of water, an egg, pepper, salt, nutmeg, basil and parmesan cheese. This is served with a light tomato sauce. She also made pasta with 8 eggs, 1 kg of flour, a glass of water and salt. This is served with olive oil, garlic and spices or a cheese sauce. The third kind of pasta was made from a glass of water, a 1kg of flour and salt. This is served with a light sauce. She made raviolis, fettucini, spaghetti, tortelinis, etc. At 7:40 we were seated for dinner of wine, bottled water, bread, cheese, olives and tomatoes on toast, marinated tomatoes on toast and fish on toast for appitizers followed by egg pasta with chicken and vegetables, flour and water pasta in tomato sauce and gnocchi in tomato sauce topped off by a dessert of pudding with pine nuts in a crust. What a treat for a meal. Excellent!
| September 30, 2000 | Saturday | Bus to Rome |
It rained most of the night with thunder and lightening. Got up and packed up. Went to 7:30 breakfast of rolls, butter, milk, orange juice, cheese and ham. Our 45 passenger bus arrived at 9:00 am. After much confusion because our bike boxes didn't fit well in the luggage compartment, we got everything and everyone loaded and were off at 9:30.
We had 2 or 3 bike boxes in the passenger compartment. It rained most of the 50 kilometers to Rome. We stopped outside Rome and the driver got a permit to stop at our hotel for 32,000 lira ($14.79). I collected 45,000 lira for the driver and a tip for Alex. There was a Communist rally but we got through it without incident. We dropped the Brits off at the train station in a heavy rain. The bus couldn't get down the street where our hotel was located. He dropped us off into heavy traffic in the rain about a block from the hotel.
We had to lug the bike boxes and luggage to the hotel. We worked as a team and were quickly inside the Hotel Igea at Principe Amedeo, 97 safe and almost dry by 12:00. Our rooms were ready and we were quickly checked into them with our bikes stowed in a room down the hall from the lobby. The hotel is very nice, clean and modern. Our room #103 in on the 2nd floor over the front door. It stopped raining and we had short periods of sun later in the afternoon.
Our group walked a couple of blocks to Al Fagianetto for lunch of soup, veal, potaoes, fruit cup, wine and bottled water for 53,000 lira ($23.42) for two. Our waiter Ahmed from Morocco was very good, spoke English and looked like Brian Gumbel formerly of the Today Show.
I withdrew 200,000 lira ($92.15 or 2170 lira/$1) from a Banca di Roma ATM. Anne bought an international calling card for 10,000 lira ($4.61) but couldn't get it to work after an hour of trying with help from many people. We walked to the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, the Coliseum and Roman Forum with the Nelsons. Took the Metro subway train back to Termini ( the main train station) for 3,000 lira ($1.38) for two. Stopped for gelati for 5,000 lira ($2.30) for two.
We were late for 7:00 dinner and the group left us. We walked down the street a few doors and found the Nelsons eating at a sidewalk cafe called Fulvimari so we joined them. We had a Peroni beer, bottled water, salad and pasta with clams for 64,000 lira ($29.49). The food was excellent. We tried to get in the three following nights and they were always full. Anne was able to get the calling card to work with the help of the blond daughter Marianni in the hotel and called Kara and then Kevin. Found out that grandson Sean's fundraiser went very well exceding all expectataions.
| October 1, 2000 | Sunday | Tour Rome |
Got up at 7:00. Went to 8:00 breakfast of orange juice, corn flakes, roll, butter, jelly, toast and milk. Saw Bill Sneeringer at breakfast as he had arrived yesterday. It is rainy so I bought a compact umbrella for 6,000 lira ($2.76) from an oriental street vendor.
Twelve of us walked to the train station and took the
Metro subway to St Peters for 12,000 lira ($5.53) for two all day passes. We arrived before 10:00 along with 80,000 other wet souls. The Pope came out at 10:00 and stayed for over two hours saying Mass. Two women were canonized. One a black woman from Cameroon who lived in Italy and the other a nun named Drexel from Philadelphia. There was a large contingent from Philadelphia. Over 100 people martyred by the Chinese communists were also honored. It rained off and on for the entire ceremony, sometimes quite hard.
We walked to L'Insalata Ricca near the Vatican for lunch of white pizza and bottled water for 35,000 lira ($16.13) for two. It rained in buckets while we ate. It started clearing off and it was mostly sunny later in the afternoon.
