Cycling Tour 2009 Mai Roma - Venice
Together with Mildrid, Kjell Sponås and Oddvar Leirdal
20.05 Arrived at the airport in Rome without Oddvar's one sidecar. He took a taxi to the hotel and went to town to buy clothes. Mildrid, Kjell and I rode through the city and to the hotel where we arrived at. 10:30 p.m.. Longer than far to ride, and hard to find. Heavy traffic through the center - around the Colluseum. Have lunch at the bridge Ponte Sant Angelo.
Fiumicino - Roma (East) 70 km 21.05 Started from the hotel at. 9:30. Flat wheels at Mildrid. Found the road to Rieti right away. Some traffic in the beginning, but after about 1h the traffic declined. Great nature. Took lunch about 3 miles before Rieti up on the "mountain". Arrived at Rietikl. 4:30 p.m.. (followed SS4) Stayed at hotel Europe.
Roma - Rieti 71 km 22.05 Mildrid forgot the bike bags at the hotel .. Was guided out of town and on the road to Terni. Little traffic and great scenery. Had lunch at Piediluco by the sea of the same name. 30 gr. Steep downhill to Terni. The surroundings are more beautiful than the city. Was hit by a cyclist in the pedestrian zone in the evening, and got a pint in the neck of the waiter at the restaurant in the evening. Stayed at hotel Valentino. Rieti - Terni 56 km 23.05 Started the day cycling for 2 hours before we left the hotel! 17 km wrong in "all directions" .Select as stray SS3 to Foligno. Have lunch in Spoleto, and we had an ice-break in the city of Trevi, which was great on top of a hill. Arrived at Foglio at 19:30. Full party in town - Notte Rosa. Stayed at the hotel Valentini at the train station. Terni - Foligno 82 km (incl. Cycling)
24.05 Arrived at Gubbio at 16:30. Easy way from Foligno. Went with us this year's popular festival in the city - Corsa dei Ceri. (Check youtube) Greatest city so far. Stayed at the Pinolo hotel. Foligno - Gubbio 67 km 25.05 Arrived at Urbino at 21, and the darkness fell on. Had a wonderful day, with the Giro income up on Monte Petrano as a highlight. Bike to Cagli before we started the heavy ride up the mountain in 40 gr. Long to wait, but a lot of fun. Sastre won a leg, Lance Armstrong a little further behind, and Boasson-Hagen put the "bus" even further behind. Thousands of people and lots of cyclists in the mountains. Mildrid punctured at the arrival of Cagli-hot rims. Shared dinner at the hotel in the evening. Stayed at hotel Mamiani as we had booked before leaving home.
Gubbio - Cagli - Monte Petrano - Cagli - Urbino 86 km.
26.05 Bike to San Marino (50 km) where we had lunch. Three heavy, sloping trays in 40 gr. - 45 gr. at most. But a great stretch! San Marino reminded of a large shopping mall for historical reasons. Was met by a big sign with "Systembolaget". Down and flat to Rimini where we arrived at the 17th. Arrived at Cervia at 21 where we entered the hotel Trieste. 26. Urbino - San Marino - Rimini - Cervia 109 km
27.05 Started early from Cervia, and had great speed in the first two hours. Then we got a horrible sidewind for the next two hours until we were past Chioggia. Low transport, high traffic and "little" nature. Arrived at Hotel Gaudi in Mestre at. 21 - pre-booked hotel. (CL final between Man U and Barcelona on TV) Cervia - Mestre 177 km
28.05 Kjell and Oddvar went home - Mildrid and I stayed until 30.05. Venice day (bus), dinner in the evening in Mestre.
29.05 Mestre by day - market - strong wind! Dinner in Venice about the qualms.
30.05 Bike to the airport - return journey.
