Hello all…many apologies for my sudden disappearance from cyberland. Also, to those of you who have contacted me about my wareabouts, many thanks for your concern.
I just want to report quickly that I am alive and well…have spent the holidays with my family in Zagreb and will take the time here to get my blog updated. I have not had a regular internet connection for a little while so hope to get this all remedied soon.
I’ll be back shortly.
Vinko
It’s cloudy this morning…and there an ominous feeling of rain. We’ve enjoyed cold but clear days for some time now…so I suppose the clouds had to come eventually… We packed up and left our shelter…the road we were riding on is marked on the map as an unmaintained road…so we expected dirt, and we have had roads like this before….but the further we went, the worse the road became. Huge potholes, deep tracks that the tractors had cut into the road, small creeks to ford, and eventually, impassable mud. We had to turn back and find another way through the fields.
Although frustrating to turn around, it was some of the most fun riding I’d had on the trip while it lasted! The road improved as we cut through small dirt tracks in between farm fields and it seems the moment we finally hit tarmac again, Alex’s back tire completely failed and exhausted all it’s air pressure in one loud BANG! The tire is finished. There is a deep cut along the side wall which had punctured his inner tube. A nice big rip.
Thankfully we broke down just outside a small farm…it was early in the morning, about 9.15am when this happened, and the locals were out and willing to lend us a hand. Alex and Tiago got to work patching tire, but it didn’t look good. With no spare tires around they would need to fix his to at least get to a cycle shop…but today is Sunday…there is nothing open…this is going to be a slow day. We had extra inner tubes with us, but with no spare tire Alex tried to patch the hole with things like a bit of yoghurt carton and spare rubber found on the farm, among other things.
The weather was also starting to turn for the worse…I was torn between staying with Alex and Tiago and riding to Rome without them. I was getting anxious to get to Rome as quickly as possible with rain looming but things were slow going. It’s kind of a mental battle you go through, but in the end I had to remind myself that I started this bike tour on my own and I didn’t have to ride with them…I could always go, although I felt guilty about this as well.
Stefan and I spoke about pushing on together…Rome was about 120km away, but we figured we could do it by dark.
Decision made, we politely parted company with Alex and Tiago…left them on the side of the road…I felt terrible.
But that was it, we were on our way, and picked up pace very quickly. We pushed the 58km to Civitevecchia as quickly as possible. We had to take about 20km of highway though as there were no other available roads. I really don’t like riding on the highway…it’s nerve racking and dangerous, but thankfully as it was a Sunday the traffic was light and there were no trucks out there. The other worry of course is the police as Italy carries a steep fine for cycling on the highway….the police drove by, and left us to it…whew….
The scenery to Civitevecchia was nothing to write home about. Flat, bland. The sky was grey, cloudy, the wind was cold, strong, and biting. It was a generally unpleasant cycle.
On arrival to Civitevecchia we stopped for lunch. No sooner did we enter the restaurant when the skies opened in a heavy downpour. Sheets of rain. I thought about Tiago and Alex…wondered how far they’d made it. There aren’t any towns between Civitevecchia and where we left them…certainly no cycle shops. I imagine that they’d probably set up camp somewhere to ride out the storm.
Seafood spaghetti. Cappuccino. Perfect. We felt better. Rome – still 70km away. The rain – heavy. The wind – stronger. The scenery – boring. I see the first train of my trip in my immediate future.
So yes…I did it. I’m sorry, but it just seemed like the most sensible solution. I just couldn’t bear the though of 4 hours of freezing rain right now….so a train to Rome it was…and I can’t tell you how happy I am with that decision.
Train travel is brilliant. …but not as good as bicycle of course…
On arrival to Rome we got hounded by touts all pawning themselves off as ‘official’ Rome Tourist Information Officers. They’d ask ‘do you need a place to stay’
‘Yes, can you point me in the direction of a good hostel with a good bar?’
‘I know perfect place, you tell me how many nights.’
Next thing you know they are booking you into some dodgy ‘hotel, but the do hostel too’ place that is probably owned by his cousin or brother in law….all for about 18 – 25 euros per person per night.
After pushing away about three or four of these guys we got out of the station. Found and internet cafe and within a few minutes I was booked into Yellow hostel, very central, great bar, for a cracking 10 euros a night. Beat that.
Stefan and I put off the sightseeing for now. We dropped ourselves into a local restaurant and finished the evening there.
Was a long day….I’m glad to be in Rome and not camping in freezing rain…it’s cold out there right now…after all, it is mid-December.
I feel really bad about ditching Alex and Tiago like that, but I’m sure they will cope all right. I will try to meet up with them again in Rome in the next day or two….