We walked past the Costelo San Angelo with the Flatons and Walt Pleines. We went in the Pantheon which is now beautifully restored but was a dark dirty dome with a dirt floor when I was there last. I was really surprised. We stopped by Trevi Fountain which was crowded but still nice. Also passed the Spanish steps which were full of people. Ate some gelati for 7,000 lira ($3.23). Took the Metro back to the hotel arriving about 4:30. We stopped in a sidewalk cafe for a beer 10,000 lira ($4.61) and an ice tea for 5,000 lira ($2.31). I called the bus company in Maine and told them what had happened to us on arriving in Italy and that we couldn't afford any delays on leaving because we had to catch a plane. I was assured it would not happen again and that a fax would be sent to make sure it didn't.
Went to dinner at 7:30 at Alfredo's across the street from the hotel in the basement with the entire group. We ate spaghetti, salad, chicken, peppers, fruit salad, wine and bottled water for 60,000 lira ($27.65).
| October 2, 2000 | Monday | Drive to Sorrento, Isle of Capri and Amalfi Coast |
Got up at 5:20. Anne and I met Walt Pleines in the hotel lobby about 6:00 and walked through the train station to the car parking garage. The garage is totally automated. Walt put his ticket in a machine and his car was automatically retrieved. It came down an elevator and pulled onto a rotating plate. His parking fee is charged and he drives the car away. On his return the opposit occurs when he gets a ticket, then drives the car onto the plate and it is automatically put in an elevator and stowed upstairs some place.
Walt drove us southwest out of Rome in the dark to the beltway, down the A1 (Autostrada) to Naples and the A3. Paid the 19,000 lira ($8.64) toll by credit card. Paid another 1,800 lira ($.83) toll. We drove through some heavy rain in the mountains just north of Naples. Drove to Sorento and stopped for a donut and milk. Bought gas on the credit card for 82,000 lira ($37.79) at around 2,200 lira per litre.
Drove down to the docks and took the 20 minute hydrofoil at 10:50 to the Isle of Capri for 56,000 lira ($25.98) for two. It was quite a ride with a lot of bouncing and swaying to and fro. The rain stopped and we were getting a lot of sunshine. Bought a roundtrip bus and funicular ticket for the island for 7,200 lira ($3.32) each.
We took the funicular from the dock area at Grand Marina to the town of Capri on top of the mountain. We walked around the town looking at the very expensive (Gucci, designer outfits, etc.) shops with no price tags (if you need to ask what it costs you can't afford it). There are no cars, the streets are narrow and the land falls away to the water on both sides of town.
We walked up to the edge of town and caught the bus to Annacapri. The tiny bus was packed and we made a couple stops and each time about 10 more people got on. Talk about close and personal. We drove along a dramatic cliff road where you could see nothing but down. We got off in Annacapri and walked around some but decided we needed to eat. Stopped in a sidewalk cafe for a couple grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and ice teas. The grilled sandwiches we found everywhere we went in Italy. Anne and Walt bought some shirts where they had price tags.
We realized our time was short so we caught the next bus
to Capri returning on the exciting cliff road and seeing it from a different perspective. It was still scary. We took the funicular back down to Grand Marina and hustled out to the 13:20 hydrofoil back to Sorento.
Retrieved the car and drove over the mountain at the tip of the peninsula and dropped down to the Amalfi Coast. We saw some interesting agriculture on the slopes and ran through some fog on top. The Amalfi Coast is dramatic as the road winds in and out and around the cliff face with the sea far below on your right. I especially liked the part out nearest the point of the peninsula. We drove through some small towns and into Amalfi. We passed through some tunnels and the road is so narrow that two vehicles couldn't pass on a curve. One would have to stop and back up to allow the other to complete the turn.
We passed through Amalfi and due to the lateness turned left up over the mountains toward the A3. The drive of about 30 kilometers was an experience in itself. We caught the A3 and headed towards Naples. The weather deteriated quickly and it started to rain and continued to pick up in intensity.
We paid another 1,800 lira ($.83) toll then stopped north of Naples on the A1 at an Autogrill. I bought 2 ham and cheese sandwiches for 9,000 lira then 10,000 lira for 2 drinks. I had to pay for them separately because I assume there were two businesses cohabitating the same building.
Back on the road we ran into some hard rain then it eased up and stopped well before arriving in Rome. I charged the return toll of 19,000 lira ($8.64). We missed a turn that added 3 or 4 miles to our return but we recovered nicely and slid into downtown Rome with ease. All the gas stations in Rome were closed except for fully automated ones. We stopped and fed money into a machine then pressed a button for our pump. Pretty slick. We got back to the garage about 8:15 pm.
