Category Archives: 2012-06: Crossing Italy

Today’s journey was known… I had once cycled the other way from Bern to Visp (VS) and done the Grimsel-Pass in the past. The questions was more: How fit are my legs today? And the more important one: how much … Read More »

So, today will  be the last day in Italy. I’ve set quite clearly my challenge for today: Pass the Simplon and then go into the direction of Ulrichen (to the Grimsel).When leaving Domodossola, I just took the direction of the … Read More »

After a nice breakfast, the way was quite easy: the same as I had taken some week ago – just the other way round. Since some days I had calculated it more than one time: I needed to be today … Read More »

When leaving Sestri Levante, I had assumed to have the mountains behind me. The wind was not working against me. And soon I understood I should check the map again: there was not one hill to Genova, just many. Always … Read More »

The morning started easily. After yesterdays 155km, my body was slow. But it started nicely: I met again Adim (later his sons) and we had breakfast together. Those are moments when you just don’t think of pedalling…After some long search … Read More »

Todays target was set to arrive at Pisa… But it was more a wish then a target…If I would arrive, it would be late and Saturday evening. I needed a barbier: as long as it is possible (haven’t found a … Read More »

Hard day… The main wind direction was from 9 to 1… Also mostly from the front. Then the qvia Aurelia which is not an Autostrada/Autobahn was more dangerous as cycling on real Autostrada, as the safety line was sometimes missing. … Read More »

Four times… Four times the wrong way! One because I had the map bad in mind. One because a guy told me the road would continue along the beach to the next village. Twice because of Google:-it send me to … Read More »

A little summary, as my first goals are now reached:-reaching Genova in 2 cycling days-sleeping on the deck of the ferry-reaching one of the western points if Sicily/Italy: Marsala-Agrigento-sleeping on the Etna-joining Etna sud and north by bike-reaching Calabria by … Read More »

The crater view from the south:The site of Pompeii is at the end of the long line… So far and so close!Were it starts to be interesting: one of the touristic guy at the top (south part) gave me the … Read More »

Just to say it was a long day. Finally found a hotel after being on the Vesuvio. Yes, after Pompei, it was the next target (quite predictable, wasn’t?). Picts and more later, 120km in Neapel slumps nearly kills one. If … Read More »

Quite short trip with a lot of traffic… Not the ferry to home: A full suspension bike helps: ***By Georgeshttp://tiny.cc/Georges Location:Prima Traversa Dante,Trecase,Italy

Pompeii was a dream as child, as I read about it. And as for Agrigento, I wanted to have my baby with me – just to to prevent it to be stolen. A discussion with the small minded guards started…(mother … Read More »

Salerno… Well, some picts speak more than words:***By Georgeshttp://tiny.cc/Georges Location:Via Fossa della Monaca,Trecase,Italy

Today, the start was one hour earlier…the hotel crystal was quite good. Eboli did not charmed me. Or I did not really search for. Guest on board: New York? 😉 ***By Georgeshttp://tiny.cc/Georges Location:Traversa Santa Lucia,Salerno,Italy

So, here some missing text and pictures from the trip to Eboli. First I forgot to mention: after about 30min of cycling I had a chat with a french guy going the other way: from Avignon to Agrigento where his … Read More »

What I forgot to writecabout the costal region travelled the last 160km is that it seems to be the wedding zone as every few kilometre you’ll find a hotel with special arrangement and a shop for wedding clothes… Either whole … Read More »

Today, I had three targets: >100km-find un barbiere-oil the chainLast one was easy but needed since the chain was running for 1000 km without one drop of oil and sand from Palermo and the lava powder & wind on the … Read More »

The end of the day was longer: one closed hotel followed the other. Todays program (and of the others) is to make some kilometres in order to reach my goal, which is still far over 1000km… Anyway, the 2nd part … Read More »

The rest day was good and needed. Just the restaurant Uguai or so was not needed: expensive, not much and not specialy good. On top of it, the boss was one of those “I-think-to-be-best-but-I-am-a-looser-and-dressed-like-a-I-think-to-be-a-trendsetter” which is generally not my taste. … Read More »

Today was also the day I would leave the wonderful island. Frankly, I would have prefer to have my day off at the hotel Schuler in Taormina. But as the point with the ferry to Calabria was not really clarified, … Read More »