May 24, 2023 to May 26, 2023
In transit
Durfort - Vidauban
This morning again rain, but today is to be a day in the car. We are on our way to Italy. The sun comes out for a while, and the traffic isn't too bad. Our goal for today is Vidauban, still in France, a 500 km drive which is enough for me for one day. Almost there we get caught in a torrential downpour, there is so much water on the windshield that you can hardly see the road. After a tense ten minutes it passes.
I never thought I would need to consult the elevation profile when booking a hotel on a car trip. But when we get to Vidauban, which I chose only because it was the right distance and right price, we end up in its outskirts up a tiny narrow ramp of a road to our B&B. It's almost too much for our little Skoda. The place is very quiet, a treat after a day in the car on fast moving highways. Of course there is no place to eat far and wide and we are not keen on getting in the car again. Our hostess suggests we have pizza delivered, and she can supply a bottle of wine. Perfect!
Vidauban - Stradella
I wake up to stange sounds, a dull rumble. Then I realize it's thunder, and it gets louder and louder and it is pouring outside. The electricity goes off and a few drops of water drip from the ceiling of our room. I don't think I have ever seen a downpour like this before. Well, good this isn't a day of cycling. Bad enough on the road in the car.
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Fortunately the rain lets up before we leave but we get a few more showers before the sun eventually comes out. We have fewer kilometers today than yesterday but we're on a slower highway. The A8 along the coast of France into Italy is a series of curves and tunnels that we share with a steady stream of trucks, a roller coaster that goes on for hours. Janos is an excellent driver, but my nerves are frazzled by the time we reach Stradella where I have booked a B&B. Even Janos found it hair raising.
Again we find ourselves on a mountain top, but at least there is a restaurant within walking distance, a pizzeria. Oh no, not pizza so soon again. We are happy that they also have excellent gnocchi and ravioli. Welcome to Italy!
A few shots on our little walk to dinner.
Stradella - Padua
Buongiorno! The sun is shining! Another couple of hours on the autostrada and we are in Padua. The traffic is dense and fast moving but not as bad as yesterday. We find public parking on the edge of town and assume no one wants to steal our old, beat up car the two weeks we are gone. With loaded bikes we follow the route we created to Casa Battisti where we will stay for one night.
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After getting settled in and rested a bit, we go out for a walk and food.
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At the end of our two-week loop we will be back in Padua and will be able to poke around some more in this beautiful city.
Tomorrow we are back on our bikes.
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