Got up really early – 6:00 to filtered sunlight and roosters crowing. Had a quick bite to eat, then decided to go for a ride and check out the road that the Giro’s going to be on. The folks here, of course, know all about it – they have notices up in 3 or 4 languages about the road closures on the 16th, so they have advised me exactly where to go. The ride was awesome – sun full and bright, mist still lifting in places – so beautiful.

Pian di Boccio – my campground

The ride wasn’t that hard – only had to push the bike a couple of times, because when I stop going up a hill to take a pic it’s really hard to get going again – at least without all my gear it wasn’t that difficult to push.

 

 

It’s not that far – only took me about 20-25 minutes to get there, but I stopped several times and don’t ride that fast anyway. Gorgeous orchards, vineyards and villas everywhere – I love it here!

Found the road that the race will be on – I’ll come back again to pick the perfect spot.

Headed back to the campground to get some hot tea and more food from their store. They’re so nice – they even power up my ipad almost every day, since it runs out so quickly. Downloading pics from the camera to the ipad is really quick and easy, but getting them onto the blog is another thing altogether.

Passed a cute shrine on the way back that I hadn’t noticed – not sure what it’s for…

Had a nice shower, then went for a walk to the ‘lake’. Passed some beaver statues – wasn’t sure was that was about, but as I progressed and saw a boar, some turkeys, deer, even a wolf and bear, I realized it’s part of a target-practice thing. Each little display is in it’s own area around the lake. I must admit that when I first saw the wolf I almost jumped, but the deer nestled on the lake’s edge wasn’t alarmed so I wasn’t either.

 

Lots of frogs on the shore – you can hear them croaking up a storm long before you get to the lake, but I couldn’t get close enough to get a pic – they heard me coming and splash-splash-splash into the water they went.

I realized that my larger, attached keyboard wasn’t working anymore, so got onto the ‘geek squad’ from Best Buy and online chatted with a fellow that helped solve the problem. I didn’t actually know that the keyboard has it’s own power input as I’d never run out before. Took it to the campgound’s office and Luisa kindly plugged it in and powered it back up for me. It’s so amazing to me that even from Italy I can contact someone 24 hrs a day to get help – it was around 3:00 am Kelowna time and I still got assistance when I needed it.

Took a short nap in the sun, right inside my tent. Woke up refreshed and face-timed Dom. Going to bed early.

Didn’t sleep too bad, considering everything around me was soaked and it thundered and lightninged for hours. Perhaps the thunder woke up the frogs and the dogs – there was a chorus of frog croaking and then a dog howling competition – but I didn’t mind – I was snug and warm in my tent.

Woke up early – roosters, peacocks and other various birds crowing and chirping – discovered they have a bit of a menagerie here.

It took a while for the mist to clear, but when it did it was lovely to see the sun. Thunder clouds threatened but seem to have gone around us, we never got rain (at least not yet). Strung a line and hung all my wet clothes to dry.

Went for a walk around the campground – it’s pretty big, including olive orchards and large garden.  Oh yes – when I arrived yesterday they gave me a small bottle of their own olive oil – they don’t label it organic but they don’t use pesticides or anything so it probably is organic – can’t wait to try it.

Went to their ‘store’ and picked up the bread I ordered yesterday – multi/whole grain, and baked fresh every morning. – kind of like a small sub rather than a ‘loaf’. Also got a fuel canister for my camp stove so I can make my own tea in the morning, as well as a can of tuna and some niblets corn (no fresh garden produce yet, but in the summer it would be plentiful). Sat in the sun outside the bar and ate lunch, then went searching for my bike odometer/clock/mutli-function device that I couldn’t find anywhere – it must have slipped off the handlebar when I was pushing it yesterday. Walked a mile or so down the horrible hill I climbed yesterday to no avail, then actually found it right in front of the entrance gate to the campground. I swear I searched that very area several times already, but at least I found it. Even after being on the ground in the rain all night it still works!

Checked out the route for the Giro stage that I’m here to see – it’s only a few km from my campground – as I hoped it would be, and that’s why I picked this place to stay. I’ll likely ride down to the main road tomorrow to check it out and plan where I’m going to park myself so I can get the best photos.

Did a good clean-out of my tent, including drying the floor under the second ‘ground cover’ that was supposed to be for under my yoga mat outside but because the inside of the tent got wet yesterday when I was setting it up I put it under all my stuff for the night.

