To Acqui Terme

October 11, 2021

So the WiFi is decent this morning here in Acqui Terme so let’s go back to say a few words about Tortona, a town that will probably figure in on few tourists’ plans. There’s not much to Tortona now, but it was an important Roman city over 2,000 years ago. I took a brief walk through its historical core yesterday after we arrived and came back with an empty camera. I’m not sure I remember that happening before.

We’re staying at a rather odd place, a massive old villa or something. We have a hard time finding anyone around, and once a man does show up he dispenses with us very quickly. You’ve got your key, there’s the room. Any other questions?

Rachael heads off to the grocery while I head to the throne. A minute later I hear a woman’s voice calling out from what sounds like our living room. I quickly reassemble myself, step out, and find a woman in our room, wanting one of her own. She’s stepped in here thinking perhaps it’s the office because she couldn’t find anyone either.

She’s German, speaks little English, but I manage to get across that this is our room, I’m just a guest, and she’ll probably need to telephone to get assistance. I pull out my phone to show her the number, and then just phone myself and hand it to her. A humerous three way conversation ensues, among participants with little language in common. She speaks with him for awhile and gets nowhere, so she hands the phone to me. I succeed in letting him know who I am - the guest he just checked in to room #1 ten minutes ago - but now he’s really confused. Who’s this other woman? A friend? Finally you can almost hear him throw up his arms in exasperation - he’s Italian, after all, so his arms are probably flailing while he’s talking into his phone - and says he’s coming over. He shows up, I smile at the pleasant German lady who expresses her thanks for my assistance, close the door, and return to my own priority.

We have pretty modest expectations for dinner, but are very pleasantly surprised when we land in Pizzeria Ristorante Pace. It’s an excellent place and we enjoy one of the better meals of the tour.

Amazing. This looks like the kind of salmon steak serving I used to get at Grandma and Uncle Harry’s home as a child.

Mine was as good as hers looked. I forget the name, but Google Translate offered ‘scraps of beef’. With tomatoes and olives, and a half bottle of Barbera.

Our impression of our lodging isn’t improved this morning. Two things. One, it’s friggin’ cold! Two, breakfast is meager, with an ultra-teensy cup of espresso, filled about a quarter full with a thin layer that lasted for about two small sips. We supplemented that with a walk to a nearby bakery where a pair of americanos and croissants charged me up for the day.

At ten we decide it’s warm enough to venture out on our bikes. On the way I have another stilted chat with the German guest, who offers up some surprises. She just got her Covid jab a month ago and is excited to be off to America soon for a visit to Washington D.C. and Atlanta. She’s been in America before and lived in New Orleans for a couple of years. Most surprising though is that she said that the place she really loves is Asia. If I understood her correctly, she lived in Myanmar for nine years. It made me really wish we could have had a real conversation.

Finally, we’re off. It’s very cold, until we get out in the sun.

In the courtyard of our villa. Now there’s a ladder I’d be glad to put my faith in.

Leaving Tortona, for surely the last time.

Tortona makes few concessions to bicyclists and it’s no fun biking the narrow, busy highway out of town town until we reach our turnoff. At least the traffic keeps our minds off of the cold.

After that we see that we’re still in the familiar, flat Po valley for a few miles yet. It’s quiet though and a nice ride once the sun starts warming up the day. It’s especially quiet at first because our road is permanently barricaded at a rail crossing, but there’s barely enough room for our bikes to squeeze by. For the next several miles we have the world to ourselves.

In the Po Valley. It’s rather flat here in case you hadn’t heard, but pretty in the morning light.

And then, suddenly, we’re out of it. Halfway through the day’s ride we cross the Torrente Orba and start climbing the first of two 700’ climbs ahead. Halfway up the first one we’re suddenly in terrain so different that it comes as a shock. We’re in the grapes, the vines have turned yellow and red with the autumn, and it’s beautiful. Suddenly you want to stop and take another look at each new bend in the road.

Crossing the Torrente Orba, the ride abruptly changes.

In Castelferro a trio of bikes mark the way through the village.

Suddenly we’re climbing through the vineyards.

A wonderful time to be here. Scenes like this are what I remember from our first tour through the Piemonte.

Every bend in the road brings a new view that captures your attention.

We’re on the Dolcetto route! It gives me ideas for dinner tonight.

Dropping from the first climb. We’ll bottom out when we cross the Spigno and then start climbing again - steeply this time.

Some work is involved, but it’s well worth it.

Three years ago we had plans to come to Acqui Terme, on our way back to the Mediterranean. At the time, our friend Keith Kline informed us that a friend of his ran a B&B in the hills near here. We got rained out on that trip and caught the train to Genoa instead, but Keith reminded us of his friend again when he saw we were planning to come through this year. So we should at least stop in and say hello, even if we had other plans for lodging.

Keith neglected to mention though that Guido lives on top of a cliff. Staggering views from the top, but they were superfluous because we were already staggering when we arrived. I was feeling proud of myself for still being on the bike and moving forward up a 17% slope when we rounded a bend and came to the real climb. biking further was out of the question - it was hard enough just pushing our bikes for the next quarter mile.

It’s a good thing Guido was home! And it was gratifying when he saw that we weren’t on eBikes and said approvingly - real bicycles!

Biking up through Strevi, stopping to recover after a 17 percenter. The first 17 percenter, and not the worst.

Such incredible country though. Worth the pain.

Nearing the top. I think that’s Cascina Marcantonio, Guido’s agritourismo, sticking up above the vines on the left.

Dropping to Guido’s place. Note that he lives down from the top, so we’ll have to push our way back out when he’s done. Thanks, Keith!

What a view though. What an incredible place to call home.

Guido and Rocky. Looks like Guido does a bit of cycling himself.

So that’s the ride. It’s a short two miles from Guido’s joint to Acqui Terme, all downhill. We’ll be here for two nights, so we’ll look around town tomorrow.

Video sound track: Juvenescence, by Yasmin Williams

So why not begin and end a day with food photos, if they’re both worth a look? And yes, Dolcetto was available.

The walk back to our room. Acqui Terme looks like it will be worth a look.

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Ride stats today: 37 miles, 1,800’; for the tour: 1,952 miles, 66,400‘

Today's ride: 37 miles (60 km)
Total: 1,952 miles (3,141 km)

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Keith KleinHi,
Very cool that you could visit Guido’s. Maybe I should have mentioned the climb. Funny, it didn’t seem so bad when I was there eight years ago….
As for Guido’s cycling: he once had a tour that he was guiding in Piemonte followed by another in Toscana separated by two days. Of course he rode his bike from his house to Montefalcone in a single day before leading the second tour. The local cycling clubs like to stop at the cascina for fuel. Always plenty of tales from the road up there!
Cheers,
Keith
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3 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Keith KleinWell, sure - eight years ago. Oh, to be 67 again!
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3 years ago