Friday July 11th 1997 Milan to Bergamo
I set off on the 10.48 train to Wilmslow, arrived 11.03. From there I caught the 11.35 to Manchester Airport, arriving at 11.44, fare £0.35
The flight was scheduled to leave for Milan at 13.30 but it was 14.20 when the air traffic controllers finally gave a runway slot. I must see Bernie about this! I boarded the plane at 13.38 and arrived in Milan Linate at 17.20. By the time I finally got my bike and bags and the re-assembly of the bike it was 18.10 when I left the airport. I found my way out onto the right road for Bergamo, signposted Brescia. I sped out along the flat valley as far as Truccazzano then north east through the avenues to Cassano d’Adda. I saw a horrific accident just south of Albignano. One car was overturned and smashed up.. How could anybody survive that? There was a lot of window glass spattered across the road. Nearby was another car with the driver inside, screaming. He was being attended to by paramedics. When I reached Cassano the fire engines and ambulance were racing through from here toward the scene.
I got lost a bit around Gropello d’Adda. This village has a very interesting working waterwheel. I should have gone north at the bridge, to Faro. I had gone west then north to Vapprio then left along the main road, straight and along a busy main road into Bergamo. At Cononica d’Adda I saw the hazy grey of the Alps for the first time – my playground for the next ten days! The computer recorded 25.5 miles at Milan Linate and 54.8 miles at Bergamo = 29.30 miles. It took me from 18.20 until 20.20. That’s 2 hours at approx 15 mph on straight flat roads. No climbing whatsoever – but that will all change tomorrow!
Bergamo is a beautiful place (writing this at my night stop, a pub in Bergamo). Large block paved streets in the central area that shine in the sun, around the clock tower area. The old town on the hill is a beckoning backdrop. On the way up the hill I saw the lift railway to the alte citta, then again when I reached the top, paved streets of the old town. There were a lot of people at this point, but half way down is a green area with two restaurants open until 03.00. I stayed until 3.00, ate a salami, cheese and egg pizza accompanied by a litre of beer – 8000 + 13000 lire, followed by tirimisu. The exchange rate was 2800 lire to the £1 = £7.20.
I was still eating at midnight. I slept in here at the table, with earplugs in! Later I slept on a bench in the green area nearby. It was a warm and quite night out in the open. I locked the bike up, chained to the restaurant railings.
Saturday July 12th 1997 Bergamo to Vivione Pass
I woke up at 07.00 from my comfortable bench on the green. It did get a little bit cold during the night but I imagine a tramps life in this area would be a pretty good one. At about dawn (always the coldest period of the night) I woke up to wrap up in long trousers and cagoule, put my hood up and used the over trousers as a pillow. After 07.00 I searched around for a bar to buy my breakfast. I looked around the alte citta on the hill and down below at the block paved main street and buildings and eventually found a small bar. Later I headed out to Edolo but only for 5 kilometres then took a minor road to Sarnico. There is a small climb halfway along here then a short descent to Lago di Iseo at Sebino. Stopped for a coffee, bought some yoghurt and bananas at Predore then continued along the lake to Lovere. The unlit tunnel halfway along here is dangerous. Water seeps in from above resulting in a broken road surface, went through very cautiously. The road was closed and in the process of repair at the time of writing, between Castro and Lovere. I worked my way slowly along it, avoiding large boulders, possibly a landslip here. At Lovere I had no difficulty finding the road for Clusone but this is on the Bergamo road, my first real climb of the tour. I took the road to the right (east) going through Songavazzo and on to Onore. After asking at what can only be described as a Wild West saloon if I was heading for Passo Presalona I found the road up to the pass quite easy, not a difficult gradient. Took the usual photo of the pass marker then a very long, steep drop to Dezzo. In the valley here, across the river bridge and steeply up above the valley to Azzone. The road levels out near Pradella to Schilpario, a holiday resort at the foot of the Vivione Pass. The road divides here but either way it’s up through the national park, snakes and lizards galore crossing the road in their own good time. There were loads of annoying flies buzzing around my handlebars; I couldn’t get rid of them. The road soon became very steep. On the twist of the road where it heads west as it climbs I lost the flies at a wooden hut, a very simple café. Splashed out on a coke for energy (1300 lire) and ate some of the bananas. I was put off a bit from my last banana when a saw dead snakes curled up in jam jars on a high shelf, they were big too! I didn’t stop here too long. On up to the pass, snakes slithering across the road in the heat.