58km Bicycled Today
3313km to Date
Our campsite last night worked out very, very well. We were quite concerned about finding a decent place before dark and it was getting trickier and trickier as we got closer and closer to town. Thankfully Alex spotted the abandoned house and although we couldn’t get in, the driveway worked out very well!
Today’s ride was brilliant. More beautiful Tuscan countryside and we finally started to pick up pace. We were awake by 7am and on the road at 8.15. after a quick stop for groceries in Grosetto we wheeled into the day and the miles moved by with ease. We had some climbs, some fun descents and beautiful views. The Italians has managed to build a small city on every mountain top in this area it seems!
We stopped for lunch after about 40km in the walled city Magliano in Toscana…a cute quiet place, and it’s town square suited us just fine for the purpose.
Back on the bikes we started heading south again. Ideally we would like to have cycled the along the sea to Rome, but in these parts, it is just not possible. There are no roads along the seafront, and those that are there are highways and just too dangerous, not too mention illegal, for bicycles. So off the beaten track it would have to be, but that’s not too bad…after all…taking the road less travelled is the whole point of bicycle touring!
We stopped at a cemetery in Capalbio to refuel our water bottles…while at task, another touring cyclist turns up! Stefan is from Munich and has just completed a one week tour of Elba – he’s also heading to Rome! Very unusual to come across another cyclist also going in the same direction…also in December! Se he joined us and we cycled on together. Four cyclists…heading south.
The days are quite short now…by 4pm you really need to start looking for a place to wild camp. The daily ritual now is get up, eat, pack camp, cycle for a bit, buy groceries, cycle a bit, stop and eat, cycle for a bit, look for camp, find camp, set up camp, cook dinner, eat, dessert, sleep….it’s now only 8pm.
Today we got really lucky and found an abandoned hut in the middle of a field. It’s dirty, fully of empty bottles, old tatty and rotting furniture, there is no door, and no glass in the window., but it has a fireplace and room for four sleeping bags – so it will do perfectly.
While collecting firewood a local sheep herder dropped by with his flock. We had a chat – scared off his sheep, which he rounded up again…and he gave us the ok on spending the night here.
It’s been a fun evening of collecting firewood, cooking food, drinking cheap wine and general shooting the shit.
It is now only 7.45pm…it’s dark…we’re all in bed…and lights out till morning…day starts at 7…lots of sleeping and lots of eating!
76 Km Bicycled Today
3255km to Date
It was cold last night…I mean cold. This morning, part of the river we were camping on had ice on it and the leaves all over the valley were covered in crystals. Last night I was wrapped up in my two-season sleeping bag (I know, stupid choice for winter camping), silk liner, merino thermals, trousers, a t-shirt, fleece, and socks. I was comfortable…except for my toes, which really felt the brunt of the cold.
We were up at about 7.30 this morning…first thing was another dip in the thermals (got some pics of them this morning for you!). It was awesome. Crisp, clear day…another cloudless one. There was no one at the thermals but us now – mind you, last night there were people here bathing until the wee hours…
The pools to ourselves….we took our time…
Once we hit the road we immediately hit a 20% climb out of the valley…this lasted for the next few hours…by the time we broke for lunch at 12.30 we had hardly covered 20km…
I have to admit…although I often have spoken before about the loneliness of the road, I am also experimenting with cycling with others and I do find matching pace with people can be difficult. Where I like 100km+ days and short lunches, Alex and Tiago like long lunches and so far our maximum day has been 62km…it’s not a problem, but I just have to watch myself, enjoy the company, and realise that I am not in a hurry…which sometimes I cycle like I am.
After lunch we did another 40km or so before starting to look for a place to camp, just outside of Grosseto. There is a lot of farmland around here so has been hard to find a good wild camping spot….we got lucky though and found an abandoned house in the middle of some barren farmland. The house is borded up, but the driveway is well sheltered by two rows of large old trees, so we’ve pitched camp on the driveway….30m from the main road. Not a bad spot.
I am really grateful for bumping into Tiago and Alex…without them there would be no way I would be doing this camping on my own…hopefully through this experience I will get the nerve to give it a go on my own later on….
62km Bicycled Today
3179km to Date
Last night was the first time on my entire tour that I actually felt like I was opening myself to the opportunities being presented. All too often I have felt that I have planned too much, taken the easy route by using the different hospitality networks (Couchsurfing, Warmshowers, Hospitality Club, etc.) Running into Alex and Tiago on the road yesterday really opened my eyes and has had a huge impact on my trip. To learn that over the last three months they have wild camped all but 6 nights or so really inspired me to go with them and learn a little bit about it. I guess I’ve been afraid to try on my own…and also missed the company of people, so this is something that I am really up for.
I had planned to make a more direct route to Ancona, take the ferry to Split where I can stay with friends and then cycle north to Zagreb. But I’ve been to Croatia…many times. I’ve driven the coast and crossed the mountains so many times that I have no need to cycle them – even less so in the winter. So rather, I have decided to spend more time in Italy and am now cycling south with Alex and Tiago to Rome…after all…I’ve never been to Rome.
