Day 16{ june 10th 2002 }
“Visual orgasm”
What a terrific way to start your day: at Lago di Lecco. Sunrays in abundance, hills in the distance...you name it.The golden arch makes some people happy, and a big mama can’t change the way we feel.
The zipper of my inner tent is opened and a fresh, lovely smelling sea-like scent greets my nostrils. For a change, there is no moisture hanging from the ceiling. I decide to snooze a bit longer. When the outer zipper is opened 5 minutes later(...), I look at a pale blue sky and beautifull green mountains bathing in sunshine in the distance. Oh man, I’m such a lucky guy! Even the most heavily burdened mind will feel at ease when seeing this.
“Someone is smiling at me up in the clouds”
Rick and I go to a local store to re-supply. I take Bianca’s bicycle with me. Huuhh...this is quite different. Long time I sat on a bend-over cycle. The usal croissants and bottles of water are stashed in my panniers when we’re back at the camping. It all adds to the weight. Amazing that my tires are still not punctured because of all the not-anticipated kilo’s. When I think back of all the rubble I had to cope with back in the Ardennes... Someone is smiling at me up in the clouds :)
“The fresh, soothing wind is a marvel”
The route leads alongside steep rocky walls alongside the ‘coast’ of the lake. The temperature has risen to an estimated 24/26 degrees Celcius. It’s just 10 o’clock... The fresh soothing wind is a marvel while on the boat to Bellagio. Majestic Roman villa’s flirt with our eyes in the distance, partly hidden in gardens we’ve only seen in books. This is eye candy of the sweetest kind, a visual orgasm.
“...it might be erased one day from my memory”
I’m proud and thankfull. Proud because I’ve all done it myself (with the help of many others),
and thankfull for the fact that my stubbornness and resilliance brought me here. I desperately try to memorize it all, being scared of the fact that it might be erased one day from my memory. That would be a crying shame.
When we cycle out of Bellagio, we pass pine trees, lush, colourfull architecture and dreamlike views. Slopes provide us with ample shadow, and the sun harmonises all this by warming our backs and faces frequently. Our good mood is boosted to new levels.
“an eerie orange gloom...”
The tunnel in the rocks alongside Lago di Lecco is a bit lengthier then we had expected. Luckily, it’s well lit. It’s
like diving into another world... Colder, noisier, damper and the lights submerge all this into an eerie orange gloom.
Familiarity with the situation adds to the fact that we pass this tunnels in a relatively relaxed way.
The roads get flatter by the mile.
The Po-plains are coming up. Bianca, who has been our navigator for many days, picks Treviglia as the
final goal for this day.
“...surprised of this explosion of interest”
At one given moment when we pass through a small village, a child get’s wildly enthousiatic when I pass.
He throws his toys away, leaving his friends dumb struck. “Amigo amigo!” Bianca is surprised of this ‘explosion
of interest’.
The little guy has grabbed his small bicycle and races after us. He cycles alongside and expresses his utter amazement.
I can see his eyes going back and forth while looking at all the equipment I tote with me. After a 20 metres or so,
he breaks formation and heads back home. Will he be a budding future italian recumbent champion ? Hope so!
“The wear and tear is showing”
The afternoon passes by and our energy reserves are dwindling. A sort of a cross-country route is encountered near Porto d’Adda. The road surface sucks from time to time and occasionally, we have to whip ourselves to overcome very steep angles. A very small unpaved path later on has to be shared with mountainbikers. I’m jealeous of their rock-gripping tires. The wear and tear is showing on mine. The little bit of grip which was present once, has disappeared. Mental note; next time you embark on a journey like this pay more attention to your rubber!
“...he has spotted a golden arch”
We crash at a hotel in Treviglio after having ‘ploughed’ a way through traffic. Pretty cool being sandwiched by cars and trucks of the diesel belching kind. NOT!
It feels a bit like having your hands in a cooky jar, waiting for someone to yell at you; don’t! Surprisingly, the italians let us. No “get of the road”, or other slogans (which we would not have understood anyway :).
Just curious looks and smiling people. Perhaps that is another benefit of riding a recumbent in a foreign country; irritation is overcome by curiousity.
Rick get’s enthousiastic once he has spotted a golden arch on a traffic sign. Bianca revives her energy levels too. No kidding what a logo like that can accomplish :)
“...we seek eye-contact with the big mama”
We are all sweaty and hungry when we seek eye-contact with the big mama behind the counter. She does not seem to have a jolly good time.
She meticulously writes our names in the guest book and grunts directions as to where to park our bicycles and put our luggage. But her mood changes rapidly. Rick’s charm (and tight pants ?) does the trick! We haul our bags to the second floor. Our room is a small oasis. It is cool, there are fresh white sheets, a television and a clean bathroom. What else do tired cyclists want ?
“What a hell of a day it was”
“Pffff, it’s still hot. What time is it? Around six? Let’s freshen up and go for a burger and hit the sack”.
That is the best idea of the day. After having spend some time at the local McDonalds we head for our hotel. Darkness falls.
The day has closed to an end. What a hell of a day it was. What a hell of a beautifull day...