Finally reached the top of the Vivione Pass and tried to put a new film in the camera. I found out the next day, at a photography shop in Edolo, that the automatic advance wheel wasn’t turning fully to engage the film. I was disappointed on the Vivione because I had no photo of the pass summit marker. I stayed the night at the Vivione albergo just below the pass on the north side. It cost 35000 lire for the room and another 35000 lire for a meal (£27.00 in all). It’s a very simple room, come to think of it; it was also a very simple meal. For what I got it was a bit of a rip off. The albergo is run by one moody Italian who thinks that everybody is a Franciscan who stays there – frugal is the word. I chatted to a Canadian cyclist over the meal. He’s into col bashing and lives in Geneva; how I envy! He gave me plenty of tips that I recorded on the maps. He was also going to Edolo the following day but then heading north east to the Gavia Pass and Bormio. The company would have been good but I decided to stick to my planned route. I went to bed at 11.30 and up at 07.00 after a good night’s sleep despite the frugal comfort!
Sunday July 13th 1997 Vivione Pass to Bernina Hospice
One last desperate try to load a film in my camera before descending Passo Vivione, no success. I just had coffee for breakfast because I wanted to get away as soon as possible. I left at 08.30, the Canadian went much earlier. It’s a very scenic descent to the north, a narrow road through woods, passing numerous waterfalls. At Malonno the road emerges onto the main road into Edolo where I stocked up at a supermarket. Along the very busy road towards Edolo, in complete contrast to the peaceful glide down the Vivione road, I found an oasis at a closed garage (being Sunday) just south of the town. There were benches and a table in the shade from the heat, took off the new blue top, which I needed for that last descent, as the temperature in the valley was hotter. Stopped a while then entered Edolo. I asked advice in a camera shop about my camera but they couldn’t do anything with it. I was told that the electronic winding mechanism was kaput so it would have to be sent back under the purchase guarantee when I arrive back home. I bought a cheap disposable camera for about £5.00 then pedalled up out of Edolo, a picturesque town, towards Aprica Pass and Tirano. I hardly stopped along here. There is no summit marker on the built up main street at Aprica Pass. This is a sprawling holiday town with all the colourful glitter of tourist shops. From here it’s a long, steep descent to Stazzone with great views of the mountains opposite and Tirano in the valley. At the foot of the descent, joining the main Milan–Morbegno-Tirano road is a long straight road for 4km following the Milan railway to its terminus at Tirano at the head of the valley. I stopped for an ice lemonade at the bar at the meeting of this road and the Bernina Pass road then went to the rail station on the Bormio road. I had 2.½ hours to wait if I wanted to put my bike and self on the Rhaetian Bahn to the Bernina Pass. It would leave at 15.30 and arrive there at 17.05. I thought I could beat that but in the oppressive heat, setting off from Tirano at 13.45 I finally arrived at 20.15! At the border on the way up I stopped for a can of ice orange and got ripped off at 4000 lire. Once over the border the ascent of the Bernina really started. Reached the lake at Miralago without a break. From this point to Poschiavo it was almost level and covered that ground quickly enough. Stopped round the back of the old town at the station to freshen up. I was going well until the lure of a barbecue smell wafting in my direction kept me back an hour at the Pozzulasc hotel at the side of the road when I tucked into chips, bratwurst and bread with a large Calandra Brau all for 13.10 SF (£5.90) Now that’s good value in Switzerland! From here it was me and the flies continuing to La Rosa on a continual climb now in the alpine valley. Next came the really steep bit to the Livigno road and the Swiss / Italian customs. I continued to the top of the pass, urged on by dogs chasing me at Baracon past the only building in the area where they hung out. So now it was flies and dogs for company. You’re never alone in the mountains. I reached Bernina Pass Hospice, just south of the road summit, shortly after that. The stay was 40.00SF (£16.80) bed and breakfast. I didn’t need a meal as I had that further down the pass. My computer recorded 186 miles on the whole trip so far.
