Seeing that everyone who reads this already knoas what im up to, and im currently cycling Italy- I'm going to jump to the present now.
For the past almost week I've been in Italy! home of pizza, pasta, and Fiat500's. What a blast it's been.
The morning of the 6th, got my flight into Rome. after a big day of travelling, I arrived at my hostel. typically- I had booked it for OCTOBER 6th- not September.
"I'm sorry, but we are full for tonight". I was told by the receptionist. Crap. even at an eyewatering €25 for a night in a DORM BED, that would turn out to be my only option for the evening that would be less than €50, not 10km out of the city, and not fully booked. an hour of searching every bookin app/couchsurfing/ my brain for friends inRome- it was finally sorted. the hostel would double up some mattresses on the floor in their dorm room so I'd have a roof. phew! Suddenly the €25 seemed like a great deal. even if you include the australian lad who fell off his bunk in ghe middle of the night and landed on me...
I had found my bike! checking Facebook marketplace I'd got a mountain bike for €30. after my journey I'd return it to the people I got it from- effectively like a rental. The medical student was in awe as I told him my plans for the bike. He told me I was the easiest going person he'd ever met. I'll take that!
Morning of the 7th I was off! a walk across Rome - passing the collesum and other sites, would bring mr to the trian station where I could get just ourside of the city to begin my journey.
day 1 saw rolling hills, lakes, hazlenut plantations, olive trees, a castle visit, some gents giving me some ameretti biscuits "energy! energy!"
it was also the beggining of the end for my peddle. As i polised off my 40something KMs for the day- it started to rock. "tomorrows problm" I said to myself as I arrived at the lakeside campside at Lago di Vico.
A beautiful nights sleep in my hammock- even better as the predicted storm hadnt yet hit. But come 9am that's when the echoing thunder around the lake brought its storms. it hammered down.
within an hiur it had stopped, I'd tightened my peddle the best Icould and I headed off for day 2.
after about 3km, the whole peddle fel off. crap. luckily- the next car that passed jad a man who not only could speak english but he had a whole tool box in the back of his car and got to work fixing the peddle back on.
"Grazie Milla!" I wa sback on my way. further up the road Id saw. massive qild boar that had been freshly hit by a car that had only overtakdn me about a kilometer back. after my lakeside ride- then came the hill. a 300m elevation- roadside blackberries there to keep me going!
THEN came the downhill. not a greattime to realise your brakes aren't the most effective. i ended up walking down a lot of it (after almost burning a hole in my trainers as I used them to help me stop!) a bike repair shop was the first port of call when I reached Viterbo.
and of course, when i did, it had long been closed so I tried ahain after the train ride in Chiusi.
"You need new brakes" said the worker.
and judging by the prices in his shop- that wouldnt be a cheap fix. I don't know as much as I should about bikes- but I was absolutely positive that I didnt. I'd had brakes with much less rubber be nuch more effective. something was very off, so I said id come back tomorrow and peddled the picturesque cycle path 8km to my campsite.
Morning of the 9th a massive cloud covered everything. you could only see about 30m in front of you. I only 35km to cover until I would reach the venue in Umbria. before I had even left the droveway CLONK that peddle.had come off again. oops.
after a while of calculating the best solution- I borrowed a spannr and cranked on the screw as tight as I coudl and I'd get it fixed when I was back in Chiusi 8km away.
it lasted great- I passed a hardwear shop and the gent knew exactly what screw I needed and for 50c it looked like a shiny new fix to that problem. away I went!
8km later. CLONK. It happened again. 5km of walking- one peddle down- a kind lady asked if I jad a problem
"Si, pocco pocco" as I held one hand in the air to accompany with small fingers...the other my peddle.
"oh come.here! i ahat can I do to help?" so she refilled my water and after a short while she asked her builders to help me complete the last 10km ot so to Tavernelle.
hopped in the van and after driving the hills im glad i didnt have to peddle.
in Tavernelle I knew it was time for a real fix- so I walked around hoping for the best to find abike shop and as the thought came.into my brajn BOOM on the right was a bike shop.
through my 2 years of italian 15 years ago, we agreed I'd come back Monday to collect it. after the wedding. i managed to message Alliey, the bride, and let her know my predicament. She fixed it up and let me know one of the party would soon be going to the supermakret so i could meet her there!
The wedding was phenomenal. Its a bit too early to put i to words. ebery detail was amazing, and it was so beautiful to finally meet Allieys new bride!
I'll probably do a whole post dedicated to the wedding when Im back in the UK.
as for today, the 12th, I left the wedding venue around 10. picked up the bikes, and dropped.off some leftover beer for the gent who fixed it. 25km of flats now sees me at my third campsite- right on the lake. bellissimo!
I had to reroute my journey to meet with my arrival time at the wedding venue, so I only had about 35km planned for the whole day and a train journey go cover the rest. From Viterbo to Chiusi. the intense declines down the hills
