Day 446 – Cremona to Milan

Day 446                                                        9th October

69 miles (Cremona to Milan) Average speed 12.1 mph Top speed 78? (it’s gone again!)

A very eventful end to what turned into a long day.

I got up at 8 and had brekkie of muesli and warm milk. I met three English guys in the shower block who were cycling from London to Rome in 12 days. We chatted for quite a while during our ablutions and wished each other good luck on our journeys. I packed up and was ready to leave at 10 but my computer wasn’t happy, probably because I hadn’t yet taken it’s picture after 12000 miles so I did that and managed to get it working properly again.

I left at 10.45 and followed the river path for a while before joining the road at the tourist port which looked more industrial than tourist with lots of big lorries and cracked roads. I then found a canal path which was empty apart from one fisherman and followed it for about 8 miles until it ran out and I had a drinks break sat on the canal steps with my shorts down to cool off as there was no one around.

Then I joined the main road which was OK with a decent shoulder to ride on before turning right onto the sp27 which was not the best surface and no shoulder. It wasn’t too much of a problem though as it was soon joined by a cycle path which went 20km all the way to Lodi; that was a great ride alongside a fast flowing river.

Once there I found a Coop and bought lunch of ham and cheese sarnies with tomato and paprika chopsticks which I ate in a nearby park watching some dog walkers. I planned the ongoing route but found myself on the main road so decided to go with it as it was a good wide shoulder and fairly fast riding. I made it to Milan and found a campsite which turned out to be a gypsy site so I carried on into town and booked a hostel near the San Siro. It was another six miles through town and out to the west.

This journey proved quite eventful through the Milan rush hour. I was following a guy on a racing bike who was going at speed and I was trying to keep up, but he had no panniers so could get through the traffic. I noticed he was on the phone and was cautious not to be looking down at mine on it’s new holder. I was happy to follow the signs for San Siro: good job, as a car reversed out onto the Main Street in front of me and I managed to stop just in time. I gave him a look and he apologised, so I checked traffic behind and directed him safely onto the road. Then as I was filtering down the inside of more stationary traffic a girl opened the passenger door of a white van. I swerved to avoid it and let out a yell of despair and as I looked back she was very apologetic, but that was a very close shave.

I eventually found the road where the hostel was, but then my phone battery died and I didn’t know the name or number of the hostel, so had to charge my phone to find it. Then when I did, the guy on reception told me that ther e was nowhere to store my bike and that he’d been trying to contact me. He let me off the cancellation charge and I carried on to a campsite 2 miles away. After such an adrenaline filled ride I felt that I needed a beer to chill out for a while before settling up my tent in the dark.

I showered and went back to the bar for Daviola pizza and beer while watching Ireland beat Wales on tv.

I was in bed by 11 and a good nights sleep was much needed.

 

Camping Milano 17.50€