Tuscany WAY TOO HOT

A Two Person Job

A crazy start to our Tuscany adventure when we find out our train from Brindisi, Apuglia, to Ancona may be canceled half way and the prediction of the extreme heat that awaits us. We boarded anyway hoping for the best. We discover we have to get off the train, get on a bus to get around a train derailment.  Not too much of a problem, but you have to understand Italy busses do not take bikes unless they are folding. No one on the train could tell us if we'd be able to put them on, but just said for us to talk to the bus driver. There were two busses waiting for all the passengers. By the time we got the bikes off the train, carried them down, under and back up the stairs from our platform we were probably the last to get to the bus. Nope, no bikes on the bus! We said they're going on and we fired ahead with the bikes on the bus. Jim was able to break his bike in half and other passengers moved their bags around to get Devon's bike on all to the dismay of the driver. Off we go on a 2 hour bus ride to the next train station where there was no help on where to catch the next train. The ticket agents give us the info for the next train, a 3 hr wait. Bummer.  Then with a little luck a different class train,that could take bicycles, was at a different platform and leaving in minutes. Again take the luggage off the bikes, down the stairs, up the stairs, luggage back on and a race to the train. The doors were shutting just seconds later and off we go. A 4 hour ordeal but what the hell, we made it.

Waiting for the Trains in our new Ciclostile shirts and hats.

The next day a short train ride to Orte, Umbria, from where we start riding again. Here we see our first and most beautiful sunset to date from our apartment's balcony.

Tuscany Sunset in Orte

We start riding in perfect temperatures through back country roads and farm fields. However the price we have to pay to stay off the main roads often puts us in very steep terrain. We start off on a beautiful gravel road that turns to dirt then the occasional mud holes. The planned route was not too have any hills over 9 percent grade. Well, two spots were so steep and rough it took the two of us to push one bike up the hills. We saw over 30 percent grades, from our bike computers, a number of times.

Lots of Mud Holes

Maneuvering Around the Mud

Cool Towns Always On Top! 

Now What? 

Yes! A Way Across the Creek. 

Once up and over it was clear sailing until we approached Orvieto. Six miles to go and we start climbing. The closer we get to the town the steeper and  hotter it gets. Blazing sun, 95 degrees, having to once again push the bikes up the last mile. Devon was so overheated, as she doesn't do heat well, we sacrificed part of the last of our water to pour over her head. Once to the top, Orvieto was really nice. 

Looking out Across the Valley from Orvieto 

Across the Valley from Orvieto 

From Orvieto

Ciclostile Bike Shop. This small bike shop does custom clothing.
They also design for a Pella bike clothing and Cinelli bikes.

Three nights there to recoop and explore. On one of our explorations was of the underground of Orvieto which consists of caves, tunnels & wells carved in the rock. It started almost 3000 years ago and continued until the 1900's. Much of it was to mine ash, produce olive oil, as well as pigeon production for food. The caves were made with cubby holes for the pigeons, where they would fly to feed during the day, then return home to become dinner for the locals. Apparently it was big business in the day. But our biggest discovery of the day was there is a FUNICULAR. WHAT, there is a funicular! AHHH, we could have taken to the top and avoided the tortuous hill climb. If you could have seen the looks on our face. We wish we hadn't found out! 

Olive Oil Grinding Platform in Underground Caves

Olive Oil Grinding Platform 

Olive Oil Grinding Wheel

Pigeon Roost

Pigeon Roost

THE FUNICULAR! 

Great riding the next few days with a country stay. The swimming pool wasn't yet open for the season despite the temperatures in the 90's. We had picked this place specifically because there is an osteria across the street with a very different menu than the food we had been eating. When making the reservations we asked to make sure the restaurant was open. When we got there the restaurant was not open, we had nothing for dinner and nothing close by. We were very hot and tired and no management to be had. They were working remotely and  only maintenance workers around. After much discussion, one of the workers decided to drive us into town to buy some groceries. We hop in his van for a hair raising ride on winding roads as he tries to show us Italian Sport Videos on YouTube.  In the end it ended up being a good experience. Dinner saved with a BBQ. Our first burgers of the trip.

On our way to the farm stay.

Jim fixing Devon's first flat of the trip.

BBQ Hamburgers

Cool Place to Relax before the BBQ 

The Closed Pool! Just filled and very cold.

When we were planning this trip we looked at the normal weather for this time of year. We thought we'd see mid 80's by the time we headed home. This year it's been an exception. They've had what they are calling Anticyclone Hannibal which has brought record temps. Each day has been a bit hotter and afternoon headwinds have made it a bit difficult for riding. In the past when looking for an apartment one of our top priorities has been a bidet, but now it is air conditioning and a swimming pool! 

