Day 449 12th October
58 miles (Monte Valenza to Cortemilia) Average speed 11 mph Top speed 80?? More like 35
I got up at 8.00 and had brekkie of ham and Brie sarnies with tea while enjoying watching the wildlife of otters, robins and caged parrots.
I left at 9.45 with mist in the air and after a slight incline out of the hotel a long run down to a T junction, where I turned left but should have gone right! Thankfully traffic lights and roadworks made me stop to check and I found the right road.
Then I went to Alessandria and stopped at Decathlon for a ISO drink and a knee bandage and to use wifi to check my emails. I crossed the river and turned right onto the SP246, then overtook a tall young guy on a racing bike. He wasn’t happy and drafted me for a while (lazy git) before overtaking me and shooting off into the distance. I was meant to be taking it easy for my knee, but I couldn’t let him get away and soon caught him up again before he turned off. I stopped for a drink and dumped by the side of the road was a carcass of a cow that had been butchered. Strange place to dump it??
Beautiful country
It had turned into a lovely warm day after the early morning mist and I was enjoying the warmth but the knee bandage was too hot and sweaty and not very comfortable so that went in the pannier. I stopped at Bazzana at the bottom of a hill next to a train station for lunch in a very friendly and busy cafe where I had a roll with pancetta and my leftover crisps with a coke. I climbed the hill with renewed energy but it was as bad as I’d expected.
Wild camp next to circus.
Circus poster
I’m not sure that I would leave my tent unattended and go for a beer if I were camped next to a travelling circus in Britain but I’m pretty sure my bike and tent will still be there when I return as they seemed like nice people?? I’ll let you know how that goes!!
What an incredible day.