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Published: July 12th 2019
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Milan to Abano Terme
Surprisingly the journey from Milan to Padova went without a hitch, though I did have a panicky moment when it's platform details wasn't up on the departure board like it should. The bus service from Padova to Abano Terme is not so good. There is meant to be one every 20 minutes but more like every 30. By the time one came, I was told cash not accepted and to buy a ticket, so that meant another wait. Of course I did mess up somewhere as expected and got off too early so that was an extra 15 mins walk. Thankfully with Google maps I didn't get as lost finding the hotel.
Mad Fruit Woman
As I took a leisurely stroll yesterday evening, I saw a fruit stand and decided to purchase some bananas and oranges. So started picking some. A lady burst out of the shop in broken English "No self service". Heaven forbid I got to buy any good fruit.
Important Consumer Information
A blue lid on a water bottle over here doesn't necessarily mean it's still water. Important issues like this needs to be addressed at a European level and not pushed
aside because of Brexit.
The cycle begins
I need to address my habit of pottering. Taking forever to do things. I finished breakfast at 10:30. The next challenge was getting all my stuff needed together, then find where they left the bike. But the biggest challenge of all was the combination lock. I probably spend a good 15mins trying to get it off. Not knowing the code didn't help so I had to go back to my room and get it. Eventually got going 90 minutes behind schedule. Even Irish Rail would do better than that.
The Euganean Hills.
If these are Hills I had to see what the mountains are like. Respect to Sean Kelly all those years ago when he was King of the Mountains of the Tour De France.
Unfortunately it took me a while to get the hang of the route map, but maybe if I read instructions properly at the start I may have ended up doing 43km instead of 60km. Though it didn't really matter as I got to see nice additional stuff.
Lots of wineries in this region and if you like your wine it's well worth while stopping off
and visiting a few. All bottles of wine look the same to me so I left it. Also I was a bit behind schedule, what with my lack of direction.
Arqua Petrarca
The first real uphill challenge was to this place. I will not lie. I had to walk some of it. Perhaps for this route an electric bike would be a good option. I recommend an earlier start than me as come 3:30 the restaurants close. However I got a lovely toasted sandwich and ice cream in a bar in San Marco Piazza. It is all uphill , however due to my primitive map reading skills I went to far but it's all nice so worth it (that's my excuse).
Fontana Fredda to Faedo
These are a probably about 6-8km apart and it was the worst ever. At this stage I had covered 14km more than I should have. The inclines were so steep uphill I continuously had to walk long periods. Again electric bike country if you don't have a good lightweight bike. I won't lie it felt like torture. Also a storm was beginning to brew and not in my bowels!!
Faedo to Galziano
Terme
After Galziano Terma, like manna from Heaven the best down hill ride ever. Roughly 8km. It was truly a thrill ride. So if you put up with the uphill battles before hand I promise you will then experience the ride of your life.
However the good things never last long and as sometimes the case, this ride did have a stormy ending. A thunderstorm closed in behind me. I thought I would beat it but at Tramonte, it lashed hail. Luckily some mechanics in a Peugeot garage let me take shelter.
I was drenched but never more grateful. They had no English. I spotted this old green Fiat 518. I decided to try and make conversation and using Google translate and tell them my uncle used to have one of them. So I showed it to one of the mechanics and he looked at it like I had two heads. Who knows what it translated as. Glad I didn't translate my thrill ride.
Eventually I made it back to the hotel drenched but really enjoyed it. My lack of prep means I only brought one pair of footwear and so I am walking around Albano Terma wearing
a pair of flip flops the hotel gave me which I suspect are Ladies. Fingers crossed I don't have to ask them for trousers tomorrow.
Next Stop Padova
Padova beckons tomorrow a 35km journey and I have been assured today was the hardest.
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