Across the Po to Mantova

I began the day with a very nice breakfast at my B&B in Castill Arquato. As the only guest I got first class service from the mother and daughter who owned the inn.

My room was the upstairs corner and since I was there alone I had the use of the whole floor and this balcony to catch the morning sun and dry my clothes that I wash every night in the shower.

I made a pass through town where I had so much fun the night before .........and took this photo of what had been packed with people playing and crowds watching the tennis, volleyball but most interest with the crowd 3 deep at the bocci ........

I rode east again along the flat and busy valley toward Parma. After about 25 miles I entered Parma a very nice small city. It was a beautiful day, slightly overcast and not at all hot and everyone was out ...... many on bicycles .....

...... bicycles were the main way every one .... young and old ..... men and women ..... got around. And they have the children's bike seats figured out much better than in the US, by putting the child seat up front. Then the kid can see where he is going (not the back of the rider) and even try to steer and they look to be having so much fun.

The rear seat is only used when there are 2 kids, which is often the case.

Hungry I stopped early for a really nice lunch ..... pasta and a stuffed chicken breast with arugula.

..... but I  took half, American style in a doggie bag for an afternoon energy boost since I had a long day planned.

....... a big cathedral in Parma.

I set out northeast across the wide, broad Po River valley about 120 miles wide, that drained all of northern Italy east toward Venice. 

........ The River Po. 

This area I found is the bread basket and fruit basket of Italy. I passed many large flour mills and fields of peaches, pears, tomatoes, melons, zucchini, and more tomatoes. Many times the road was along the top of a dyke when the river was nearby.

Here people were working in the field harvesting.

Now as an asside, I must say a few words about the Italian drivers.

 Along the way, especially in France I had been warned, with many disparaging and critical things being said about the Italian drivers. Well ..... I disagree and think they are great ..... or I might not be alive tonight. 

The same cannot be said for the Italian roads. As background I had a good map today and with the map and my compass I had been finding my way along heading northeast, riding on small back roads heading toward my goal of Mantova. I had to cross the Po and several tributaries several times and was doing well until this .....

...... out of the blue ....... no warning ..... and another cyclist confirmed the bridge was out and I had to backtrack and make a 7 mile detour onto more of a main road. When I got to the main road this is what I had to work with to ride on ......

...... not much ..... And the road was busy with many trucks and busses. If lucky there was room for me and maybe 2 small cars, or me and a truck ...... but me and a car and a truck ..... or 2 trucks ...... no way!!!

But I trusted in the good karma I had been collecting (the subject of a future asside comment about picking up trash) and with no other option forged ahead. With the help of a good tailwind and the whoosh of air and suction from the passing of the big trucks, I worked to keep my speed up, on the theory that when I got hit, it would be less impact and more like a bump from behind than a full frontal or standing impact.

That and the excellent skill of the Italian drivers allowed me to arrive in Mantova safely. It wasn't just luck though because this was the norm and I saw several other cyclists who looked as though this was an every day affair for them.

Mantova was another charming little city with a big square, cathedral and castle. I arrived later than usual because I covered 85 miles taking advantage of the nice tailwind, but being delayed by the detour and 15 bonus miles. The official tourist office was closed.

So to search out a bed I went to the center of town and at "la fountina" I encountered this group of the usual suspects.

....... likely characters who looked as though they knew the local ropes. And sure enough as always in Italy ..... friendly and helpful ...... they not only told me about several places but hopped on their bicycles and led me about town showing me all of the B&B's. 

The B&B they left me at was so bad and sketchy, even below my marginal standards that I went to the hotel on the main square and got a nice room for 60 uro with breakfast.

The view from my room in Mantova.

Tired after another great Italian meal of lasagna and a big salad I went to bed.

Great day to Castell'Arquato

The fist thing I did on this Wednesday morning was get a map at the local Italian information office. It was not the nice Michillen map like I had in France, but free and very good. With a nice route planned for the day I headed out. 

First checking out the neat little town of Bobbio. They have a big local film festival, and have a claim to having been home to many writers including the American Ernemsto Hemingway. Also this old mid-evil bridge.

......... which I crossed to start the day. .......

....... I missed getting a good picture of it on the road out but was anxious to get going so I didn't go back for a better shot.

The morning ride was typical beautiful Italy with small back roads through well kept farms and vineyards.

Some light industrial of the Italian style and I was tempted to write off the day and make a few sales calls.

.......   a nice touch with the roses and the Italian flags at this plant.

...... all in all it was a low key uneventful day......... with a few nice churches and castles thrown in along the way.

Some farmers pumping water and doing their work.....

As the afternoon wound down I passed through a picturesque little town that just had a really nice feel.  Castell'Arquato, with lots of activity and people out and about I stopped for a gelato and right then and there decided to make it my home for the night, deciding that 52 miles was enough for the day. I needed some time to catch up on my blog, see the castle in town and have a nice dinner and get to bed early.

