This time last year: May 31st, 2007 Thursday 9:50pm.
Cycle Europe Day 16: Train from Finale Ligure to Riomaggiore, bike 25 miles to Marina di Massa.
Good day today. Got up early to start off with breakfast and 2 cups of strong chocolate with milk from the machine. Was out before 8:15am. Managed to catch an even earlier train than I originally planned, at 8:42am direct. No switch required. Bicycle carriages are in the front, remember.
The views were not as impressive. There were many tunnels as we had to make our way past those cliffs again. Good thing I didn’t ride that coast again. Went past Genova and saw that as Tahana said, it was a bit more industrial since it used to be an old port. There was nothing notable there or anywhere else along the coast by train. Even as we entered the Cinque Terre region, there was still too many tunnels to get any sort of view. Had lunch on train, salami sandwich that I made my own.
Got off at Riomaggiore and took some sign pictures. A bit too commercialised with too many tourists even in this shoulder season. Arrived at 12:30pm so it was about 3:45 hours train ride. Then started my climbs. It was quite steep in the village but it got better once I got to higher ground where I could actually cycle. I pushed my bike through the steeps and cycled from highway SP370 onwards. It was an easy ride from then on. Plenty of downhill to spare in bits and pieces to keep things interesting. Unfortunately for a motorcyclist on a Harley Davidson, his day for worse. Not sure how he crashed after a tunnel but was conscious and 2 other men were there to help. I only offered my prayer that he would get the help that he needs and that he will encounter God through this experience.
Going into La Spezia was interesting because it might have been a road used by Giro d’Italia with greetings painted over the road. There were also signs (-8), (-7), (-6) as you got up higher (I was going downhill) to tell you how many switchbacks are left. Hairpin turns. Probably for the King of Mountain (GPM) jersey. Surprisingly easy ride after that.
Hostel is cheap but they charge extra for gas cooking. Managed to buy spaghetti stuff and cooked 2 potatoes to fill up. Overhauled my bike: clean transmission drive train, switch front to back tyre, and shifted my weight distribution of the rear rack closer over the wheel to improve handling by reducing wagging tail effect. Good job, feels like now.
Short ride to Pisa tomorrow so I should get to climb it then. We’ll see. Another few more major highlights coming up. Saved a day at Genova to get back on schedule.
Day 16 Accounts
Train Ride €11.20 Finale Ligure to Riomaggiore (€7.70 + €3.50 Ciclo)
Lunch €1.97
Dinner €2.68 Spaghetti
Hostel €11.00 Marina di Massa
Gas €0.70 (wasted €0.20)
Total €27.55