I drank 3 Ovomaltines while catching up with diary writing then to bed at 11.20.
Monday July 14th 1997 Bernina to Stelvio
The room was very good, and a very reasonable price. It was cheaper than the night before, and much better service and décor – almost Hyacinth standard but less the periwinkle china. Had a good breakfast too. I was impressed with this place so took a card with the details for future use if Ruth and I decide to go sometime as the rail track runs close to the hospice up from St Moritz. The price at the time is 40SF, 30SF for Mark if under 14. I did OK with my German here, as the owners don’t speak English.
At 08.40 I was down the pass the same way on a beautiful sunny morning after the rain during the night. I turned off for the Livigno road to the left and to the Swiss / Italian frontier. I didn’t need the passport, waved through. At the Livigno Pass there are many wild flowers and good views back to Svizzera after a not too difficult climb up from the Bernina- Tirano road. There were other cyclists at the top. The summit marker looked strange on a Swiss board behind an Italian custom officer.
Down the pass into Livigno, casually riding down the main street hemmed in by the mountains. I stopped to buy chocolate and milk from a supermarket then doubled back a little for the road south and up to the Eira Pass which I reached in less than an hour, crossing the ski lift a few times on the way up through the woods with fantastic views of Livigno and the lake down below. There’s no summit sign here except for an engraving in the wood on the café wall to the right of the road up from Livigno. Down a stretch then through a village and up a short, stiff climb to Foscagno Pass.There were cyclists here too – they’re like butterflies to a light bulb as far as mountain passes are concerned but of course I’m a smattering of that –or schmettering as they call them in German. Steeply down from here to a much warmer climate in the Bormio valley. This really is a long way down especially when I have to climb up the opposite side of the valley later. This is sheer masochism on what appears to be a sheer cliff because at the bottom it was left for the Stelvio and right for Bormio. Of course I took to the left and soon felt that familiar pull on the thighs again. I decided to take the Stelvio – my fourth time up and hopefully not my last. On ½ hour intervals I stopped for 5 minutes each time. It seemed to work well that way but it still took me four hours to reach the top, but then what’s the hurry? I don’t have to rush back to tell Mark a story or make sure he’s done his homework. I stopped at Bagni Vecchi on the 8th and 9th hairpins. I bought water from the café, a litre bottle for 2000 lire. At the 23rd hairpin at San Raineri – well named – it started raining. On with the new cape to the junction with the Umbrial road coming up from Sta Maria, and it was raining hard now. It wasn’t exactly torrential but I needed to change again into more substantial rainwear so on with green cagoule and leggings. It was the first time I had needed these since Bergamo but then for a different reason. Then it was to stay warm on a bench during the night. I decided to carry on to the Stelvio Pass having come this far but I couldn’t see it through the thick cloud. It was cold now so hood down and plod on to the misty summit. I booked in at a three star hotel where bed, breakfast and evening meal and a telephone call to Ruth (14,000 lire) cost me 95,000 lire in all, £36.00
A good meal but I was so stuffed! Tortellini and Parmesan followed by mozzarella, tomatoes and speck (first learned in Nauders Tyrol). Watched a bit of Italian TV, nothing worth watching so listened to the weather and bed at midnight
Tuesday July 15th 1997 Stelvio to Timmelsjoch
Up at 07.00, the breakfast was terrible – chicory coffee, dry bread and rolls. Glad I had a good meal last night. Out at 09.00. I bought some post cards from the shops lining the road, took in the view and spun down the Umbrial Pass at 09.40. The weather was overcast, dry but cold. I took a photo at the top of the Umbrial Pass. There were plenty of cyclists coming up the other way. One asked, gasping for breath, “how far?” I told him 6km but it was really 3. He called me a liar, which I was! From here the way was steeply down an uneven road as far as the Alpen Rose restaurant. From there it was tarmac surface, so steep in places. More cyclists coming up seemed to be in agony.
