Prelude to the Challenges Ahead
After yesterday's difficult day, we were delighted to wake to dry roads in Airolo. There was a good chance we would get wet later in the day, but it had been a bit demoralising to start cycling in the rain day after day for the past week. Here is our unit preparing to head out, with Centurion Sam marshalling the troops ... |
| Centurion Sam rallies the troops |
Before describing today's ride, it might help readers understand our position to have the detail of the past week's campaign. We had been riding for six days straight, covering about 945 kilometres and climbing nearly 10 000 metres. With all the rain were a pretty tired bunch. A dry start to the day was a huge morale boost, as were the day's other particulars: a long, long descent, relatively little climbing, warmer temperatures and a rest day ahead. We were keen to get going.
A close examination will reveal that we have a net loss of about 1000 metres. And what a buzz it was! We actually descended, with almost no climbing at all, for the first 70 kilometres. Along the way we detoured via quieter roads and lovely villages. I paused to take a photo from one bridge crossing the river we were following down into the valley. Notice a viaduct in the distance carrying the main highway ...
Most of our group stopped again at another bridge leading into the town where we were going to have our morning coffee stop ...
It was great for Dianne and me to notice that the terraces here were still being cultivated. (When we visited Corsica a couple of years ago it was rather sad to see that most villages had untended garden terraces.)
Here is another view of the same bridge, but with a little more detail (zoom for a better look) ...
Although we continued to descend after lunch the decline was not as steep or rapid and the valley widened. At one point we passed a herd of sheep that had been mustered up ...
As we pedalled along, with rain threatening, I sat up and filmed Di cruising along the route ...
A little further along we passed a large granite quarry ...
If you own a grey Italian granite bench top I guess there is some chance it could have come out of this hillside.
The image I showed earlier of the route and its profile shows a significant hill at about 70 kilometres. We had to surmount that climb before lunch and I think most of us found it pretty hard, with some pinches up around 14 percent. When Sharon and Kay rolled into lunch after getting up the hill, I think I took perhaps my best photo for the trip to date ...
More nice descending brought us to a charming village where I paused to photograph a roadside icon (please enlarge for the detail - it's gorgeous) ...
It seemed that almost before we knew it we were riding alongside the beautiful Lago di Lugano o Ceresio, which the English like to call Lake Lugano. Sam set up afternoon snacks at this spot ...
The Italian Campaign Begins
Here is a graphic showing our route for the day and the elevation profile ...
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| Airolo to Como |
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| River, village, viaduct |
Most of our group stopped again at another bridge leading into the town where we were going to have our morning coffee stop ...
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| Another gorgeous European village |
It was great for Dianne and me to notice that the terraces here were still being cultivated. (When we visited Corsica a couple of years ago it was rather sad to see that most villages had untended garden terraces.)
Here is another view of the same bridge, but with a little more detail (zoom for a better look) ...
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| Bridge detail |
Although we continued to descend after lunch the decline was not as steep or rapid and the valley widened. At one point we passed a herd of sheep that had been mustered up ...
 |
| Multi-coloured sheep |
As we pedalled along, with rain threatening, I sat up and filmed Di cruising along the route ...
A little further along we passed a large granite quarry ...
 |
| Granite quarry |
If you own a grey Italian granite bench top I guess there is some chance it could have come out of this hillside.
The image I showed earlier of the route and its profile shows a significant hill at about 70 kilometres. We had to surmount that climb before lunch and I think most of us found it pretty hard, with some pinches up around 14 percent. When Sharon and Kay rolled into lunch after getting up the hill, I think I took perhaps my best photo for the trip to date ...
 |
| Sharon and Kay happy to have reached lunch |
More nice descending brought us to a charming village where I paused to photograph a roadside icon (please enlarge for the detail - it's gorgeous) ...
 |
| Roadside icon |
It seemed that almost before we knew it we were riding alongside the beautiful Lago di Lugano o Ceresio, which the English like to call Lake Lugano. Sam set up afternoon snacks at this spot ...
 |
| Lago di Lugano o Ceresio |
Although rain had threatened all day it never really developed into anything. We thought these clouds could drop something on us and indeed we did feel a few big fat drops but that was all.
As we rode along the lake the clouds split apart and the sun came out to play. We had one more short, easy climb before dropping down towards Lake Como and its namesake city. Before negotiating the streets to our hotel we passed through the Swiss/Italian border ...
It was so nice to be crossing into Italy! Things just felt somehow different. Less officious, perhaps? I can't really put my finger on it but there was a sense of carefree welcome in the air. A number of people expressed the view that it was the best day's riding yet. No doubt that was influenced somewhat by the fact that - apart from a few very light sprinkles - it didn't rain on us, but also due to the fact that we had so much wonderful descending and little climbing which suited our tired legs. Some of the terrain we've been through has been more spectacular, but we haven't seen as much of it as we would have liked due to the rain.
After settling into the hotel, which for a change was very easy to find, Patrick, Dianne and I headed off to a nearby bike shop to buy some supplies for the upcoming two weeks. On the way we passed a church where a wonderful bit of bell ringing was happening. Unfortunately neither Di nor I had our cameras with us to record this treat.
