In the Veneto

May 9, 2023

Vittorio Veneto to Portogruaro

Alter a solid day yesterday we slept in. It’s a sprinters stage today with the flat lands of the Veneto a welcome relief. We’ve had to change our plans a little due to a slight mapping error on my behalf. Somehow I seemed to have missed about 150 kilometres somewhere east of Palmanova making today a 237 kilometre day if we’d stuck to my schedule. Just a normal day for the lads in the Giro but probably not for us. So the re-route is further south to Portogruaro where we can catch a train to Trieste and then on to Slovenia.

It’s after a 11.00 by the time we roll out of the old town. It’s turned into a nice sunny day with the temperature into the 20’s. Only one layer for only the second time on this trip!

There’s no bike paths today so we’re on roads all day. Once we left Vittorio Veneto they’re generally quiet and we wind through some very old walled towns. It’s just nice having the sun on your back.

A last look back at the Dolomites. It looks wet and cold up there.

We make good progress and I stick to John like glue to avoid any potential mishaps. Lunch is in a field under some trees and the mid afternoon beverage is a cold coke rather than a hot chocolate.

It’s so much warmer here. He was very proud of his roses.

We rode along the top of many levee banks.

I’m desperately hoping ‘E’NATO’ translates to ‘WELEASE’ in English

Thanks to our late start we don’t roll into Porto Gruaro until after 6.30. A friendly lady helps us find the underpass to get us past a 4 lane freeway and is keen to practice her English which is way better than our Italian. She undersells her home town dramatically but we find it to be impressive. It’s again very old but quite lively with lots of bars and cafes. It has a Venice feel about it, with windy little passages opening onto piazzas, some canals, but no gondolas to be seen.

Mayor Augustus (1232-1258) regrets accepting cheapest quote from Pisa Constructions PTY LTD.

The ‘All you can eat ‘ sushi bar offering at the hotel we’re staying at seems somewhat unusual so we wander out to find something a bit more traditional. After the usual evening dilemma of what to wear, I opt for grey trousers, brown shoes and set it off with a black cycling top. Velo-Chic I like to call it. After a quick beer we find a trattoria down an alleyway with a surly bar-tender that allocates tables according to attractiveness and visible cleavage. After about 15 minutes of standing around we wave goodbye to Sergio, suggest he apply for a job at Orange Mobile and try looking for another eatery. That we do and again we luck in with the place we find. After devouring a massive charcuterie plate my desire for pasta is wholly fulfilled courtesy of a big bowl of fettuccine. Our sensible decision to skip desert only lasts until the gelato bar on the way back to the hotel.

We pass on the sushi train as we head up to our room for a well needed sleep.

Today's ride: 81 km (50 miles)
Total: 1,182 km (734 miles)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	11
Comment on this entry	Comment	0