At Sta Maria I changed to shorts and my Swiss vest (well, it had to be!) then on to Mustair. There was a café and chemist at the Italian border on the road to Meran. I bought some sticking plasters for my sore left crutch! I felt a bit disillusioned because I had no plans from this point. I spent some time here planning a route for the remainder of the holiday. This really is a situation I must never get in to again. From now on I make careful plans at home otherwise time is wasted in my attempt to cycle over every Alpine pass. From Mustair, over the border and a long sweep down through Alto Adige following the Etsch / Adige river to Meran. The first place I came to was Taufers, as ornate as Sta Maria in its Austrian style – but Taufers is a bit more ‘lived in’ Next was Glorenza, an old walled town with its Carolian church, steeped in history. The town gates, flags and double headed eagles told of the glory days of the Austrian Empire. At Schluderns. I had a bratwurst and a can of orange (4000 + 2500 lire) that kept me going for a long way – and it really is a long rise – to Meran. Most of the way is slightly down. The road follows a disused railway line that can be clearly seen. The track is well rusted over so no point in checking the Thomas Cook timetable. The first part of the road is a long sweep down to Schlanders with vineyards lining the road and pump action water sprays whirling around, giving me the occasional cooling shower if I timed it just right. I stopped at Coldrain to freshen up and get a drink. On a bit further, I stopped at Castelbello for a photo of the castle overlooking the road. The army was just passing through in the opposite direction, a convoy of military vehicles. I kept up with a couple of sporty leotard clad cyclists from here to Forst, a brewery town above Meran. After the waft of beer in the air I passed a noisy industrial waterfall then steeply down into Meran. It took me 2.½ hours from Sta Maria to the city. Once there I checked the train times for Milan from here and also from Bozen / Bolzano to Milan for next Sunday’s return home. I found out that it would work out very well so from here I planned a loop into Austria that I thought about back in Moustair earlier today. This would be my cycling playground for the rest of the week. After a hot chocolate drink from a stall outside the station (3000 lire) and a Gatorade blackberry juice I was on the road again as far as Riffian, my next stop for another drink from a roadside shop. Uphill slightly on a scenic road rising above the valley and eventually into St Leonard at the junction of the Timmeljoch and Jaufenpass roads. I didn’t stop but took the Timmelsjoch / Passo Rombo road as far as Moos. I asked in the Tourist Information Office for a hotel for the night further up the pass. I was given one in Salto, quite a bit further up which suited me fine now that the day was getting cooler. I found Albergo Schneeburg to the left of the road, 15,000 lire bed and breakfast
My computer recorded 314 miles on the whole trip so far.
Wednesday July 16th 1997 Timmelsjoch to Kitzbuhel
After a hearty breakfast I was out on the road in the company of another cyclist climbing the Timmelsjoch on his way back home to Landeck. I started at 09.30, easy going at first as the road followed the ridge around the valley for about 2km and that was a good warm up for the endurance that was about to follow! I could see it before I got there – a series of 19 hairpins that weaved in and out of the bare rock. This was quite something! I was really looking forward to this; it was a classic alpine challenge! With the thought in mind that this was the last 2000 metre pass across the ridge of the Alps that I hadn’t ‘conquered’ and in order to truly call myself ‘Hannibal Speed of the Alps” (minus the elephants) I put myself in the granny gear and thrust my way forward. My Austrian friend had gone on before me – he wanted to get to the top a lot quicker than me but I didn’t want to cripple myself on a higher gear in the mountains. I only stopped 3 times. Once to freshen up and eat and take in the view of the valley floor way down below before it disappears from view. I entered a tunnel that took me into a higher valley. The second stop was to ask a motorcyclist to take a picture of the view with me in it standing in a wall of ice by the side of the road. It took me about 3 hours to reach the road summit of Timmelsjoch / Passo Rombo but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s fantastic scenery and the summit is a sight to behold. There are glaciers, cliffs, and that deep blue sky in the rarefied air. At the top I took the inevitable summit picture and was asked at the Austrian border where I was going. I said, “ I don’t really know” – and they let me through.
