A Very Nice Ride June 9 2011

We were really spoiled last night as were in a very nice hotel. It was kind of a family run hotel and although we were not the only guests it was close. So at breakfast we took it over and gobbled down all of the croissants and had them working double time to make coffees.

The ride was from Castel San Pietro Terme up to Chioggia. It was 149 kms and had a total elevation of only 397 meters. So it was basicly flat as can be. The only hills were bridges over the river Po which we crossed several times along with its tributaries and assorted canals which provide irrigation water to the surrounding farm land. The land looks very fertile and we saw everything from fruit orchards to fields of rice. There was corn and wheat and lots of vegetable farms. Naturally we also lots of vine yards as there are every where in Italy, speaking of which it would appear that tonights wine looks like a very nice 2009 Merlot.

As I was leaving Bruce was there and so I teamed up with him. I do the pulling and Bruce who has a Garmin with maps does the navigating. It is a great team. I pull him along and he keeps us on track. Soon there were half a dozen riders with us. I set a steady pace of right around 27 kms/hr. So we were down to lunch which was at the 81 km mark in no time flat. After lunch we set off and the kms just flew by. Bruce’s navigation was perfect we only stopped once to look at a map and that was only to explain to me how we were going to cross this very busy road which had a hundred ramps.

The weather was perfect riding temperature and the high cloud cover kept the sun from baking us. It was a twisty route so at times we had a head wind and a times a tail wind. However the wind was never a factor.

It was a great riding day and a lot of fun.

Tomorrow is only 25 km into Venice. Wow!

Terry