Manarola, Cinque Terre, Italy
I knew the terrain along this coast would be steep but I wasn't really sure what I would find road-wise getting here or exactly what route to take. Back mountain roads can get me into trouble. Too steep. Too challenging. This is one unknown I do fear. But I managed to analyze the routes on Google Maps after turning up one steep narrow road and riding up it a ways. Let's think about this again. Yes. I see what looks like a better route on "wider" roads...maybe less steep...maybe.
Found a wonderful wild camping spot night before last down by a river. Woke up at 3 am to what sounded like someone pushing a wheelbarrow with metal wheels and then the sound stopped suddenly. What was that? No more noise. Maybe I was dreaming. Back to sleep. In the morning I put the pieces of the puzzle together. It was a car driving over the narrow wooden bridge that I biked over to get to this great spot. That never entered my mind last night:)
The ride into the Cinque Terre area (a national park and 5 remote carless villages built on the steep mountainside coast) was great once I got to the coast. That's the views you see above. Stunning! Breathtaking.
I decided to stay in Manarola because there was a hostel here. Cycling down the steep slope into town left me wondering how the heck I'm going to get back out. Yikes! But worry about that later. This, like all the villages is built in a holler with the houses and gardens and vineyards terraced steeply upward.
In order to see more villages from many angles, I ferried up to Monterosso.
And hiked back through Vernazza to Corniglia.
And met a fellow from my hostel who joined me for the sunset.
A train ride back to our village finished off a great day. Chan was a charming companion for hiking, dinner, and breakfast before he headed back to his home in
Paris. Thanks for the stimulating conversations!
Livin' the life,
BagLady
Facebook: Kathryn Mossbrook Zimmerman