The usual photo taken at the top, there were coach loads of German tourists and plenty of snow at the summit. Timmelsjoch is just a bit lower than the Stelvio. The hairpins (or kehre or tonale) are all numbered. On the Austrian side the altitude is also marked on the plates at the hairpins. I prefer the Italian to the Austrian side as the south side is much more natural. The Austrian side has a better road surface but there are cafes and tourist stops everywhere. That exhilarating feeling of a long sweep down the mountain was sadly ruined after about 4 km as the road began to ascend again to the toll gates at Hochgurgl, circling around the ridge of the valley just as on the Italian side. After that it was back to the long sweep down off the ridge, past the turning for Obergurgl; the highest village in Austria then down to Solden. The wind was against me, which made the descent a bit slower. I changed 50,000 lire here for Austrian schillings then bought a piece of melon, milk and apples from a supermarket. I soon finished these off then continued further to Otztal Bahnhof. I missed the turning for the Kuhtai Sattel. If I had found it I would have ridden over to Innsbruck. Caught a train from here to Innsbruck then another within minutes to Kitzbuhel. The bike went free on the first train but the train out from Innsbruck was an Inter City so had to fork out 60 schillings for the bike (£3.00). I was chatting to an 86-year-old Swiss gentleman on the train who told me his history and bewailed the fact that his only contact with England would end at Kitzbuhel! I had a quick look around on arrival but decided to cycle out and find somewhere to stay south of the town. I wanted to be closer to Pass Thurn, my ninth pass, and found a hotel at Aurach about 4 km south. I enjoyed a pizza and beer followed by strudel for 177 schillings (£9.00) in the hotel. The room and breakfast cost me 420 schillings (£21.00). The dining area was full of ornate wood polished carvings and all wooden walls, tables and chairs. It was very snug and really relaxed here. I can’t remember the name of the hotel but it was the only one in Aurach on the left side of the road heading towards Pass Thurn.
Thursday July 17th 1997 Kitzbuhel to Bozen
Took some time getting up this morning! Woke up at 05.30, ever so keen – soon went to sleep again. Ate really well for breakfast. Plenty of rolls and muesli with yoghurt and orange juice. The receptionist told me about the possibility of avoiding a climb over the Alpine ridge by putting the bike in a van, which will pick me and the bike up at the tunnel if I phone from the tunnel entrance. This would cost 240 schillings (£12.00) Why would I want to do that? I was here to bike over the tops. I’ll keep it in mind for some future year. I started off at 10.00 up Pass Thurn. It’s not a high pass so it only took about an hour to reach the road summit. There are great views across to the Gross Glockner from the top, and across to Gross Venedig towards the Gerlos Pass. A fantastic sweep down followed, down to Mitersill. I broke of from the descent to have a look at Schloss Mittersill to the right of the road. There’s a small courtyard inside where some kids were having a party. I passed straight through Mittersill, passing an old steam engine standing on a rail like a sentinel at the river bridge. This is a tourist village but it has its attractions. I passed through it quickly as I wanted to get over the next pass and into Zillertal. I expected the road to the Gerlos Pass to start climbing much sooner than it did. I reached Wald, 20km further before any semblance of a climb, and only at Krimml village by the famous waterfall, 22km from Mittersil. Before the ascent of the Gerlos Pass began. Krimml waterfall was worth coming for and I spent an hour here. An information board indicates that it is the 5th highest waterfall in the world. With great names like Niagra and Victoria Falls before it, Pistyll Rhaiadr will never be the same again. The spray from the fall can be felt for some distance. I paid 15 schillings entry fee (75p) and had a wander round the lawns with the coach parties and up to the falls themselves. It was quite spectacular looking up at the highest waterfall I have ever seen. On the road up to the Gerlos Pass later I looked back for a wonderful sight of the fall in its entirety, but it can’t be compared to standing right by it and craning your neck upwards. Despite the hordes of tourist I seemed to be the only English person present. The long ascent of the Gerlos Pass took me two hours from Krimml. There are great views down the valley and back to the waterfall which can be seen for a long way up, especially at the terrace near the road summit, at the 1600 metre altitude point. The top of the Gerlos is a bit of a disappointment. There is nothing of any interest, just a place for cars to park and a wooded area either side of the road. On the descent I stopped at the lake on the left where there’s a wooden teahouse. I had a braunwurst and a rum tea for 60 schillings (£3.00). Then it started raining, just a little at first but it got progressively worse until I was stranded in a full-fledged blitzen donnerung. I put on my full rainwear but my feet were soaked and I was getting very cold on the descent. I caught a train at the bottom of the pass at Zell am Ziller, almost right away. It was on the private Zillertalbahn, small coaches and a bit of a squeeze. It cost me 46 schillings to Innsbruck via Jenbach with my half fare card, no cost for the bike. I dried out on the train on the way to Innsbruck. Once there I picked up another train going over the Brenner to Bozen, without much of a wait. I arrived in Bozen / Bolzano at 22.00 with nowhere else to go. I sat in a pub near the station and waited for the 03.47 train to Rovereto and Lago di Garda. I caught up with this diary and had a few beers to make the pen flow easier. It was still raining and the weather had been really wild on the whole train journey. My idea now was to retreat to the south and hope for some sunshine. I was on my way back to Milan but had three more days cycling ahead of me yet. I arrived in Rovereto at 0450 and slept in the waiting room, with my bike close by, until 07.00.
