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March 23 Thursday Bicycle touring Italy from Lake Bolsena Italy to a forest past Allerona Italy Beautiful view of the deep blue water in the crater lake this morning as we climbed above Bolsena on our fully loaded touring bicycles and then along the ridge. The trees still don't have leaves, so it affords a beautiful unobstructed view. I was in a bread line in a little shop in the centre of Bolsena. Two lines had formed in front of the counter. I stood in what became a middle line as new customers formed a third line to my right. One little old lady smiled up at me. I somewhat scowled, since they were going to be served sooner than me and I had already waited longer. When, theoretically, it became my turn, a man on my left who had come in later, when the guy behind the counter went to serve him, pointed to me, and said, "Louie." The little old lady pointed at me and said, "Louie." Then she gave me another of those endearing smiles. So, I needn't had to worry after all ... I was being well taken care of by these courteous people. Bicycle touring in a foreign country can gain insights into the people who live there. And, for me, Italy is a fantastic country for a bicycle tour. Even if it is a little chilly in March. We took our bikes over to a bench outside a cafe bar and sat down to eat warm bread and baguettes. An old guy trundled over. He spoke to me, saying that Sharon was "splendido." I said, "Si, molto splendido." (Her fungi farts are brutto, however.) We walked through part of the medieval quarter, admiring the tiny shops and narrow cobblestone streets. Lots of artisan goods of ceramic plates, masks, and rings made from silver. We saw some steep staircases leading to the town and church above. One would stay in good shape climbing up and down all day. We have noticed these old towns are always built on the highest vantage point -- the better to see your enemies coming in the old days, I suppose -- compared to North America, where town are usually built in valleys close to rivers. Cycled a small road to Orvieto over hills and through dales and beside some farmland. One farmer had made a unique garage. His tractor was parked inside a hole chipped from the rocky mountainside. Orvieto is stuck on a high plateau. It made an imposing sight as we bicycled around a corner, and, from high on the other bank, had a splendid view of the tightly clustered earthen-coloured buildings. We descended a series of hairpin corners on our fully loaded touring bicycles to the valley floor far below. Then, we had to cycle up and up, climbing a series of hairpin corners to enter the gate into the old city. We cycled a narrow one-way street. Suddenly, a huge church appeared in front of us. It was amazing with its carved marble ornamental statues and vivid biblical paintings. We are free camped in a forest after a punishing climb past Allerona. Our free camping site reminded me of one on our Gaspé cycle tour, when people stopped near where we were camped in the middle of nowhere to watch the sunset. Same here, while camped in this Italian forest. No sooner had we settled into our two-person lightweight Kelty cycle touring tent, than a car stopped. And later, another stopped and turned around. Déjà vu. It is just an empty stretch of road in the middle of nowhere. |
