Day 10 - Ravenna to Pesaro - Oh The Places You'll Go - 2025 - CycleBlaze

April 20, 2025

Day 10 - Ravenna to Pesaro

With a Little Help From Our Freinds - Again

Our original plan for today was to cycle all the way from Ravenna to Pesaro, about 103 km’s with about 80 of these along the flat resort laden (infested?) coast. The really interesting riding wouldn’t start until Cattolica some 20 km’s south of Rimini where we’d have a great ~25 km ride through the hills of Parco Naturale Monte San Bartolo.

Given that it was also Easter weekend and we saw the start of the crowd buildup along the beach resorts on Friday, we decided to get a little train help again and shorten the beach riding time.

Great choice we think! We caught the 10:20 train from Ravenna to Rimini. No late platform changes - no drama at all really - roll on, roll off trains, great bike storage (panniers stayed on the bikes) and in under an hour later we were in Rimini and ready to start.

Rimini seems to be the epicentre of the beach resort culture here, and although there is a very nice bike path that runs the entire way along the beach, at time it was impassable due to the throngs of people, on foot, on bikes, on/in four wheel pedal cars, scooters, skateboards, those one wheel electric things …. You get the drift.

We had 20 km’s of this and the people concentration did decrease continually, until we reached Cattolica and the start of the hills.

We did make a short lunch stop along the beaches in Misano Adriatico at Balubino al Mare, a very lively sea food restaurant. It was probably even more lively than normal given that it was Easter Sunday and families were out in force for lunch. The proprietor, we’ll call him Guido for lack of a real name, seemed to know everyone and kept the place alive with his greetings and general banter. A simple and quick lunch (Pizza for K and seafood ravioli for me) and we were on our way.

The approximately 25 km ride through Monte San Bartolo was sensational. The initial climb out of Cattolico was short but very intense (we both checked out our lowest gearing on our new bikes - still not enough for one short 20%+ section) and then it was rolling hills with incredible views alternating between the Adriatic and the rolling hills of Le Marche.

We were soon in Pesaro, back into ‘beach land’ but a little less intense than Rimini!

So long Ravenna!
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On the train, the quick way to Rimini!
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Now in Rimini and ready to ride
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Nice bike infrastructure. This was one of the few places I felt I could stop and take a picture. Anywhere else I’d be part of the congestion problem!
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Karen PoretThose light pole shapes are so interesting-fun!
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6 days ago
Still some work to be done. We had a few diversions.
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When we see one of these, we know we’re getting out of our comfort zone.
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Jacquie GaudetWhen I see these, I always think of the time I was passed by one as I pedalled up a hill in Arcos de la Frontera (https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/andalusia2021/sevilla-to-arcos-de-la-frontera/)
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6 days ago
Lyle McLeodTo Jacquie GaudetYes, I can see why you HAD to keep going! We all would have felt that. We were lucky here, we could just flee the other way on flat pavement ;)
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6 days ago
Great place if you’re ever in Misano
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Finally, at the southern terminus of the beach. Fairly quiet here but this sort of beach infrastructure continues on for about 80 km’s north!
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Now we’re into some great cycling country
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Looking NW into Le Marche near Rimini. Great weather for biking but not so great for photos, a little overcast and hazy.
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Same spot but NE towards the Adriatic
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Someone is getting their lunch delivered quickly! We were sharing the road with other bikes, motorcycles and cars, all in about equal proportions, and everyone truly sharing.
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The Panda was loving the ride.
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Lyle McLeodTo Anne MathersYou never know what going to see. That why you have to keep going!
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6 days ago
The Adriatic south towards Pesaro
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Today’s summit, just shy of 200 m right above the Adriatic
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Looking north from the summit. Lovely little village of Fiorenzuola di Focara
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Now rolling net downhill to Pesaro
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More beautiful views SW into Le Marche
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… and more still
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The Adriatic and terraced vineyards
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We were soon in Pesaro and checked into our older but very nice hotel a couple of blocks off the beach. 

We’d realized that we may have made a fatal error in not scoping out, and reserving a place for dinner given that it was Sunday … and Easter Sunday no less …. In a beach resort town. We started out on an almost aimless walk into  town, trying to see what Google said was open and available (not much to no surprise) when Kirsten spotted a woman standing outside what looked to be another closed restaurant. 

After a quick conversation, it turned out the place was opening at 7:30 and since it was already past 7 (just) the kind lady said we could come right in and get started.