Friday July 18th 1997 Bozen to Verona
I sat in a pub near the station and waited for the 03.47 train to Rovereto and Lago di Garda. I caught up with this diary and had a few beers to make the pen flow easier. It was still raining and the weather had been really wild on the whole train journey. My idea now was to retreat to the south and hope for some sunshine. I was on my way back to Milan but had three more days cycling ahead of me yet. I arrived in Rovereto at 04.50 and slept in the waiting room, with my bike close by, until 07.00.
I set off at 07.00 along the main road, heading south then turned off for Lago di Garda, signposted Riva. I was expecting the road to Riva to be a lot shorter. It certainly didn’t seem this far when Ruth and I travelled along here by bus a few years ago. The road was very busy. I changed into shorts at a coach stop in Loppi before passing the nature reserve and passing over the brow of the Passo Nago for the long descent down to the lago at Torbole. From here it was just a short way along the north shore to Riva del Gardo, the resort on the north side of the lake where Ruth and I have spent two wonderful holidays. I spent a long time here reminiscing. I knew the place well, we’ve walked all the streets but I didn’t know the roads in and out of the resort until now. I took some photos and generally relaxed for a few hours catching up on not having much sleep last night. I sat at the waterfront for ages watching the boats and tourists going past. The hill we climbed to the west of the town looks no different with it’s tower halfway up and if I looked hard I could just make out that rickety ladder that I tried to climb near the top of the cliff before realising it was too dangerous. At about midday I set off south along the eastern shore as far as Lasise. There’s much to see along the way. The beaches along the lake look very inviting. Malcesine’s old cobbled streets are banned to traffic, just as well, they are too narrow. As a result it’s peaceful small town perched on a promontory on the lake. There is a cable car that takes people to the top of La Colma from the town streets. There is a youth hostel at Isogno and Fiume Aril, ‘the shortest river in the world’ is proudly indicated on a brown board at Cassone. It starts from a spring on one side of the road and flows into the lago 175 metres later. There are great views all along the lake but it was getting darker to the north. Storm clouds were approaching fast. At Garda it started to rain, only a little at first. Like all Mediterranean countries the rain came on fast and furious but lifted soon after and the sun came out again but for the next few miles it was torrential. I took shelter in the Barolino wine museum. It was an interesting and opportune place to stop along the lake. There couldn’t have been anywhere else of interest to spend half an hour waiting for the rain to pass. I had a taste of the free wine, of course. The display on grape pressing was interesting. I love Italian wine and it’s only the good taste that outweighs those pictures of wrinkly old ladies treading the grapes, and equally haggard men in barefeet, hope they at least wash. I wonder if they come from Tonale….? The storm was short lived but the air was cooler now, much more comfortable cycling the rest of the day. At Lasise I turned inland and on to Bussolengo, an interesting village that straddles the valley. It started raining again, only light at first but on approaching the outskirts of Verona it got heavy. From Bussolengo down into the city and the first objective was to try to find somewhere to stay tonight. I tried various places but everywhere was full. At Hotel Porta Leona near Juliet’s Balcony the receptionist was very helpful. He rang round a few hotels for me and found me a room in San Giovanni Lupatoto, 8km south east of the city along a straight flat road. There was no accommodation to be had at all in the city. The hotel is called Hotel City, to the left of the road going out of Verona. It was way out of town and although it would have been pleasant to wander the city at night after a meal I decided against it and ate at a pizzeria nearby. The hotelier put my bike in the staff toilet for the night, by the lifts. I’ll defumigate it in the morning. I had a really good room at a reasonable price. It was a 3 star hotel and I slept so well that night after a very good meal in the pizzeria across the road. I had a seafood starter followed by a pizza and a litre bottle of red wine with a free whisky at the end. Some Italians found out I was English and invited me to a drinking session in the city tomorrow. I said no to that, I’ve got some sense in my head, and I could have let myself into danger. I politely refused saying I was travelling on tomorrow. I was asleep at 11.00.
