Bad things come in threes

First up yesterday was the realisation that my tent had broken..it was fine when I packed it away in the morning, but 2 poles where totally cactus when I unpacked it at night.  Wilbert and Richard put in alot of time in  and jury rigged it, but sadly there’s no way I'm going to take it home with me as planned..the upside being that’s 4 kgs less luggage to worry about.
The second bad thing happened yesterday morning in Siena…. I dropped my iPod in the toilet..luckily while it was still clean(!)..but now it’s playing up a bit…and is more than likely officially dead.
And the third thing?..my Samsung aussie phone has decided to die..no reason given, just turned up its toes …….
I think I can hear an iPhone coming my way….

but wait there's more..I managed to leave my Garmin chest strap in the showers…but hours later, when I realised the omission I shot back like a bullet out of a gun …it was still there…..phew!  think fatigue is setting in...

The name tells us all......Capodimonte to Castel del Piano

any Italian town with the word "castel" or "monte" in it tells us we have an uphill heave to get there...that is over and above the standard uphill heave that is part and parcel of any ride here in Italy. If you really don't want to climb or descend then Italy is not for you.

Yesterday's ride from Rome started off with a 4km peleton to get us out of the confusimg and busy area and after that we were yet again climbing and descending, skills all of us have improved over the past week or so.

Lunch was at a very nice spot and gave me the chance to take pix of the 2 following signs both of which made me smile

 

 

memo to self..must stop molesting animals!!!

Later on I plan on doing a post on our campsites and the facilities in each, but today we had a shower block that contained multiple ensuites..ie the toilet, basin and  shower were in one very small cubicle.  Since we're lucky to score a seat on the toilet, there is never in a million years going to be  a lid on it which meant that I spent the entire shower trime  making double sure I didn't drop the soap into the toilet!!!

Toscana

This map has gone in a day early 'cos it's pouring here in Rome today and is likely to be doing the same tomorrow as we wend our way out of Lazio and into Toscana, and so computer work may not be possible.
Sadly we're more than half way through our trip...time flies when you're having fun.....

Day 21- Capodimonte to Castel del Piano...74km, 1283m climbing
Day 22- Castel del  Piano to Siena...91km, 1314m climbing
Day 23- Siena to Firenze...67km, 1267m climbing
Day 24- Rest day
Day 25- Firenze to Castel San Pietro Terme...116km, 1724m climbing


 

Signs

Some I’ve just had to remember eg

• Ugliano..suburb or restuarant
• Fartaria…dunno what..just saw it
• Analcolico…actually non alcoholic..but how boring is that?
• Via Propaganda
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• 
• 
• 
• I was also highly amused riding into a hilltop village..no I tell a lie the hamlet was  actually atop a grovelling, bar chewing, rivet sitting drooling climb to the top of a frigging mountain and going both ways on the road were rumble strips and the words PIANO writ bold on the road (ie go slow)!!!!!

Rome..transport

Vespa, Vespa Vespa..

all sorts and sizes, even a style for those not wanting to get wet .  

or you can have tourist fun

or plain hard work (unlike the hard work we’re putting in, which is also fun)

and even the mini taxi’s are into cows

Rome..people

Musicians

Street sellers

Soldiers after the parade

and cows++++++++++++

plus a disturbing amount of beggars I (naturally)didn’t take pix of. Plus touts of course, Roman soldiers, and “living statues” and tourists by the truck load.

Guess there’s always someone wanting to demonstrate, but when you chose a day of public celebration re the creation of the republic, you can expect  a bit of overwhelming police/SWAT team presence

Oh..and the Pope giving his Wednesday 11am  blessing…I got to within a mile of the occasion..sitting on an open topped tourist bus.

Pompei to Roma..2 days' riding

Yesterday we farewelled 2 great friends and fellow cyclists from NZ...we're all very sad ...a couple of us more than others.....not only 'cos they're great guys but also 'cos they were part of our riding group and were good with navigation(!)..hopefully we'll catch up in NZ for the Lake Taupo ride.

So from Pompei we rode to Cassino and stayed in a camping ground where the birds never stopped singing, then onto Tagliacozzo where we were to camp but it was shut for maintenance so we had to stay in a hotel...for which we were truly grateful ...especially after the night time bird song.

Our group had a couple of dramas that day..with 2 geographical errors, the first one resulting in us riding about 10 km on a VERY major highway, the second one gave us the opportunity to approach Tagliacoozza slightly differently  avoiding a rather nasty climb...shame that!

The other dramas that day were that we couldn't find the lunch van and ended up buying stuff from a supermarket...and as we closed in on the food  I managed to fall off the bike...no injuries except to my pride.

The following day's ride into Rome was through fantastic country side with lakes complete with fishermen,

towns up on every spur along the whole mountain range and great riding.

more tomorrow on Rome and other topics...a catch up post in fact due to having 2 days off the
bike .