Another great ‘stumble upon’!, one of the best actually, L’ Amo Osteria di Mare!

Once again the first folks here, and once again it would be packed out in short order
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antipasto - cold seafood platter
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K’s primo , orecchiette seppie with squid pumpkin and turnip greens
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Karin KaarsooThe plates are interesting. Did they look like the interior of shells in real life? They do in the photos.
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6 days ago
Kirsten KaarsooTo Karin KaarsooYes, they did.
Many of places we have eaten at have had lovely ceramic crockery. I want to take pictures all the time. They are often beautiful blues and greens.
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6 days ago
My primo - Tagliolini with clams, shrimp, squid and mussels
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We shared a secondi of grilled seafood. All of it was superb
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ann and steve maher-wearyI loved everything about the look of this meal. Yumm!
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6 days ago
Lyle McLeodTo ann and steve maher-wearyHard to go wrong in this part of the world. Two more days of this and then it’s a boat to Croatia. Are you two hitting the road this season?
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6 days ago
ann and steve maher-wearyHi Lyle and Kirsten
Yes we are, in late August and we are planning on going to Croatia too. So we will be following your travels this spring. Our daughter is getting married in July and then our travel plans will get into gear. You guys are having a great adventure !
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6 days ago
Lyle McLeodTo ann and steve maher-wearyCongrats on your daughter’s wedding. Is she the Oxford grad from last year? Hope you have a great time in Croatia and it’s not too hot in August. It’s almost perfect cycling temperatures now, high teens to low 20’s. On the ferry and will be sailing to Split in the next hour!
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4 days ago
ann and steve maher-wearyHi Lyle and Kirsten,
Yes she is. And it's almost two years already since she graduated. Time is flying by. We are thinking of starting in Basel in late Aug and probably won't get to Croatia until Sept. Looking forward to seeing where you are heading to this week.
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4 days ago
walked past the illuminated ‘sphere’ in the main town square on our way home. Very pretty old town away from the beach scene.
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SOTD 

Last night when I was working on the blog, the news flash popped up that Pope Francis had just died. The first thing that popped into my (atheist) head was the line “nobody calling on the phone, ‘crept  for the Pope maybe in Rome” from Joan Osborne’s ‘One of Us’.

My limited impression of Francis is that he was more of a regular person than some of the other more recent Popes, maybe a ‘slob like one of us’ - and taking slob just to mean another regular Joe.

One of Us by Joan Osborne

Good night from Pesaro
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Karen PoretAgreed about the timing of the Pope’s death..Easter Monday, no less. What choreography for the soccer loving man with half a lung. RIP.
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6 days ago

Today's ride: 48 km (30 miles)
Total: 581 km (361 miles)

Rate this entry's writing Heart 7
Comment on this entry Comment 10
Anne MathersA perfect SOTD, Lyle. I heard the big news here, first.
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6 days ago
Karin KaarsooTo Anne MathersReporter Lyle on the job!
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6 days ago
Kirsten KaarsooTo Karin KaarsooGood one Karin!
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6 days ago
Lyle McLeodTo Anne MathersThanks. I was hoping folks would see it in this light.
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6 days ago
Emma FosterHave just finished reading all 14 of your entries and enjoyed reading every single well thought out word and accompanying music too.
Thought the last song was as you so aptly said quite appropriate ;). Wondering also said Pope’s death is going to affect your days to come.
Enjoy!
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6 days ago
Lyle McLeodTo Emma FosterHi Emma, glad to see you’re following along:) We’re leaving Italy in about 48 hrs but we’re heading to pretty Catholic Croatia. There seems to be lots of TV coverage but otherwise life seems normal. I’m blaming Vance. QEII passed just a few hours after meeting Liz Truss, seems to be a contagious thing
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6 days ago
Jill WheatleyYou are both looking (& sounding) so healthy and strong ~ so much admiration for your effort to make this adventure happen🙌🏽. Thanks for the window seat ….as the snow falls in Canmore
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6 days ago
Karen PoretTo Lyle McLeodYes, too bad his audience with Vance even occurred. Now I read that DT will attend the Pope’s funeral ..WHY?
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6 days ago
Lyle McLeodTo Karen PoretIMHO the Catholic Church should follow the lead of Cindy McCain.
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6 days ago
Kirsten KaarsooTo Jill WheatleyYou are welcome Jill. We are happy you are following along. We love getting comments too. Sorry about the snow!
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5 days ago