Saturday July 19th 1997 Verona to Sirmione
I was up at 07.30. San Giovanni Lupatoto resembled a cowboy town – spaghetti western perhaps? After a hearty breakfast (a wonder I could eat it after last night’s stuffing) cycled back into Verona. It wasn’t as busy today on the way back to the city. I had a bike around the city and called at the railway station to see if any possibilities for the day other than Lago di Garda direction. There were none but note for the future that there are many trains indicated on the ‘partenza’ yellow board with the cycle signs, so there are many possibilities during the day for trips out. There is a problem with the north – south line though as most of the trains are long distance Inter City or international they don’t take bikes. Cycled along Porta Neuva (New Gate) direct road from the railway station to Piazza Bra and the Arena. I sorted out my bags at MacDonald’s, had a coffee and a rest for a while. On to the Arena area, a great place for taking photographs. I found our favourite pizzeria on the back streets. We originally came across it in the ‘Lets Go’ guide to Italy. It’s on a cul de sac near the market area. Over the market area to Juliet’s balcony. I propped the bike up along the wall in the courtyard but then in came a coach load of camera clicking German tourists led by a big blonde guide. This was real kamerad.
I wrote our names on the wall, left hand wall facing the balcony, three feet in from the edge of the open gate and at nose level.
It’s not considered vandalism, as there are more names on those walls than there are Italian lovers worldwide.
Out of the gate, turned left then right down the road to Juliet’s tomb then followed the river to the Roman ampitheatre, but didn’t go in. I continued following the river on the north bank, heading west and out of the city. Later I joined up with the main road, uphill slightly on a busy route, past the turning for Settimo, turned right for Pescantina, down to the stone houses and the large bridge spanning the river. From here, over the river and a short steep climb into Bussolengo yet again. From here I joined up with the road I was on yesterday coming into Verona. This time it was up to the top of the hill then a long sweep down to Lasise on Lake Garda again; at the point I left it yesterday. Into a supermercardo on the way down, bought a large packet of crisps and a large bottle of vitamin drink.
I had half of this then followed the lake to Peschiera along an uninteresting section of road because it was away from the lake. Along this road are the fun parks called Gardaland and Medieval World. Peschiera is interesting, though. There are railway connections here for Milan and Verona. There is also a free bus shuttle service from the station to the fun parks. On to Sirmione, an uninteresting flat road as far as Colombare before that bit of land that juts out into the lake with Sirmione at the end. I had a good look around Sirmione, to the lido at the head of the strip of land. There was a pub and plenty of chairs to lunge around for a while and take in the scenery across the lake. Eventually returned back to Sirmione. I found ‘our’ brass shop where we bought the two swords on our mantelpiece at home, and a brass tortoise plant stand. I bought a brass coat hook in the form of a horse’s head as part of Lindsay’s Christmas present (9000 lire) – the first Christmas present bought this year. If you see what you want then buy it. It started me off looking for other things to take home either as souvineers or presents. I also bought a bottle of Sirmione amaretto (9000 lire) for Ruth and a bottle of Windjammer whisky per moi (13000 lire). Along to the tourist Information Office near the town gate entrance. They rung round and found me accommodation for the night at Hotel Delfino for 75000 lire, bed and breakfast. I biked back into Sirmione, dark now, after a wash and change – looking for somewhere to eat. I was too late at 10.00pm, most places were closing. I went back to the room and finished off most of the food I’d been carrying in my panniers and washed it down with my last can of Tennants lager that I’d carried with me on the whole trip. I wondered the following day how much lighter my bag had become – why didn’t I do that before I climbed the Stelvio and Timmeljoch? I watched a bit of TV, packed my bags for tomorrow and crashed out at midnight.
