Arriving in Pisa on a Thursday afternoon, by now our party had expanded to include Grand Master (Duncan) and a motley Crew of audaxers, some all the gear and no idea types, an iron man triathlete and some almost normal people too. Dom part owner of Bike Adventures advised that he’d need to make 2 trips from the airport to the hotel as we wouldn’t all fit in the minibus. Spotting a bar we duly volunteered to wait. Having sunk the first beer and ordered the second the minibus arrived back to take us to the hotel. Not wanting to create a bad impression on the first day we left the second beer and loaded our bikes. 30 minutes later we were unpacking bike boxes and checking gear shift function, that sorted we heady for the wonky landmark.
Feeling invigorated and wanting to get on with it I lead the group out of Pisa, which by the time we’d be riding for 2 hours and the talk had turned to coffee had shank to 6 (us three, Heather who joined us for London Hastings, Chris Duncan’s NBF (new best friend) and Andrew who struggled with navigation. Pete confident in his language skills marched into the café and ordered 2 lattes and an expresso doppio, leaving the rest of the group to fend for themselves. A few minutes later Duncan was discussing with Pete how he’d expected their lattes to be a little stronger in fact he couldn’t taste the coffee at all. Andrew explained that Latte is the Italian for milk so perhaps next time they should try ordering a café latte or an expresso on the side.
The day continued with more long straight flat roads – it’s a roman thing you know, littered, literally with piles of rubbish which when piled to so high they obscured the view of the Mediterranean beyond, allowed us to focus on the overly made up young ladies sitting on plastic chairs in every layby. ‘Why don’t they all sit together and wait for the bus, and why do they bring their own chairs?’ asked Pete. ‘They’re not waiting for a bus Pete’. ‘Oh’.
Eventually 80miles in Duncan and I as previously arranged, suggested a Gelato stop as the route would now head inland. By this point Chris had decided he wanted some me time and dropped off the back of the group – shortly after Pete had asked if as well as being Duncan’s NBF he was also providing a FWB service. So whilst Pete, Heather and Andrew went for Gelato, Duncan I pulled our budgie smugglers from the pockets of our cycling tops, changed and took a refreshing swim.
Day – 2 Preparing to set off having eaten one to few croissants, we enquired if anyone would like to join our group again – silence may be golden but it didn’t seem so at that moment. The first 40 miles were relatively flat so we headed off at pace determined to make it to the café first. A wise precaution, as when we got there we enquired of the proprietor if he’d be serving any food. He pointed to the four remaining cakes, so we took these along with coke and coffee and sat in the shade to see who’d arrive next. It was Heather and Corrie (yes more than one female on a cycling holiday in fact there were 3 in the group). Having finished our cakes, the last, we thought it best to push on before they realised. The second half of the day was punctuated with Gravel tracks and Dom in the minibus offering to refill bidons as there were no shops or cafes. Arriving at our hotel with private beach, before the minibus and hence our bags we were forced to improvise.
Day 3 – A morning spent climbing to a beautiful hill top town was rewarded with a coffee with a view, and a wonderful descent followed by lunch in bar where we again managed to eat the cakes before Heather and Corrie arrived. In the afternoon more young ladies with plastic chairs lined the roads as we cycled the scenic way round 3 sides of Rome Airport, before finally reaching the Hotel PingPong. Duncan had secured a prime room with a sea view to continue his wooing of Chris – I’m not sure what went on that night but the next morning our departure was delayed by a whole in his tube.
Day 5 – The mid point and an easy day, cycling mostly inland to avoid Naples and arrive at Pompeii our destination by 2pm. Most (all apart from me, who had seen the ruins last year), went and did the tourist thing, whilst I settled in for a serious afternoons swimming in the pool, beer drinking, and sun bathing. This later activity more complicated than expected due to the Italian sun loungers. Knowing how much Dom had enjoyed being phoned to go back and help someone mend a puncture the previous day, and decided it best to seek Chris (not Duncan’s NBF, but the other tour leader) out to help with some technical assistance.
Day 6 – After a flat start we faced with a 7mile climb before going through a tunnel to be greeted with our 1st glance of the Amalfi coast. Pete continued his Alpine form and was first to the summit, I arrived shortly later professing the need to stop and take photo’s of the bay of Naples, with Grand Master bringing up the rear muttering about a bad night with Chris (lover’s tif?)
The descent down to Amalfi has to be one of the most spectacular roads in the world to ride a bicycle, and no amount of photo’s can do it justice.
Bidons refilled in the fountain in Amalfi we continued past the Greek ruins in Paestum.
Day 7 – Ouch
After one too many beers and then another one to make sure, we had returned to our room to find the aircon not working. Awakening hot sweaty and dehydrated was not the ideal preparation for what was the hardest day (100miles 7500ft). This doesn’t sound that bad, but a mile from the start there were four ½ miles sections of 30%. It was on the second of these glancing down at my Garmin I realised I was in trouble HR 205 – less than ideal. We made it up all 4 ramps together but by the time we were at the top I knew it would be a long day. In true Captain Oaks fashion I told Pete and Duncan to go on without me as I needed to go at my own pace today. Stopping at the next shop I drank the remainder of both bidons and refilled them, remembering from MVP part 1 , when I’d had a similar if marginally less severe issue that rehydrating was the key. Consuming 1.5 litres of water every 20 miles I needed stop frequently – but not for that reason! We’d planned to lunch together at 60miles, but again the restaurant was closed, so at 62 miles when I spotted a garage and thought I try my luck again. Certainly not Gourmet cuisine, but still very welcome.Whilst tucking into my focaccia, coke and water, Pete rang and I was surprised to learn they were only 2 miles further on in a cafe, so having completed lunch number 1, I pushed on to have lunch 2. Our hotel that day was another beach front affair with Dom finally taking note of our complaints, moving Duncan to a rear facing room, leaving Pete and I to enjoy the sea views for once.
Day 8 – 112 miles 600f0ft – The plastic chair seated scantily clad ladies were back, but they were competing for attention with the beautiful Mediteranean
Day 9 – A short ride to the ferry, and an even shorter ferry crossing to Messina (home town of Vicenzo Nibali), and we were in Sicily. Escaping the traffic filled streets we were pleased to soon again be following the Med on our left for a change. The final day was an anti-climax, with the realisation that we wouldn’t be spending tomorrow on the bike lunching on spaghetti alle vongole.
Final Notes:
- Would I do another cycling tour? – Yes, already planning for 2017
- What’s Italy like? - Some of it’s beautiful, most of it isn’t.
- Would I use Bike Adventures again? – Yes, but will also consider unassisted
Patrick
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