Photo: Square of Assisi
Mar 21, 1979 It rained again just before I left in the morning. I took a wrong turn and wasted 45 minutes at the start of today s ride. The Italians don t mark their roads very well and I was guessing all day. I had to stop a couple of times because of rain.
At Assisi I viewed the major cathedral where St Francis lived and worked and is now buried. The town was set on the side of a mountain and on the fringe of snow country.
After 80 miles I reached Filorni. I stayed at a hostel undergoing renovations.
Photo: Postcard of Assissi
Mar 22, 1979 For breakfast I had a nut and raison pastry and watched the rain as I prepared to leave. Looking at the map I saw Bastardo, which was on an alternative road to Rome, so I knew I had to go that route. The first town was Montefalco, and getting there involved a long climb up the mountain. I then rolled down to Bastardo and snapped a photo of the town sign.
Next I headed back up into the mountains and was greeted by a downpour of rain. I spent 90 minutes under my plastic tent before I could continue to Massa Martana, then Nervi. Getting to Nervi was 2 hours of constant uphill biking, interrupted a couple of times when it started to rain.
After a long descent and crossing a wide open valley, I thought the worst was behind me. I then broke a rear wheel spoke which caused the tire to rub against the brake. In the next town I tried to get it fixed at a local bike shop, but they did not have the right tool, as an English tool was required. My bike wheels were English, whereas most continental European bikes had a different incompatible wheel style.
I continued into the night to Rome, and frequently asked directions. I found a roadside restaurant that served a great spaghetti dish that included eggs, cheese and bacon. A short distance later I found I was 10 miles from Rome and had traveled 105 miles. Off the side of the road, I laid out my sleeping bag and got some rest.
Photo: Town Sign in Italy
Map of South France & Italy
