La Storta, Italy
Where to start? Maybe I'll work backwards to cover the last few days. That'll be different:). Today I had to ride on a divided highway for about 5 miles. The good part was it had a wide shoulder. The bad part was that's where all the shit lands and I got a rear flat. Took me awhile to realize it. Ew! Not good for the tire. I was able to pull onto a side road to do the repair, thank goodness. It was easy to find:)
But not so easy to fix. I pulled the tube and patched it. Mounted it on the rim. Mounted it on the bike. Started pumping it up and it would only inflate so far. Dang pump! Don't break on me now. Again and again I try. I think the tube's not holding. Unmount everything again. There's a second hole next to the first. Use my last patch on it. Remount on the rim. Remount on the bike. Pump. Pump. Pump. Dang! Still not holding air. I give up. Replace the tube. I mount everything again. Remount everything again. I got it DOWN!! An hour later. We're off! I found a back roads route that was longer but a tad quieter, so the ride was fun. Lots of toots and pics of me. I make people smile. And that's fun. Since I knew I'd be on the outskirts of Rome tonight, I planned on a convent. Good thing. It's very congested in this area. Camping would not be an option.
Sweet convent. Lovely colors. Up on the hill away from the hubbub below.
Saw this saying on the wall here...how perfect for a place near the end.
Ok, now yesterday. I started the day at another "religious structure", Convento Cappuccini, and decided to see if I could find a bookstore for a replacement book. I wandered the streets of what felt like the oldest village I've wandered through. Can't really say why, but it felt amazing. And photos don't capture it.
Then when I stopped for coffee I asked the guy there about this back road I found that wound around but ended up where I wanted to be. No. Very steep. Take the main road to Rome. Buts it's a good road? Yes, but not for bike. Well, steep no longer worries me...that's my road! I can't handle biking on main roads with no shoulders and truck traffic. I'd rather deal with hills. And it was fun. Still no shoulder, but the cars are a bit slower. So that helps.
Met Florian, a French guy hurrying to get to Rome to meet up with a friend for the weekend. He's off to Istanbul (where I was suppose to be going but for visa limitations).
We both agreed that Italian road surfaces sucked for biking. I said I noticed it was only on my side of the road.
So challenging with 3 tracks to keep out of the holes.
(As I'm writing tonight I'm devouring everything that's left in my food pannier. I've eaten yogurt, leftover beans and rice from last night, leftover ham and bread from lunch today, potato chips, cookies, clementines, pomegranate from last night...and there's still tomato, cuke, pepper, onion, apple, orange, tuna...lots more to eat...I'll make antipasto!)
Livin' the life,
BagLady
Facebook: Kathryn Mossbrook Zimmerman
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