I NEED TO SKIP BACK TO LAST EVENING. MY DEAR FRIEND AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATE, PAOLA BEDIN SURPRISED ME WITH A VISIT LAST EVENING, DRIVING IN FROM VINCENZA WHICH IS APPROXIMATE 1.5 HOURS FROM REGGIO EMILIA. SHE BROUGHT HER PARENTS (WHOM WE’D MET ON A PREVIOUS TRIP TO ITALY), THE LOVELIEST PEOPLE YOU’D EVER HAVE THE FORTUNE TO MEET.
WE HAD A WONDERFUL DINNER IN THE COURTYARD, SAID OUR GOODBYES AND IMMEDIATELY WENT TO OUR ROOM TO REST FOR THE BIG DAY AHEAD.
WE DEPARTED OUR HOTEL IN REGGIO EMILIA AT 8:00 AM AND MOVED THROUGH THE LOCAL STREETS TO AVOID THE LATER MORNING TRAFFIC. WE HAD A STRETCH OF APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES WHERE THE ROAD WAS RELATIVELY “FLAT”. WE STOPPED FOR A QUICK COFFEE AND HEADED OFF TO TACKLE THE AFTERNOON CLIMBS (ALL 6 OF THEM). AFTER SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING THE CLIMBS WE HAD A LONG, 9 MILE DESCENT INTO PORETTA, OUR HOME FOR THE NIGHT. THE ROADS ON THE DESCENT WERE HORRIBLE. WE REACHED THE HOTEL AT 3:00 PM AND SOME OF THE GROUP WENT FOR THERE RECOVERY DRINK (2 - 3 BEERS EACH) WHILE I WONDERED ACROSS THE STREET FOR MY RECOVERY OF A GELATO MILKSHAKE. TODAYS RIDE WAS 70 MILES WITH 5,300 FEET OF ELEVATION GAIN. WE’RE FULLY INTO THE APENNINES SO MORE CLIMBING IS TO COME.
BEST TO ALL, CIAO, CIAO,
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