Am now on my way home. The signed cycle paths ran out for me today. Italian roads are very busy and being bebaggaged makes me slow and fat on the road.
After a lovely early morning chat on the phone with Sheila, took to the path only to promptly lose it. As it turns out forever lost. The lovely Alpe Adria so good for so long. Muscles and bike a bit worn out after yesterday's 3 hour climb. 50ks later on ss13 to Udine was the most highway all sojourn. Felt like riding slowly looking lost through Ashfield in Sydney on a Saturday morning with saddlebags. How was everyone to know I'd made it to the top of the dread Ovaro Zoncolan ascent seemingly only hours before? Arrived in ancient Udine which reminded me of Avignon withits golden trumpet playing angelic weathervane...to find the signs still absent despite the earnest protestations of the tourist office person.
At 2pm local trained it to Mestre, thence to Verona and after a train change making Milano by 19.45. Local trains enable me to simply lift the bike up 3 steps into the bike labelled van. Running the length of the train is the only stress to find the specially marked carriage.
So yesterday forcing my way up the glorious Zoncolan sucking in the verdant cold forest charged air and today in stylish Milano. I hopped off the train in the most Fascist station in the world and crossed the immense empty piazza in the setting sun to wheel my bike straight into the Hotel Flora which Sheila and I enjoyed some years ago now. Had it changed? In any way? No. Green textured wallpaper up three narrow steps, bike is out under the stairs, the same old grumbling patron....and old world charm. I can't wait to greet the breakfast Senora who was a real treat last time with her early morning mirth.
I will be here one more night to get a more fulsome Milanese experience and prepare for Paris. Rome will simply have to wait for Sheila and I too visit on our cooking tips tour of Europe.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
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