As I ate my gelato in a park a mother her daughter and little baby walked by also with ice cream and as any good politician knows the best way to gain trust and favor is to admire the cute baby. The mother it turns out had lived when younger for 2 years in NY City and spoke excellent English.

....... After going to wok to clean up baby Federico they posed for a photo ......

Federico looked just like the baby in all of those TV adds giving investment advice in the USA.

They called and booked me into a very nice inexpensive B&B right in town that was run by a friend of the mother.

I had a great evening exploring the castle .....

...... and the old part of town. As I had found several times before the old castle was often used as gallery space and here I saw some very interesting art being shown.

I picked up some information with the hope of coming back again when my wife the artist has a show here some day.

The whole town was out that night with hundreds of people, families, young and old in the town park where there was bocci, volleyball, card games, chess and a tennis match going on. As I strolled about, (as has happened before) the young woman now with Federico asleep in his stroller being pushed by her husband rushed up to me to say hello and excited to speak more English. 

Apparently I am easily remembered and stand out in a crowd.

Italians love to walk .....

 

...... below the view of the manor from the castle........

To Bobbio and big surprise on the way!!

I woke in Gavi and showed myself out since the Inn where I slept was mostly a restaurant and I was the only guest. No breakfast but I had a coffee and a croissant and bought some things for lunch since I expected to be off the beaten track today.

The men at breakfast who were my send off crew.

At this point I had moved beyond the coverage of my good detailed map and only had my large map of all Italy with no detail. I had been trying to find a better local map for a few days, but in Italy such things are more difficult to find.

So today I was sort of flying blind with only a general sense of where I was headed ........ east. I made a short descent crossed a river and a big Federal north/south highway but even there ..... no mapa. So I headed off and for a while had no problem.

There were some nice vineyards and I rode east with confidence and a good general sense of direction ....... and started to climb ....

...... and climb some more .....

 ...... and the climbing never stopped. Then I hit some really steep and long continuous up's. I thought I was finished with the Alps. At a water stop I chatted up a cyclist heading down who said the top of the pass ahead was 1450 meters. 

 

That is less than what I had done in the Alps, but there I was pumped up and ready for the challenge. Today it was hot and I was not ready for this!!!! I struggled to the top with a bad attitude.

....... not stopping for photos until the top. After an extended rest to recover and lunch I enjoyed a really nice gradual afternoon descent. 

Central Italy is more mountainous than I thought. This chain of mountains running all of the way south down the middle of the peninsula really was a surprise.

I had finished the climb with a local guy who races triathlons. He was really nice and stayed with me over the top. Without a map he gave me good and explicit directions down to Bobbio so I could descend without fear of having to repeat this unexpected climb that almost did me in.

As I went down in spots along the river cars were pulled along side of the road and people were swimming. I joined in for a quick dip, but forgot the iPad for pictures.

I staggered into Bobbio a lively little town and over a beer at a busy spot in the main square I got a recommendation to a B&B just around the corner.

I had a big salad and pasta with pesto for dinner and crashed.

The hard earned and much welcomed ride down to Bibbio.

Wine country to Gavi

I began the day relatively early after a great breakfast and packing a picnic lunch. And rather than a descent into the valley I headed up and over through the vineyards. For a change this strategy worked well and I rode through some beautiful low hills and valleys.

I passed through some small towns ......

..... and everywhere Italians having a good time, whether it be in the village playing bocci or an afternoon card game .. 

There were signs of ancient Roman life .......

...... and on every hill top a castle from the mid-evil days.

At this little town I made the climb all of the way up to check it out and eat the lunch I had packed from my hotel. 

It was hard to get a good close up picture because at noon the sun was always there looking up. When I finally arrived having pass through many ancient gates and fortifications 

I found that this castle and unlike some that had been left to fall apart this one had been beautifully restored into a hotel and restaurant. Being Monday it was closed but there was an old guy who worked there. As with everyone in Italy he was friendly and invited me in for a tour all the way to the very top.

....... with a nice view over at the neighbors place ......

After the full tour we sat down to chat and he insisted I join him in having a glass of local wine he had on tap.

..... I just love Italy ..... he told me all about the American cities he had visited when he was young working in the merchant marine. And about the wedding with 150 guests they had the day before. He tried to get me to stay and said a room with breakfast was only 80 uro. But being only noon I had further east and more adventure in store for the day.

...touring more beautiful country with more vineyards and castles I began to think about where to stay that night and when I stopped for an afternoon coffee in a small town  ......

....... I asked the locals and ........

........ with typical hospitality the Italian version of the official French tourist office went to work, to get me a reservation in the next village.

....... and before you could say a riva derchi !!!!!!! I had a room reserved in a town another few hours riding.

With the sun getting low I ended a great day tired and thirsty and stopped at the first lively looking place in Gavi,  my home for the night.

....... In Italy when you sit down and order a beer ....... this is what you get without asking ...... Almost a full meal of appetizers.

..... after a cold refresher I had another great dinner at the hotel in town and a restful night to get ready for my next day.