The Southern Sweetness

After a week in the dark, I admit that it feels good to connect to the digital world again! Our expectation that large cities will have wi-fi everywhere, not so... This is not the USA, and that's a good new experience. So I will take this 30 mins of connection to rattle off the memorables from the last week.

Arrived In Bologna after riding through freezing fog for two days...eerie. The trees, power lines, fences, everything appeared that an instantaneous ice age had swept through Northern Italy, ice-fog literally hanging from every surface.

We unfortunately do not have the budget or the logistical capabilities to absorb all that the great Italian cities have to offer. While bike touring is, in my opinion, the best way to see the world, you must constantly be aware of where your bici is, and keep a close eye on your bags in the cities. We are not willing to pay 20 euro a night on a hostel, and pitching our tent in the city park is still a bit taboo. The rural, rustic life is the best and most affordable in bici.

As is common in the world of cycling, knee pain has plagued me thus far. Cyclists know that it sometimes takes weeks to find that perfect position on the bike to avoid knee pain while pedaling hours a day. Considering the bitter cold, my knee issue, and the reality that Chris and I have places to be in March, we chose to boogy southward on train. This plan worked nicely! We are now 250 km further south, 20 deg warmer, and the rest day did well for my knee.

In between the then and now, we have slept in a chruch basement (huge thanks to the awesome folks of Ca Morosini), been hosted by friars at the friary in Imola (thanks for the prosciutto guys!), been fed a free family meal in Rastignano, and were treated like local celebrities in Poggio Renatico. All of the warmth and hospitality has been a huge morale boost in these days of tough miles and numb extremities. Gratitude. In 6 nights we have only tented out one night.
Our honest question to the locals each evening has been "where can we camp and be safe?".... That seems to directly translate to "house us, feed us, and teach us all about your lifestyle" because we have been overwhelmed by unsolicited kindness at every turn. (Add this term to your phrase books) "dove possiamo campeggiare?" I haven't looked in a mirror in a week, but judging from the look of my partner (hottie Chris!) and our hosts willingness to care for us, we must look weathered. Haha!

Today was an amazing day on the bike. Rolling hills through grape vineyards, Adriatic Sea to the left, huge snow-capped Appennini Mtns to the right. 10 min climbs to little sun-bronzed villages built into the sides of the hills. Oranges growing within arms reach of the road. Winding decents into river valleys, actually cooling us from the heat of the climb. Very nice to be without stocking caps and coats. My knee was better today, and with a clutch pasta lunch and Internet connection, we are full of momentum once again.

Lanciano, Abruzzo. Great town!

Missing you all! Your words of encouragement help a lot! Pedal on... With love.
CM