Refreshing Beer and a New Haircut

New Hair Cuts to Beat the Heat

Florence, a beautiful city, but the tourists have arrived in droves, to say the least. Even though we are two of those tourists, we really hated it! Our neighbor's sister who has lived in Florence for the past 35 yrs said that this year is as busy as she has ever seen it. The exception of no Russians or Chinese. Covid is"over" and everyone is traveling again. We have to say it was extremely disappointing to hear more English being spoken then Italian in Florence. 

Duomo in Florence 

A woman and fountain.

Florence

Florence

Boboli Gardens Florence

Miles here is your split Sheep's Head on the left. See the teeth? 

With all the tourists comes the problem of accommodations as well.  It is taking it's toll on us. Endless hours on the internet instead of having fun. Our stay was for 5 days but it was impossible to find one place for five consecutive nights so we ended up in two different rentals. The first was like the TajMahal, the second was just ok. I wish I could say the same about it's 2 person elevator. The elevator car had only one wall in it so you better not lean against the glass walls of the elevator shaft as it goes up or down. In order to operate it you have to continually hold the button. Just before reaching our floor the elevator stops. We look at each other, we're F*ING TRAPPED. We tried the emergency alarm and hit all the buttons to no avail. We're getting visions of hours in this cube as we hadn't seen anyone coming or going. As a last resort Jim starts yelling for help and pounding on the walls. One of the tenants hears us and comes to the rescue. He flips the breaker and all is good. Needless to say we didn't ride the elevator again.

Oh Boy! Trapped! 

Barely Room for Two

Our air conitioned apartments were a haven from the masses of tourist and the extreme heat. Just below one of them we did find our perfect "Cheers" hang out.  A tiny little corner bar where most everyone was a local.  They said they'd miss us when we left!

The only way to Ride Your Motorcycle (she was the driver!) 

Our New Hangout

Great pizza and Caipirinhas

Eggplant, Lime and Honey Pizza

After 4 days in Florence we were ready for another country stay with a pool. We already had our route planned passing through the small town of San Piero a Ponte. Jim had been trying to get info from his 96 year old mother about his families locations in the area but her memory is not very good. By chance Jim's brother called the day before we left and said he had information that an uncle had sent many years ago. Their great grandfather, Enrico Albinelli, and grandmother Alessandrina, were born in San Piero a Ponte! We found the one and only church there, unheard of in Italy, and found it open. We were able to walk through the church and the cemetery where we found Enrico Albinelli's head stone.  Amazing that we would have gone through the town and not even have known. 

Parrocchia S. Cresci A Campi

Inside Church

Any similarities in Looks? 

After that we continued the ride. It was  fairly short and would have been easy were it not for the fact it hit 104 degrees and humid! Way too hot to be riding safely, but the pool was a life saver. hi

Devon close to a total meltdown. 

The new haircuts didn't seem to work well enough.

AHHHHH!!! Cooled Down,

The view from our lounge chairs.

Dinner Sunset

Our New go to Lunch Food. Tuna and Veggies.

Yum,Yum, a good break from the cold cuts.

Lucca!  We found it to be one of our favorite cities. It was charming, had lots of trees and not many tourists.  We could have stayed longer, but we now have the rest of the trip planned and reserved. Besides, there was no availability where we were staying. 

Watching a temporary art installation. 

Jim and the artist Pablo Atchugarry. One of 5 of his pieces
installed around Lucca through the end of September.

Another Pablo Atchugarry

Waking the 5 miles on the wall around Lucca.

Hard boiled eggs come with your wine in Lucca.

Duomo Lucca

On to Viareggio and swimming in the Mediterranean.

An Italian holiday at the beach.

Getting wet in the Mediterranean.

Cracking a beer in the same spot the day before the holiday.

Moon over the Viareggio Harbor.

115 ft Lady Nina built by Maiora Shipyards in Viareggio.
Top Speed 35 knots, cruising speed 29 to 30.
One of many in the marina. Could be owned by one our Russian Friends¿
https://www.superyacht.eu/shipyard-maiora/35-exuma-lady-nina/

A walk out on the pier, our last night in Tuscano.

So plans can change and do.  We're going to spend the last three weeks east of the mountains going through Parma, Modena and places in between. I night at a spa with stream rooms, saunas and massages -what in this heat? -  cancelled.  We enjoyed swimming in the Med we've decided it would be nice to swim in the Adratic. First though we need to cancel, rebook and change multiple reservations and train tickets. Stay tuned!