Most of the restaurants were full so we returned to Alfredo's across the street and downstairs from the hotel. Enjoyed a dinner of wine, bottled water, bread, pasta with clams, salad and pudding hazelnut cake for 54,000 lira ($24.89) for two. Full, happy and proud of ourselves after a great day, three tire bodies stumbled across the street and to bed.
| October 3, 2000 | Tuesday | Tour Rome |
Got up at 6:50. Went to 7:30 breakfast of rice crispies, roll, butter, jelly, orange juice and milk. Found out that Jimmy Huelskamp was pickpocketed yesterday. He got on a crowded bus and was jostled by several people. He realized several hundred dollars, credit cards, etc. were missing from his pocket. He knew that the two guys next to him had taken it and were passing it back and forth between them. He started yelling thief and calling for the police. Vinny Zarek joined in. The thieves panicked, dropped the money and ran.
Walked to the Metro and bought two 1,500 lira tickets.
We couldn't get down to the trains as it was jammed with people back to the stairs with masses of people streaming in behind us. We quickly retreated and walked to St Peters via Walt Pleines planned route out of Rome early tomorrow morning. We passed the Piazza Venezia and its impressive memorial. It is sunny and warm. Arrived at St Peters about 10:00 and walked inside. Walked through the crypt under the floor where the alter is located. We saw the lighted box containing some remnant of the Apostle Peter. I understand this is the spot where Peter was crucified. Paid 8,000 lira each for the elevator and then the climb of 320 steps to the cupola on top of the dome of St Peters. It was exciting climbing up and the views of all of Rome up there are spectacular.
Grabbed a lousy sandwich and drink for us from a street vendor for 36,000 lira ($16.59). We ate as we walked around the Vatican to the museum entrance. There was no line and we walked straight in and paid 18,
000 lira ($8.29) each for entrance to the museum. We had to pass through security with the scanner. Anne put her sandwich on the belt and I watched 3 guards laughing and discussing the sandwich displayed in freezeframe on their screen. We walked through the extensive museum that was overwhelming. We finally got to the Sistine Chappel at the end. It is totally restored since I was here last and is much brighter with vivid colors and contrasts. We exited about 12:15 and took a very crowded Metro back to the train station by the hotel.
It clouded over and cooled a bit. Stopped in McDonalds for a fish sandwich and vanilla shake. Walked to the impressive St John's Basilca so Anne could shop but the outdoor markets were closed. Returned to our hotel in time to watch some kind of protest of about 200 people with signs andf bullhorn escorted front and rear by riot police pass by under my window. They made quite a ruckus.
17 of us including Sylvia Flaton and the Sneeringers who joined us in Rome, walked to Al Fagianetto for supper of red wine, bottled water, bread, butter, cannoli, veal, potatoes and cake for 60,000 lira ($27.65) for two at 7:00. Stopped for gelata and met a young American art student from Jacksonville, Florida traveling in Europe. Paid our hotel bill for 4 nights at 860,000 lira ($396.31). Sylvia told us her camera had been pickpocketed today.
| October 4, 2000 | Wednesday | Fly Rome to Philadelphia to Baltimore |
Got up at 6:30 and packed up. Ate breakfast of milk, orange juice, rolls, butter, jelly, and cornflakes. Moved bikes and luggage to the lobby.
The bus arrived at 7:25. It was a 14 passenger bus like they sent when we arrived. I got very mad and threw a fit with the driver who spoke pretty good English. He claimed he knew nothing of a fax. He called and said a bus would arrive in 15 minutes then he left. We called after 15 minutes and they said it would be another ½ hour. The bus finally called and said they would be there in 10 minutes. A 45 passenger bus finally arrived at 8:55. The driver had no keys for the luggage compartments. He wanted to get the keys causing further delay but we forced our way onto the bus with the bikes.
We got to the airport as they were closing the check-in windows for our flight. We were told that security would have to open each of our bike boxes and then they wouldn't make it on the plane with us. It was a Chinese fire drill until a young woman showed up and everything smoothed out. She got luggage tags and put them on our bike boxes, then got carts and we loaded the bikes on them and took them to an elevator where airline attendants took them. We were on the plane with our bikes in short order.
Anne was in the first row in seat 8A and I was in the last row seat 35A. We flew on US Air flight #3 which took 9:20 minutes from Rome to Philadelphia on an Airbus 330. The seating is 2-4-2 across. We landed in Philadelphia about 4:00 pm and slid through immigration and customs with no problem. Fortunately they didn't scan my passport and find out I had been to Cuba. We flew US Air flight #1435 on an Airbus 319 which was half empty to Baltimore.
