To - Civita Castellana
Distance - 82km
Time - 5.5 hours
Total - 4694km
It's difficult to think I have been doing this for 80 days. It's frightening and its even more frightening that you have been reading this blog! I'm just starting to warm up to the cycling and its coming to an end. One more cycling day tomorrow.
It was a nice hotel and an even better breakfast. This is what I had - muesli, blackberry and bilberry compote, bacon and scrambled eggs, bread and jam, fruit tart, lemon cake and croissant! There was also, ham, salami and cheese which took with some bread buns for a sandwich later.
The ride was 'interesting' today to say the least. The first 4km were no problem because I didn't have to do any pedalling. It was the reverse of the hill climb I did yesterday to get into Orvieto but a lot quicker. All was going well till I did my first major hill climb of the day. I was congratulating myself for staying with a steep hill in granny gear when I reached the town of Giove at the top and I consulted my map to find that I should have turned right 2km back. I said to myself 'By Giove' and similar but not so moderate language. I went back down the hill to an unsigned minor road and took it. It took me further downhill and became gravelly. It then became rocky and had big holes in it and puddles. This is on the Eurovelo 7 route and my map showed it as a road but I would strongly dispute it. All the time I knew this downhill was going to be followed by a big, big uphill. I got through the puddles and rocks slowly and was then confronted by the hill. It was undoubtedly the steepest I have had all trip and I pushed the bike up most of it and that was a tough task. I was getting bothered by flys and the heat. Sweat was dripping down the insides of my sunglasses. I got to a section that was a little less steep and started to ride again only to be chased by two barking dogs. I couldn't shake them off because I couldn't go any faster and in actual fact I was knackered and couldn't keep it up. Thankfully we went past a house and a man shouted at the dogs and they left me alone. I thought that things couldn't get worse but cheered myself up with the thought that at least I didn't get a puncture or some other mechanical problem.
From the top of that hill I still came down slowly because it was still loose gravel. I came back to a proper road and saw a photo opportunity and nipped onto the other side of the road. Just as I was doing the manoeuvre a car came round the bend, so I had to quickly ride onto the verge, I hit a rut and fell off! I scratched my shins only and felt rather stupid.
I noticed occasional single ladies sitting at the roadside in remote locations. I thought they must be waiting for a lift. I stopped and offered one a 'backie' but she wanted to charge me 20 euros for the pleasure. I guess a backie means something different in Italy! I think they were touting for something more than a tandem ride!
I arrived at Civita Castellana (surprisingly it means City of the Castle) which like many places has the old town and a new town. I had splashed out on a posh hotel, partly because there didn't seem to be many alternatives here. The old town looks a bit grubby but still has character. I got cleaned up at the hotel and went for a little walk.
I did the tour of the Fort Sangallo in Italian and found out that this area had its own Falaise civilisation between 6th and 2nd Centuries BC. They did a lovely line is pottery and bronze. The Fort was much more recent but was used as a museum for the archeological stuff and there is a plaque to Robert Baden Powell outside the gates!
I was having a discussion with my brother David last night on the subject of 'fine art', not a subject we often talk about. He told me of someone in France whose elderly relative had met Picasso. The person told a story that Picasso was making no money for his normal style paintings and 'as a joke' he started to paint what is now known as his style and now that joke art is worth millions. Picasso couldn't believe his luck but didn't admit it publicly. I have seen hundreds of fantastic paintings, some are considered masterpieces worth millions and some are hanging on church walls with no acclaim or security. I can't always see what sets the famous masterpieces apart from the others? Why is the Mona Lisa so special when many other paintings are technically just as well painted? I suspect it is the stories that arty people weave about particular paintings and artists that makes the difference and not purely the quality of the painting style. I told David that the world of fine art is full of 'baloney" (meaning waffle, not the Bologna sausages). You can tell I'm a real art buff.....not!
One thing I don think I told you is that I am meeting my cousin Tavia and her husband Ian and grown up children Christian and Ricardo. Tavia emailed that they had booked a weekend in Rome. Tomorrow I am meeting them at the Spanish Steps and then going out for the evening. It will be a great way to celebrate the end of my epic journey.
Photo 1, My hotel breakfast room, photo taken from the balcony.
Photo 2, Town Hall of a small town I cycled through.
Photo 3, One of the last Tuscany...ish views.
Photo 4, Inside nice church near Orte.
Photo 5, This is the photo I was going to take when I fell off. I hope you appreciate the danger I took to take it!
Photo 6, Main Piazza at Civita Castellana.
Photo 7, Forte Sangallo - with a town called Castellana it must have a fort!
Photo 8, Cathedral.
Photo 9, Naughty me having nothing but cakes for tea!
Photo 10, Plaque of Robert Baden Powell.
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