N: 40km done so far, now I have some easy 30km, then 10–15km of shit and I’m in Arezzo. There I’ll have 100km of pure flatness so I’ll check how much time I have before sunset. Now I’m eating in a spagetteria, fabulous carbonara for 5€. How are you doing?
L: Food is scarce, all closed (the time zone maybe?). Started after one but found a Decathlon. Just got a flat tire. Terrain very nice.
N: I thought I was going to die in Arezzo, some very worrisome knee pain, but when getting out of it I found a wonderful EuroVelo completely isolated of cars, well signalised and fucking flat. A guy gave me two gazowanas and some bread, so let’s see how far I reach now. By the way, so far 110km and I also reached my 3000km right now. How are you doing?
L: 98 or so. Siena’s straight ahead. Let’s see wether that hostel has some closet under the staircase left. Otherwise the campsite. Large animals in the forests… Maybe just deer. But someone in Firenze has told me they had seen a boar.
L: didn’t even see the hostel. Campsite: 18.—€. Wish we could split those up. Well, better than being gored by a boar.
N: right, I’ve done ~140km and there is the Chiusi lake with huts and resting places just 15km ahead of me, or Chiusi itself an extra 5, otherwise I’m in the middle of nowhere, and I already hit something before that threw me to the ground and almost broke my handlebag, and when I came back there was absolutely nothing on the way so I’ll always be a mystery.
N: Holy mother of San Sebastian
N: THERE ARE FUCKING BOARS EVERYWHERE!!!
N: I just saw a huge black mass 10km ago running ahead of me and I yelled and panicked and then there were more and more all the time and I cycled to a camping in Lago di Chiusi that I saw in the maps and it’s closed but they didn’t secured the lock in the fence and I sneaked in and I hope they don’t shot me in the morning.
L: anecdotal evidence suggests to not move in front of the boars. Please verify before actually encountering them again.
N: big black masses, I’m going to ask what kind of animals do they have in this region. Anyway, 156km done yesterday, if I now do 200km of mountains I might just arrive to Rome today xD
N: I just poured water on my brakes after a terrible downhill and I literally saw the water evaporating as soon as it touched them. I’ll record the same experiment on the next descent 😀
N: I’m so much in trouble. Trapped in a Sandomierz style thunderstorm in Baschi quite helpless, this is shit
L: I heard some thunder, but it’s gone and Siena stayed dry and sunny. You mean I could expect some fun tomorow? You know, it’s tradition to have a grand finale.
N: another day of sleeping in the streets, I found a nice medieval passage behind the town’s church, looks empty, dry and warm. Still 140km to Rome and tomorrow might still be wet although no storm, so I guess I’ll need two days, at least doing as much as possible tomorrow so I arrive to Rome the earliest on the next day. Bloody thunderstorms, always working out with the finales.
L: which city are you in? Baschi?
N: yeah Baschi, just a bit after Orvieto. I’m ringing bells and the best I’ve got is people calling to remote and expensive hotels for me.
L: but the passage is fine, at least? 🙁
N: holy shit after a lot of asking I made the whole town ask everyone else until they found a random friend of a friend of a friend who offered a free room for any donation, gave her 15€ and I’m afraid she was expecting more but at least didn’t complain. So now, shower and sleep.
L: you might remember Paria, Parella, Firenze, but Baschi remembers you.
L: 25km from Siena to Asciano; huge, thunderous clouds to my right all the time with thick grey rain curtains. When it caught up I hid under a tree. Rain was over after five minutes. Hope to stay that lucky, the sky still looks indecisive.
N: the storm seems to be moving northwest, so from my position to yours. I’m supposed to encounter some light rain today but so far I have a Saharan sun and I’m just at 60km from Rome.
N: IN HONOREM PRINCIPIS APOST FRANCISCUS I BVRGHESIS ROMANVS PONT MAX AN MMXVI PONT III
L: yeah, and I just arrived in Chiusi, where there is a warmshowers bloke. Description reminded me a bit of Gunar. Meet up every moment.
L: no, actually he’s alright. Only two downsides: he wants a monetary contribution for the dinner he made (fine dinner, fair enough) and speaks fantastic German (and French. He’s beyond help. Where are you staying? Host? —el?
N: hostel, didn’t even bother to look for CS. Found one in front of Termini for 21€ the night. I’m feeling, as you would say, decadent. And exhausted xD
L: go to the statue in front of Termini. You’ll see which one I mean. You could have slept inside it.
N: oh, I didn’t notice I was already home, that was quick.
N: so, I made friends with the pilgrim organisation, got a pilgrim paper with my name, entered the basilica three times without cues, got two tickets for the audience with Paco this Wednesday morning, and some truly unique postcards I’m waiting for you to arrive and enjoy.
N: by the way, be careful with the wild animals around Chiusi; Orvieto and Orti are super beautiful and fun to climb, and from Orti the way to Rome is very straight and easy, unless you’re being chased by a windy thunderstorm, or you take the detour to Viterbo.
L: wednesday morning? Fuck, no time to see Viterbo then. I’m standing in front of the cathedral in Orvieto right now, tonight I have a host in Vitorchiano. How’s the train stuff doing?
L: Öh, now got my thunderstorm. Standing under a dry medieval arch. Really! In the castell in Orvieto.
L: wow, I think that due to Orvieto’s situation the weather gets a bit extreme here. I mean, horizontal rain –ok, seen it, been there. T h i s rain goes up again, so strong does the storm blow.
N: that storm looks familiar, I think I get what you mean. So, when are you arriving to Rome? Weather says another storm on Thursday but very clear today and tomorrow.
L: I’m leaving Vitorchiano right now. Don’t like to, it’s the most beautiful village I’ve seen so far in Italy and the host is awesome, but Pope. Going to have a look at Viterbo for a few hours too (7km from here). Are there still free rooms in the hostel and how much is it?