This morning I left my hosts quite early…they were great and really helped encourage me to change my plans. I really needed to replace my brake pads – the sound of steel on aluminium was getting bad and the hills were getting steeper the deeper I worked my way into Tuscany – so first stop was a bike shop. I bought some new break blocks and then cycled down to the Piazza del Campo where I set up my work shop and got busy fixing my bike. Alex and Tiago met me there a little while later and after some sightseeing and a visit to a grocery store we set off on our journey.
Our destination today was a hot spring about 40km south of Siena. Not a massive ride, but challenging none the less with 20 degree climbs and descents. We took are our time, enjoyed the views and had a nice long lunch break. It was cold, crisp, cloudless and clear…and fantastic winter day to be on the bike.
The sun started setting and by the time we found the hot spring it was dark. Head lamps on, we pitched camp and then made our way to the springs for a dip. As we got closer we noticed many naked bodies already present! No problem, they made space for three more…the water stunk of sulphur…but it was hot – very hot, the sky was cloud free and littered with more stars than I have seen in ages! Divine.
After the dip we made dinner and then took over a campfire that had been abandoned by other bathers…
It has all been quite funny really…on my first wild camping experience there was a jacuzzi, and campfire already lit and burning, and copious food and wine…not exactly but I was expecting..but I’ll take it.
By the time we got into the springs it was too dark for pictures, but in the morning we’ll definitely have another dip before we head out, so will get some pics of the area then….
51km Bicycled Today
3117km to Date
I hit 3000km today…seems like the kms are flying by!
I’d been to Siena before, it was a little out of my way, and I had no intention of heading this far south on my trip, but it looks like all things happen for a reason….so rather than heading east towards Ancona and my ferry to Croatia…I reluctantly aimed south…not sure why, but knowing that it was the right direction to be heading…
The sky was blue, cloudless, and glorious. I even feel a little sun burnt this evening. The whole day was crisp and cold with a fantastic winter sun warming the day. I finally made my way into Tuscany proper…rolling hills, lonely houses on hills spouting smoke, surrounded by pine, and mile after mile of leafless vineyards. The scenery was breathtaking, the road was exciting…gentle climbs and falls, tight turns, and ever changing landscape…
About an hour into my day I caught up with two cyclists…both long distance tourers…both heading south from Florence, just like me. Alex and Tiago are both from Portugal and have been cycling from three months, via north Africa, Spain, and France…and get this…they are also heading for Istanbul!
Maybe a bit more hard core than me as they have been almost exclusively camping…guess I can learn a thing or two from them!
I end up riding the rest of the day with them as they were also heading for Siena as a final destination for the day…we had lunch…talked a lot…it was great to have some company on the road.
They have a 1 year trip planned and will be heading deep into Asia on their tour, you can check out their blog here, however it is in Portuguese…but great pics.
From Siena I was due to head East to Perugia, and they are continuing south. We discussed the possibility of meeting in Albania and doing the final leg of the trip together from there.
On the way into town, Alex’s chain broke – which he fixed at the Piazza del Campo, and I got a lesson in fixing chains.
In Siena, I am being hosted by a couchsurfer, and – although Alex and Tiago camp a lot – they are also being hosted by a couchsurfer in Siena… We met our respective hosts at the Piazza and then the lot of us shot off for some beers at some dive that the locals knew about.
Alex and Tiago are heading to a hot springs in the morning to chill out and camp – it’s directly south of Siena and totally out of my way…but frankly, I really fancy going along…sounds fun and a good chance to see something I may never normally check out. My host, Anna, has been trying to persuade me all evening to give up my plans of heading to Perugia and trying to get a ferry to Croatia as fast as possible and enjoy my time in Italy.
She’s right. While being in Italy I can’t help but think that all I want is for this leg to end, get to Croatia, and chill out with family…
Well…decision made…it looks like I’m going with the boys tomorrow! …and from there, to Rome…
77km Bicycled Today
3066km to Date
Ahhh Florence….what a great city. Not too much to report today. I was a tourist – I climbed the bell tower, visited museums, drank more mulled wine and stuffed myself on biscotti. Spent more time at the Christmas market…ate gelati…
Having an early night tonight as not feeling super social and want to be ready for tomorrows ride.
Rock on.
Up and at em…I think I went to bed at about 9pm last night…nice early night. I had the entire 8 bunk room at the hostel to myself…was kind of cool, but the hostel is this massive, grand old building, so I felt kind of spooky being there all alone!