Met the folks in the small motor-home that I pitched my tent next to – Roland and Nell from Holland. Went for another walk and took some more pic’s, but cut it short as the storm clouds seemed to be coming back.

Got to my tent just in time to grab everything off the line right before the storm hit again. More thunder, more lightning, more rain – but that’s ok – nothing got soaked this time. I’m so glad I got a 2-person tent since me and all my stuff (except the bike, of course) fit in the tent so nothing is left out in the rain.

Had a nice after-dinner glass of wine with Roland and Nell (well, Nell didn’t drink any wine as she is on medication for a cold) – they seen like a very sweet couple and have travelled extensively around Europe in their motorhome. I hope to see them again as I believe they will be here for at least a couple more days. Since we are now the only campers on the site it’s very nice to have good company.

Rain seems to have stopped – again. Almost full moon – very lovely night.

Had a much better sleep than last night – at least when I woke up from time to time I couldn’t hear any neighbours. Got up early, did yoga and went for breakfast – really good spread and ate a lot.

Discovered that the towel rack in the bathroom was heated so did some laundry in the bathroom sink, hoping it would dry before I checked out at 10:30. Should have done it last night but was so tired I never even thought about it.

The really nice front desk guy (Anil – from India) helped me lug the bike box from where he’d stashed it yesterday out into the courtyard where I proceeded to try to assemble it. Worked on it for an hour, then cleaned out my room and checked out, although Anil said I could stay working on the bike as long as it took, or check in for another night if I wanted. Took me almost 4 hours to reassemble everything – the bike shop had done some really funky stuff to make the fenders and pannier racks fit around the disk brakes, but I think I finally figured it out – guess I’ll see if the brakes fail or the front wheel falls off when I’m riding.

Left Foligno for Bevagna around 1:30, then on to Pian di Boccio around – not a long ride to Bevagna, but very narrow road with no bike lane and the roads are terrible – full of pot holes and other bike hazards. And the cars whiz by without much room to spare. Shortly after Bevagna the road to the campground turns off, and it seems I took the hard way there. Signage isn’t that great and I didn’t read the posting right. The route I took did get me where I was going, but several times I wasn’t sure I was going to actually make it – such steep hills. Pushing the bike was considerably better than dragging it in a box while carrying my camera, two panniers and my camping gear, but after awhile I thought I was going to have to stop and pitch my tent in the woods, but it was so hilly there wasn’t a flat spot to be found.  Tried twice to flag down passing cars, but they didn’t seem interested in helping.

Finally found the campground, and, of course, just after I checked in and was about to setup my tent it started raining. I got the ground cover down with the tent on top and managed to get the poles together (luckily they are kind of all in one piece with elastic or something between them and almost snap themselves together) when it really started pouring. By the time I got all my gear inside and pegged the corners down I was soaked to the skin.

Most of my clothes are wet now – the ones I washed at the hotel, plus the ones I was wearing setting up the tent – oh well, at least I have a cozy black blankie and sleeping bag and my tent is large enough to sit up in without having to duck or crouch.

Face-timed Dom – god, this is so different than the last time I travelled in Europe! Sly-guy was there and again recognized my voice – he purred so loud I could hear it. Also, the thunder from the storm going on around me was so loud Dom could hear it.

Went to the check-in desk again and the very nice lady (Luisa) opened up the bar/store for me and made some hot water for tea and I got a bottle of wine. Back in my tent drinking cups of hot tea alternated with cups of red wine. Playing Italian songs on the ipad and doing Kakuro puzzles. Might play some solitare later – how exciting!

At least I’m here, and I got my bike and put it together – feels like I accomplished something. And tomorrow (or the next day) will be sunny and I’ll ride around the area a bit and explore. Actually reminds me a lot of the Okanagan – very beautiful, wide valley between hills/mountains, with lots or orchards (olives rather than apples) and I can’t wait to see more!

Folks next door hadn’t slowed down at all – did a bit of yoga, packed up and left for my free breakfast – moaners still going strong. Walked back to the hotel I’d checked in at, ate a bit and waited for the hotel’s shuttle bus to take me back to the airport to collect my bike.

