Day 2.. Mad dogs and Englishwoman with a bike

 It's hot... that was my first thought as I finally dragged my bike out the door at 0900.  To be fair I was later out than I usually am when I go cycling but this was a holiday... not a challenge and so I had allowed myself a lie in this morning and had not put my bike together last night... but it was clearly a mistake. If it was this hot now... midday was going to be hell. I was grateful I had packed a 2nd water bottle as well as my water bladder. I was going to need every drop.

This morning had started well. Putting my bile together went fairly smoothly... aside from realising that some ball bearings were sticking out of the forks... which was quickly corrected (I hope). I remember putting it together in Equador with pieces pinging all over the room and was glad I had left it until the morning when I was rested. I wasn't in a hurry for sure. When I finally got out... having lugged bike down about 6 flights of stairs.. I cycled round the corner to be greeted by the Colosseum in all its glory. I will not tire of that sight for sure.

Today I was saying goodbye to Rome and heading east. My plan... as all good cyclists know... was to remain flexible... but essentially to head out and do a few miles today to get the legs going and see where it. got me... this is a holiday, I kept telling myself.  So off I pottered... through arches of stone and walls so thick that I struggled to see how anyone could have even thought about breaking through them. And then the ancient city was behind me and I peddled through the parts of Rome not often seen by tourists... the places where the real Romans lived. It was not unlike many cities, the rich heart and the poorer surroundings.. but it was interesting.

The sun was already killing me. The roads were ok... the cars giving space. and the uphills nicely manageable. So I pottered along. Sweat pouring down me as I went with very little shade to give respite. I stopped often... finding shade where I could and downing water like no tomorrow.

I passed a few villages but being sunday,. much was shut. I eventually found a small cafe and stopped for late breakfast/early lunch or fuel as I was reminded I should call it! I hadnt had much fuel for sure as was concentrating on hydrating but equally hadnt gone very far either... the sun sucking all strength out of me. It felt like it was at least 30 degrees...

My new shoes... Salomon X Ultra 3 gtx were comfy... but incredibly warm and paired with Otter socks (preparing for mountains) my feet were sweating badly and incredibly warm. This was good news for any camping but for now not so good at all. The bike was going well with no issues and my kit bags were doing what they were supposed to be doing. I was glad I brought my water bladder as I needed all the water I could carry for sure!

The cafe I stopped at was cheap and cheerful but more impirtantly had an awning and shade which I collapsed under and sat there enjoying the bubble of Italian life around me. Eventually I got myself up and decided on pottering to the nearest train station and hitching a ride to the mountains. 

That pottering took me to Tivoli... the path I had chosen ran by a waterway... flat then you say... nope. This waterway was running down the side of a very steep hill up to the town perched on the hill side. As I set off up the hill, a white van driver passing me leaned out and said what I can only assume was... 'you are. bloody mad, this is a very steep hill' or something to that effect. He wasnt wrong. 3/4 of the way up it became too steep to ride and I pushed the rest... slowly... very slowly. The beginnings of sunstroke were hitting me and that last mile or so was not good. It made me chuckle... holiday shmoliday... I still found myself hike a biking up hills!

Tivoli itself was lovely... old stone houses and churches, older still bridges and aqueducts... bloody old ruins of columns sitting on the hillside. I imagine this is where the Rich Romans would have had a country estate. Beautiful and despite the hill I had to get upI was glad to have seen this.

Then the search for the train station and trying to work out tickets etc. I knew I had to purchase an extra ticket for my bike and even better (after another Italian trip) knew I had to punch my ticket into a machine to validate it, a fact which 2 other travellers did not know. I helped them with their tickets and then sat on the platform, literally sizzling in the afternoon heat.

The train arrived and the guard showed me where to put my bike and I settled down for the journey to Avezzano, my gateway to the mountains. No cheating here... Im on holiday was my reminder to myself and in truth, although my cycling today had constitiuted very little mileage by anyone's standards, it had been a nice little pootle in the sunshine.

Avezzano itself had no campsites nor anywhere where I could put a tent and not be spotted so plan B found me in a reasonable hotel to get myself together ready for tomorrow. Then came the worst pizza I had ever eaten followed by an early night to get rid of the pounding headache, I assume from the relentless sunshine. Hopefully tomorrow will see me climb up into the mountains and find some cooler  air! 

Ciao

x







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