Our bikes arrived but none got their luggage. Bryan Nelson picked us up in the Nelson's van. We stopped at McDonalds in Columbia and ate for $9.01. We got home about 7:00 pm.
|
COSTS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bike Tours |
£895 x 2 |
|
$2,650.57 |
Plane Tickets |
$716.40 X 2 |
|
$1,432.80 |
Bus Rome - Ravenna |
$107.00 X 2 |
|
$214.00 |
Bus Rome - Fiumicino |
$17.39 X 2 |
|
$34.78 |
Italian Cash |
|
|
$457.38 |
US Cash |
|
|
$29.01 |
Charges |
|
|
$947.25 |
Film |
|
|
$27.57 |
Pictures |
|
|
$54.22 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
$5,847.59 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
STATISTICS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Biked |
9 |
days |
|
Biked |
348.9 |
miles |
|
Bikers |
36 |
|
|
Americans |
18 |
|
|
Australians |
2 |
|
|
British |
16 |
|
|
British Staff |
3 |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
ITALY BIKE LIST |
|
| |
September 16 - October 4, 2000 |
|
|
Bike Box |
Bullet Bag w lock |
Health & First Aid |
Bike |
Bike Clothes |
A&D ointment |
Tire pump |
3 Bike pants |
Lipbalm |
Helmut |
3 Bike shirts |
Bismuth tablets |
Shoes |
3 Bike socks |
Imodium |
Gloves |
Clothes |
Ibuprofin |
Water bottles |
3 Golf shirts |
|
Bike bag |
3 Underwear |
|
Spokes |
2 Burmudas |
Documents |
Freewheel tool |
2 Socks |
Passports |
Knife |
2 Pants |
Copy of passports |
Allen wrenches |
Dockers |
|
Tire tools |
Sandals |
Visa & Mastercard |
Patch kit |
Belt |
Health Insurance card |
4 Tubes |
|
Drivers License |
2 Tires |
Hygene |
Money card |
Rain jacket |
Battery shaver |
Money |
Spoke wrench |
Deodorant |
Log |
Sunscreen |
Shampoo |
Pens |
Pedal wrench |
Comb |
Maps & Cue sheets |
Chain tool |
Floss |
Address list w Email |
Biking glasses |
Toothbrush |
Italian dictionary |
Thermometer |
Toothpaste |
Trip Info |
Lock & cable |
Scissors |
|
Cyclometer |
Hair trimmer |
Camera & film(7) |
Lip balm |
|
Binoculars |
Tail light |
Running Clothes |
AA Batteries |
|
2 Socks |
Sewing kit |
|
Shorts (swim) |
Safety pins |
|
|
Flashlight |
|
Wear |
Safety pins |
|
Jeans |
|
|
Golf Shirt |
|
|
Shorts |
|
|
Running Socks |
|
|
Running shoes |
|
|
Day pack |
|
|
Jacket |
|
|
Passports |
|
|
Plane tickets |
|
|
Plane pillow |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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NEXT
HOME
I heard a band playing and it was marching by the hotel up the hill on the narrow cobbled street to the piazza in front of the parliament building ½ block from our hotel. The band was for the opening of parliament with the members walking in front of the band. I walked to the top of the mountain by the castle for some great late afternoon views of the Adriatic and Remini10 miles away and 2000' down. The low sun turned everything gold and the air lavender. San Marino is truly a storybook place. Walking back to the hotel I stopped for a strawberry and nut ice cream stick for 1800 lira. Anne and I walked to the funicular in the growing dark and took in the beautiful views from atop the high stone wall of the cities and towns below lighting up for the night. San Marino has a population of 2,397, is vertical with narrow cobbled streets and alleys, very clean and neat and everything is built of stone.
A group of us cycled away from our hotel at 8:35. We biked through old Urbino and down a long steep hill. At the bottom we crossed a little bridge and turned sharply right into a 20+% grade. It was wet and Barry Nelson and Pete Flaton spun their rear tires trying to get up it. Others fell as they couldn't stand up on the steep wet pavement. Anne and I stopped because there were people and bikes all over the road. We all dismounted our bikes and walked up about 150 yards to where the road flattened out to about 12%. We mounted again and climbed the rest of the 3/10 mile hill. It was very mountainous until a few miles before Cagli. We experienced a short sprinkle while it often threatened with thunder and dark clouds and later it turned to short periods of sun and clouds.
At 4.5 miles we entered Fermignano where we passed a midiaeval stone tower and crossed a 2nd century BC Roman bridge. We climbed for 2.4 miles on leaving Fermignano. We biked through Acqualagna and Smirra at 13.2 miles to Cagli at 15.5 miles.
Graham Chamberlain arrived and he cycled in with Barry and I. We stopped at the top of the mountain for pictures and Graham said his altimeter showed it was our highest point on the trip so far. After a fast and fun descent we stopped in Pietralunga for a gelota for 2000L ($.90). A lot of our group was there. Rode on in the hills with a 2.6 kilometer climb and a .7 kilometer climb. The last few miles were pretty flat as we entered Gubbio. We passed a Roman amphitheater in town.