Not only had Franco moved in but 5 other tents. One with a baby of course next to me and of course it cried 3 or 4 times during the night and woke me. So my night was fitful.Next morning a slow get up and out the campsite gates. 5km down the road I stopped for C & C.
Straight after coffee the sky darkened and a vicious thunderstorm blessed us with a good few gallons of water. I stood under a petrol station canopy. Then as with all thunderstorms it stopped and the sun shone.The route along the coast can be all cycle path which I took. Along thus route there is the town of San Remo, fsmous fir being the end point if the Milan to San Remo bike race. The longest single stage bike race in professional cycling, 298kms.
So many people riding to the beach. I stopped for coffee and struck up a conversation with an Italian couple neither of us being particularly competent at the other’s language. But they mentioned a place near that they thought worthy of an excursions off the coast. I took up their suggestion and rode to Bussana Vecchia. Abandoned because of an earthquake in 1887 and left derelect until it was repopulate by artists in the 1960s. It is now a beautiful hilltop town full of artists selling their wares. Well worth the upward ride. It is meetings like these that make this trip so rewarding.
A friend in UK mentioned he had a friend who was living in the area and I was offered a bed for the night. Tanc and Sally live in a spectacular hill top village 20km from the coast Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena. I got directions and rode inland. I was told it was up a bit but for some reason I was suffering, there is no shade, the day had been extremely humid but the reward once again worth every pedal stroke, I have to admit I did have a couple of ‘moment’s on the way up of dizziness and heat exhaustion. But in the village I was met by Tanc and treated to a splendid night of, village get togethers, bonfires, and such a great and unexpected time.
A Couple of Days Ride Outta....... 