Sunday July 20th 1997 Sirmione to Inglaterre
I was up at 07.30 and had a really filling breakfast at a table on the lawn at the neighbouring hotel, looking out across the lake. I set off at 09.30 for Pescharia and wasn’t planning cycling any further than that. I was ready to go home now. Having really enjoyed touring the Italian and Austrian Alps I had my fill and looked forward to going home. I cycled the 7-½ miles to the railway station in Pescharia and checked for the next train to Milan. The next one was 10.41 and it took bikes. I bought the bike a ticket for 5000 lire. I think it was relieved after 500 miles on the road! I went back into Pescharia for a look round for ½ an hour. I didn’t buy anything. One thing I did do was to visit the Tourist Information Office by the lake and collect some details of the entertainment parks north of the town. I also picked up details of the bus and boat times just in case we all think of coming sometime. Back to the station, the train was on time and I loaded the bike into the guard’s van and sat in first class so I could be close to the bike. I was let off with this when the guard knew my bike was in the next coach. I had a quiet journey to Milan; the rest of the compartment was empty. I could have even put the bike in here on the plush blue seats! There are great views of Lago di Garda and the mountains beyond, now seen for the last time as the train whizzed along the south side of the lake. The only other sop en route was Brescia. (pronounced Bressia) Au revoir until next year. As the train approached Milan I recognised the countryside I’d biked along the Friday before last, on my way to Bergamo from Linate. The train arrived in Milan on time at 11.55; I had a coffee in MacDonalds, opposite the station. I made sure I locked the bike up securely as Ruth and I had a brush with thieves here a couple of years ago. Afterwards I cycled along the stone paved roads to the centro citta and the Duomo. This beautiful piazza and surrounding buildings together with the arcade leading to La Scala seem to be the only buildings worth seeing in the centre of Milan – the rest is just city sprawl. I stayed a while watching the water fountain going up and down in front of the Duomo. At full force and standing across the piazza with the Duomo behind the shape of the waters match the outline of the Duomo, reaching the same height, in perspective to the spires, and the same shape. At another point in the fountain cycle the middle section empties giving an effect of the waters framing the Duomo. These were perfect frenzied camera clicking exercises for the hordes of Japanese tourists that I was standing by – and was fun to watch their excitement.
From here, along the road a bit more, a cappuccino – I think the best I’ve ever had – at MacDonalds (1600 lire) then followed the signs through the city streets for Linate airport.
There was a diversion going out of the city, a bad surface through the streets but on reaching the edge it was then a smooth road to the airport. Taxis and coaches on the slip road to the departure zone hemmed me in. The airport is only about a mile outside the city limits and if I continued I would be on the same road I started along on my first day here, so it truly was a round trip. I arrived at the departures 2.½ hours before the flight departure time so had ample time register the bike for the flight and visit the duty free area. Time soon went. I bought a litre of Southern Comfort (15000 lire) and presents for Ruth, Mark and Lindsay. I purchased Swiss chocolates, a chocolate telephone box (!) for Mark and tubes of Italian sweets. I was one of the last to board the plane. I was only asked to deflate the bike tyres; the pedals and bars could stay intact. I had a window seat by one of the plane wings. The Alps were very clear over the Italian lakes area. I sat by an American with his Italian wife who were on their way to England to work in Didsbury. I wonder if it was Moor Allerton school? Later I caught a train into Manchester. (The southern link from the Airport station to Wilmslow wasn’t yet operational) From Manchester I caught the local train and arrived in Holmes Chapel at 21.00