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With Nic’s gears still unfixed we started the third major mountain range of our trip: The Appenines that run down the length of Italy like a backbone.
The climb was easier than we feared, alas there were few towns or areas to rest along the way. So every day we had to cycle longer distances to find somewhere to sleep. One evening we arrived in a fairly large town (according to the map!) at dusk to find out that there were no hotels or rooms to stay – in fact even the local suggestion of pitching the tent on the cobblestone floor of the town square was not do-able. However, Nic put on his big blue eyed expression of being lost and forlorn while Sedef chatted up the old men in the tabacchia, eventually we were saved by one man who led us by car (in pitch darkness) to an agriturismo (farmhouse with rooms), 3 km away. Nic struggled to keep up with him as he disappeared around bends, while Sedef huffed and puffed to keep up and see where they went! Needless to say, we made it and had a great homecooked meal made entirely with produce from the farm, oh and wine.
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Next morning the landlady gave us a guided tour of the farm complete with almost every kind of fruit and vegetable (no pineapples though :p ), including some livestock too. Back on the road and ten minutes later we were hailed by Silvio, a local man who had lived in America until he retired and returned home. He selfishly loaded us up with fresh figs, bread, sausage, tomatoes and milk – which made a great lunch for us later on in the middle of nowhere. Unfortunately, we had to turn down his offer of having lunch with him – bet it would have been good… Nic was saying for at least the next hour!!
The south of Italy may not be quite as prosperous as the North, but the friendliness of the people certainly made up for it. Thanks to the guys at La Bicicletta in Trani for finally fixing Nic’s gears at last! After all that it wasn’t the cable, but the cable housing that was at fault!!