Checked first at the ‘lost luggage’ area outside the arrivals gates (different from the one yesterday) – was told the plane was just landing and come back in 1/2 hr. In the meantime tried to find the safe-bag guy again but couldn’t locate him. Very confused I finally found an info lady that figured out, again by looking at the map I googled, that the bag place was inside the departure area and I couldn’t get access. The only reason I’d gotten to him yesterday was because I’d been with an airport staffer that just marched me right in. Oh well – thought I’d be putting the bike back together on the sidewalk. Finally got to go in past the lost luggage police (well, they seemed a bit like cops) – my riding shoes set of their beeper and I had to remove them again (happened in Kelowna too) for inspection. At last was led back to the over-size luggage pick-up and there was my bike! Upside down, with huge green arrows saying ‘this way up’ pointing to the ground, but at least it was there. Got the bike, along with the bags I’d been ferrying around on a baggage cart and headed for the train ticket place. The guys in the airport office didn’t know about whether or not the bike should be kept in the box, or assembled, so they sent me across the airport road to the actual train station. The clerk there said ‘oh, no, if it’s not in a box you can’t take it on any trains’ – was very glad I hadn’t been able to get to the safe-bag place or done it myself on the sidewalk!

Bot tickets from the airport to Rome, then from Rome to Foligno – finally feel like I’m on my way. Ride into Rome didn’t take long, and had a 2-hour wait for the train on to Foligno. Now, with no baggage carts like the airport had, I’m dragging the bike box along (all 64 pounds of it) as well as my camera, two large panniers, and my camping gear bag – not easy even after all the weight lifting I did. Again had varying degrees of success getting info from the train employees, but eventually found the right gate to access the line my train should be on. A guy from Luxembourg verified I’d found the right place, and when the track number was finally posted helped me carry/drag the bike, etc onto the train.

The ride to Foligno was just under 2 hours long, but shortly after we left Rome the ticket-taker came by and gave me a horrible surprise. Apparently you’re supposed to get your ticket verified by sticking it in machine and getting a ‘stamp’ of some kind on it. No one at any point had bothered to tell me that, and the ticket-taker on the first train didn’t have a problem with it. Italian trains must make a fortune on this, because the ticket itself was only 9.95 euros, and the fine for not getting my ticket verified was 50 euros! I was back to almost crying again, but she wasn’t compassionate at all – pay or else! I almost felt like turning around and going home, but then figured that at least the next couple of days couldn’t be any worse so tried to cheer up.

Rody (from Lux) is going to email me some of his pic’s – he’s a photographer and was going a couple of stops further than me. He was very nice to talk with the whole time. A couple of black guys that got on 2 stops before I got off were also going to Foligno so they very kindly helped with with my bike box – carried it down stairs, under the tracks to the other side, then back up into the station and out to the sidewalk. It looked like it was getting very stormy so I nixed the idea of assembling my bike on the sidewalk and dragged it and all my bags across the street into a hotel I’d read about online before I left home. This one is much nicer than the one near the airport, and the fellow at the desk said I could assemble the bike in their courtyard after breakfast tomorrow.

Still exhausted, I decided that I should go for a walk and get something to eat or I’d fall asleep by 4:00. Walked into the town centre – not far at all, and the town is great since no cars are allowed in the centre. Some sort of celebration was going on, but I don’t think it had to do with the Giro. Foods stalls, etc – first one I noticed was ‘try something from Scotland’ which struck me as kind of funny, being in Italy and all.

Never bought anything there, but came across a Turkish felafel place. Had fun talking to the guy there – he used to be a taxi driver in Istanbul and I told him some of the places I’d been on my back-packing trip. Got a huge donair that I’ll save some of for lunch tomorrow.

Came back to the hotel and face-timed Dom – kitties still don’t understand where my voice is coming from when he shows them the phone, but they sure do recognize my voice. Sly is sleeping on the bed where my feet would be if I was there – just like he always did.

Had a nice hot bath and getting to bed early – well, at least before 9. I trust my current neighbours will be less disruptive than the last ones!

SALLY MCKENZIE’S EUROPEAN ADVENTURE – TAKE 2

MAY 5, Friday

Got up just after 2 – luckily Dom had gotten up since the alarm didn’t ring. Got to the airport way before I needed to, just in case there was a problem with the bike. Got a really nice check-in lady that didn’t charge me extra for the over-size bundle (paniers and camping sacks) or the over-weight bike box. They did open and almost empty the bike box in the over-size luggage dept as something made their ‘wand’ beep, but they put it all back in and taped it up again for me.