We then headed over to the lavendaria to do our laundry and while we were there a bunch of our fellow riders arrived so I thought I'd take a photo to show this moment of domestic solidarity ...
Di went for a stroll at the lake's edge while I watched over the drying and was interested to observe how much quieter it was this Sunday morning than it had been last night when it was absolutely teeming with people ...
She also observed something neither of us has seen before: an interesting aquatic vehicle prowling around the lake shore scooping up garbage and then dumping it into a holding tank ...
Back at the hotel, Richie and Sam were seeing to our fleet of bikes, getting them ready to roll tomorrow. Here's an image of the bikes lined up on the terrace awaiting the caring touch of our guides ...
... and then, after pampering, another of them all bundled under cover to protect them from this afternoon's thunderstorm ...
This next image is actually from another day but could easily have been taken on the cobbled space near our hotel ...
We are now halfway through our epic adventure. Here's a graphic that shows where we've come from, where we are now, and where we're going ...
Yes, I know. It looks like we are a lot further than halfway. And we have covered slightly more than half the distance. However, the rest of the route is quite convoluted and has a lot more uphill riding than we've done so far.
We are about to enter the toughest week of the tour as we make our way into and through the Dolomites. Lots - and I mean lots - of elevation gain. Hopefully the weather will pick up and be more like what Dianne and I enjoyed when we hiked there in 2010 than we've experienced the last couple of weeks. The next two days are looking good, despite it raining outside at the moment. With luck we'll have some beautiful cycling along the lake tomorrow morning in the sunshine and then up towards the mountains. With all the positive vibes coming from all you folks reading about our adventures we have to get some consistently good weather ... don't we?
Into Italy and on to Como
As we rode along the lake the clouds split apart and the sun came out to play. We had one more short, easy climb before dropping down towards Lake Como and its namesake city. Before negotiating the streets to our hotel we passed through the Swiss/Italian border ...
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| Entering Italia |
It was so nice to be crossing into Italy! Things just felt somehow different. Less officious, perhaps? I can't really put my finger on it but there was a sense of carefree welcome in the air. A number of people expressed the view that it was the best day's riding yet. No doubt that was influenced somewhat by the fact that - apart from a few very light sprinkles - it didn't rain on us, but also due to the fact that we had so much wonderful descending and little climbing which suited our tired legs. Some of the terrain we've been through has been more spectacular, but we haven't seen as much of it as we would have liked due to the rain.
After settling into the hotel, which for a change was very easy to find, Patrick, Dianne and I headed off to a nearby bike shop to buy some supplies for the upcoming two weeks. On the way we passed a church where a wonderful bit of bell ringing was happening. Unfortunately neither Di nor I had our cameras with us to record this treat.
Rest Day Ruminations
Di did take her camera out this morning and recorded the bells but it was only a sounding of the time rather than the artistic performance we'd enjoyed yesterday ...We then headed over to the lavendaria to do our laundry and while we were there a bunch of our fellow riders arrived so I thought I'd take a photo to show this moment of domestic solidarity ...
Di went for a stroll at the lake's edge while I watched over the drying and was interested to observe how much quieter it was this Sunday morning than it had been last night when it was absolutely teeming with people ...
She also observed something neither of us has seen before: an interesting aquatic vehicle prowling around the lake shore scooping up garbage and then dumping it into a holding tank ...
Back at the hotel, Richie and Sam were seeing to our fleet of bikes, getting them ready to roll tomorrow. Here's an image of the bikes lined up on the terrace awaiting the caring touch of our guides ...
... and then, after pampering, another of them all bundled under cover to protect them from this afternoon's thunderstorm ...
This next image is actually from another day but could easily have been taken on the cobbled space near our hotel ...
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| Chris the Razzle Dazzle man, stylin' on the cobbles |
Or is that Chris the Razzle Dazzle man?
I'm sure Howard the Turtle would have something to say about those antics.
We are now halfway through our epic adventure. Here's a graphic that shows where we've come from, where we are now, and where we're going ...
Yes, I know. It looks like we are a lot further than halfway. And we have covered slightly more than half the distance. However, the rest of the route is quite convoluted and has a lot more uphill riding than we've done so far.
We are about to enter the toughest week of the tour as we make our way into and through the Dolomites. Lots - and I mean lots - of elevation gain. Hopefully the weather will pick up and be more like what Dianne and I enjoyed when we hiked there in 2010 than we've experienced the last couple of weeks. The next two days are looking good, despite it raining outside at the moment. With luck we'll have some beautiful cycling along the lake tomorrow morning in the sunshine and then up towards the mountains. With all the positive vibes coming from all you folks reading about our adventures we have to get some consistently good weather ... don't we?
Hi Guys, We admire your fitness & fortitude!
ReplyDeleteWe are in Geraldton in W.A. We flew over on 3rd June. We head home on 20th. I saw Mum on the 2nd & she was quite good. Today we head up to Monkey Mia & the Dolphins. Have fun. Geoff.