I started finally cutting through the northern part of Tuscany. It was grey…there was a constant drizzle that never seemed to get you wet, but was always there…heavy fog…and bare trees. Smoke billowed from the chimneys of most houses…the smell of winter was strong…wood fires and rain…
The ride wasn’t long today, but felt difficult. My body felt cold, stiff, and resistant. But I was excited to get to Florence…so I just focused on pedalling…a little bit at a time.
My mind wandered terribly. That’s the thing about cycling…you have a lot of time with yourself…you and your thought – and that can be a terribly place sometimes. Too much time to reflect…
I arrived to Florence at about 3pm…made good time today. I checked into my hostel which is not bad as far as hostels concerned. 18 euros a night and they have a pretty nice indoor swimming pool, sauna, and steam room….aaahhhh yeah…I spent a good time in there today resting my weary body.
I had a wander through the Christmas markets…had sausage, beer, mulled wine, and some christmas sweets.
I love Florence. It’s a beautiful city. The energy of the place now is crazy as it’s a public holiday and everyone is out enjoying the crisp, cold air and keeping their hands warm with hot street food.
I bumped into Jen, one of the American backpackers that I met in Riomaggiore. She and I, and a few other backpackers that are staying at the hostel wiled away the hours this evening sharing travelling stories and planning our days for tomorrow.
I’m not sure what I will get up to, but I will explore town a bit and possibly have a look at a museum or two…we’ll see. The one thing I am certain of is that I definitely will have a swim in the morning!
88km Bicycled Today
2989km to Date
I got an email recently from a reader recommending a stay in Lucca…so it was either, Lucca or Pisa…which do I go to?
Well…from talking to other travellers, Pisa is not much more than a tower and a square – besides that it doesn’t have much more than that going for it.
Lucca on the other hand is a town I’ve never heard of – yet has so much more going for this beautiful fortified city…
But first we go back to the beginning of the day….
I woke up with a stonking hangover and a terribly dry mouth…I think there was a little too much wine flowing last night…
Getting in and out of Riomaggiore by bicycle is no easy feat. It is tucked away in a ravine at the waters edge with massive mountains on all sides…the road in and out snakes up the terraced vineyards in hairpin curves that seem to be endless.
My head was saying ‘take the train’ out to La Spezia (where the cycle would be flat and easier), but my heart was trying to convince my head that I had cycled into this, so now I need to cycle out. If anything, after two liters of water and a hard push uphill for an hour that should at least lift my hangover a bit!
Decision made, I started attacking the steep incline out of the valley, fighting my way up the hill…with effort comes reward…and in this case, it was the view…
After cycling though La Spezia I then followed the Italian coastline along a dreadfully boring and straight road. To my left were the fantastic Apuane Alps – massive and imposing mountains bearing evidence of the seasons first snow…and to my right…dead beach resorts…ghost towns waiting for summer to return.
I didn’t take too many pictures on the road today. The sky was heavy with clouds…no rain, but very cold, gray, and generally depressing weather. Quite different from yesterdays clear skies…I was hiking without a shirt on and topping up my tan! Today it’s the ski gloves, down vest, and long trousers…
Lucca is a great city and buzzing with life at the moment. I took my time to bicycle around the city walls and take in the sights…the Christmas markets are in full swing, there are people everywhere, ice skating, shopping, drinking coffee in the cold…It’s nice…but I can’t wait to be with friends and family. When you are transient like this – just passing through, and not sharing the experience with anyone – I don’t think it is as much fun as it could be.
I’m staying at a youth hostel after there was a mix up with my host, and I wasn’t able to stay there this evening…no worries, live and learn.
At the moment I am fairly excited to get to Croatia…be with my family, buckle down for a few weeks of the winter – eat good home cooked food, be pampered a bit…hehe
I’ve got a lot of time to think about what I am learning from this experience…what it means to me…and what I intend to do with myself when it’s over. Things don’t seem to be getting any clearer…
100km Bicycled Today
2901km to Date
A day off…normally days off consist of lounging around…doing a lot of nothing…eating and drinking to my heart’s content. But today was quite a bit different. Today I was to hike the well trodden path between the five towns of Cinque Terre. I guess this is sort of a tourist must…if you come to this part of Italy. I’ve heard any stories of the masses of people that visit this trail every year….friends of mine who’d been here came back with legendary tales of the overwhelming quantities of tourists that cover the trail and towns every year…but for me…it was quite a bit different.
There was almost no one there.
There were times when I could swear that I had the trail to myself. The only evidence that proved otherwise was the familiar faces of other lone travellers that I would see in each town…clearly doing the same walk and day out as me.
I guess this is one of the very clear benefits of travelling at this time of year.
The area and towns themselves? Stunning. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
After a long day on the trail I came back to Riomaggiore, where my hostel was located…bumped into a few American backpackers…and the evening progressed from there…dinner out, drinks at home…and Cheikh’s homemade salsa!