Dom left and I drank tea and waited over an hour to board the flight to Calgary. Had an ok flight on a two-proppper then waited about 2 hrs to board for Montreal. Didn’t get a window seat on this one.

Barely had time to run to the correct gate to catch the flight to Rome. Left on time again and had an alright flight – watched a movie and a couple episodes of Big Bang but got no sleep at all. The chairs recline about an inch and there’s no way to stretch out. Luckily had an empty seat between me and the next guy, and did get a couple extra free bottles of wine with my dinner (questionable chicken, coleslaw – couldn’t identify what was in it).

May 6, Saturday

Landed on time – just before 9 am Italy time. Went to get my bag and bike, and – surprise, surprise – the bike wasn’t there. Went back and forth between the regular luggage place and the over-size without success. Finally the lady at the info desk told me to check at Air Canada’s ‘lost luggage’ window and as soon as I gave her the luggage tag number she said ‘oh – that’s still in Montreal and should be here tomorrow on the same flight you just got in on’! My bike was bumped!

Tried to find the ‘safe bag’ place, hoping that when the bike gets here they’d help me reassemble it – got a grand tour of all three levels of Terminal 3 being sent here, there and everywhere by info folks and other airport staff who didn’t have a clue. Finally one lady recognized the place I’d googled on my ipad – no one else until then could figure out where it was but she got me to them. The guy wasn’t there but did show up just as the helpful lady had called his posted phone number and found it was out of service. The bag guy said to come when I had my bike and he’d try to help me for 40 euros.

I was very tired and decided to hang around the airport until the next morning, but several hours after laying down on my yoga mat in a quiet corner of the 3rd floor of Terminal 3 and getting hardly any shut-eye I was more exhausted than ever. I face-timed Dom, who hadn’t gotten my earlier email about the bike – he convinced me it would be worth it to bite the bullet and get a hotel. I booked one online after checking with another info lady about how close the hotel was to the airport – shouldn’t cost too much for a taxi to take me there. By this time I was kind of crying and I think the info lady felt sorry for me – she was extra nice telling me where to go to get a cab.

The taxi drivers that wait at the arrivals level are f-ing vultures preying on the weary. The first guy told me he’d give me a deal and take me the 3-4 km for only 30 euros. When I said that was way too much he said he’d get his friend who would give me a cheaper deal – yah right – he said 48 euros! Headed outside and eventually, after walking another mile or so to Terminal 1 I was directed to the ‘local’ taxis. This one said 20 euros, and by then I was ready to drop from pushing my baggage buggy all around T-3 several times so I said ok. Got to the right place. They had rec’d my reservation online and were expecting me. Check-in was quick and easy – showed my passport (they photocopied it) and had already paid online so was good to go to my room. There was a very cute, small and friendly cat in the lobby so that somehow made me feel a bit better. Followed the elderly man (who carried one of my bags for me) out of the hotel, out of the courtyard and down the alley-street, past a blaring bar, around a corner and down another alley-street into the courtyard of a different hotel. Must be owned by the same folks. Into my room and almost straight to bed, after face-timing Dom again. The kitties could hear my voice but didn’t know how to look at the screen to see me. Had a hot shower and felt a little better, or at least a little less zombie-ish.

Thought it was going to be an alright night and could catch up a bit on my sleep, but –  noooo. After drifting off around 10:30 I was woken up an hour later by a couple checking into the next room. What followed was a marathon of moaning, grunting and bed springs sqeaking all fucking night. A couple of times I thought – finally some peace, but then it would start up again. I suspect the woman was a prostitute from the bar that we’d walked past, and the man, well, it reminded me of the american pharmaceutical add that says ‘if you have an erection for more than 4 hours call your doctor…’ – the Italian stallion next door put that to shame.

At one point I gave up trying to sleep and decided to listen to some Italian lessons with the ear buds. When I first turned the lesson the ear bud jack wasn’t in so the lesson kind of blared out. I quickly inserted the jack and tried to fall asleep listening to Italian lessons instead of Italian sex, but it didn’t work. Then I removed the jack and listened out loud to Croation for a bit, hoping that might encourage my neighbours to tone the vocals a bit, but of course that didn’t work. Exhaustion finally allowed me to get 1 1/2 or 2 hours sleep before my 6:30 wake up call.

Ready to go