First day of riding! After a large buffet-style breakfast, we got a slow start due to meeting Giovanni again, checking out gear, getting water, etc, and eventually hit the road at around 10:15. All nine of us rode together in the morning through pretty country roads to Citta di Castello. After lunch, we split up: Joe, Bill, BDan, Scott, and i stayed to explore Citta di Castello a bit while the others headed straight to town. The ride to Montone started out as annoying highway riding, but near the end, we turned off onto a smaller road for the final climb into Montone, a gorgeous walled city up in the hills.
Joe, almost underway |
Scott, Tom, David, Beth, and Lucas, almost underway |
BDan, underway! (leaving Trebbio) |
BDan, riding |
riding through the valley on the way to Citta di Castello |
the group, approaching as i wait on a bridge |
the group, still approaching |
Bill, arriving |
Scott, David, and Tom, arriving |
looking around while we regroup |
leaving the bridge |
valley with mountains in the distance |
closer look at those mountains |
miscellaneous plants |
spiderweb on plants |
more valley and mountains |
the group rides by a building covered in moss |
Tom, by a neat-looking house |
more houses |
arched brick ceiling inside restaurant in Citta di Castello |
We had lunch at a place whose name matched one of Iron Donkey's recommendations, but we think it was a different place. The waitress spoke no English, but we managed our way through ordering what turned out to be a large lunch. Our antipasti included bruscetta with liver pate, then i had a stroganoff-like dish of beef and mushrooms in a cream sauce. |
panorama of countryside near Citta di Castello |
alley in Citta di Castello |
BDan and Scott in an alley |
basement window |
pedestrian bridge |
We can't see the Duomo because it's closed until 15:30. Bill and Joe are devastated |
archway over the door of the cathedral, which is open |
inside the cathedral |
ceiling inside the cathedral |
dome interior, in the cathedral |
inside the cathedral |
view from park in Citta di Castello |
view from park in Citta di Castello |
a covered outdoor escalator |
statue of Garibaldi, in Citta di Castello |
sometimes you gotta have a giant elephant topiary |
BDan, riding |
view after leaving Citta di Castello |
view after leaving Citta di Castello |
view after leaving Citta di Castello |
more views: we were riding along the highway here, so it was tempting to stop and take pictures often |
this is not Montone |
Scott taking a picture |
mountains |
more countryside and mountains |
this is Montone! |
on the climb to Montone |
Montone! (not done climbing yet, but the sign is encouraging) |
panorama, just beginning the climb to Montone |
panorama, further along the climb |
looking back down at the valley as we climb |
more valley — it's getting further away |
We made it! View from the little balcony of our hotel room in Montone |
the valley, seen from our hotel room balcony |
walking around Montone |
the streets of Montone |
the parking situation in Montone |
more views of the valley |
Bill looks at a World War memorial |
ruined building in Montone |
window of ruined building |
We bought some crackers, spreads, and wine, and had a sundowner on the enormous balcony outside of David and Tom's room. There were 500 million ants doing busy ant things, but they did not bother us at all because we were on vacation. |
view from Tom and David's balcony |
Scott on the balcony |
sunset in Montone |
dessert at Erba Luna, tiramisu on a chocolate shell |
Interior of Erba Luna, a restaurant made from a converted stable. We had a slight comedy of errors getting a reservation made (no fault of the restaurant's), but the food was terrific: i had ravioli with scallops, and there were several creative appetizers, including smoked mozzarela and something called 'brik with egg' |
closeup of ceiling at Erba Luna |