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Published: September 15th 2017
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The usual morning view It wasn't apparent to me at the start that we would be heading there, but today we finally got to see San Marino. Following the usual morning travel through city streets then up and down several (or just one? Who remembers?) hillocks, we motored along into the wind and along a false flat until we got to the moderately steep 3km climb that led to our first course (and view) for the day before descending slightly and taking a hard left to start the climb to the city itself, where those of us who had pressed on ahead paused briefly for course #2 and another quick view before the others joined us to continue up and even further (and steeper) through the cobbles amid the wandering tourists until we finally reached the high point and the final course: a square at the top where a group photo was taken. That sentence structure is probably appropriate because we did a fair amount of climbing and were a long way up at the end. Going back down was rather like being a bowling ball trying to avoid pedestrian pins, but we collected at another square partway down (where I finally managed to snag
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Micol's butt (nicer than Bartolo's) a photo) before continuing our cobbled descent, and ultimately emerged unscathed. Another few drops down, this time on pavement, and it was time for a coffee break (yes, still in San Marino, in case you were wondering).
There then followed a glorious 8-10km sweeping descent on abnormally smooth pavement leading out to a wind-assisted, high-speed rocket ride on the flats until we turned off for a very brief 18% ascent to the farm where lunch (and congratulatory prosecco and cheese, of course) awaited. This too, was owned by Stefano, and he gave us a tour and demonstration/explanation of the process by which real balsamic vinegar is made: basically you start off with 250 litres of wine that has turned to vinegar, let things evaporate progressively (passing contents from barrel to barrel, each made of different wood to impart flavour) over the next 20 years, and at the end you have 2 litres of really good balsamic.
Following lunch (which included wine, of course, and ended with the obligatory shot of limoncello to send us on our way) we rolled over a few short, steep hills before coming into town for the final time. As most people lined up
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After the first little climb towards San Marino (past Montelicciano?) to return their rental bikes and retrieve their pedals I decided I might check out the laundromat I have been avoiding all week, but when rain drops started falling I turned around and joined the queue; although not much materialized just then, not long after I got back to our mini-apartment the rain started coming down in earnest, so I guess that was the right decision.
And so phase one of the Trip to Italy is drawing to an end. We have arranged for the hotel to have breakfast-to-go ready for us at 6AM so we can eat it while we travel - now all we have to do is remember to get up early enough to catch our first train!
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