May 27, 2023
Padua - Este
This is new - the sun is shining the second day in a row. We haven't seen this much sun and blue sky since we left the Provence. It is even warmer than it was in the Provence three weeks ago. At last I don't need long pants to protect my legs from the cold - or from the sun. Our last day cycling in the Provence was a long and sunny ride and I got a dreadful rash on my legs, a kind of sun allergy. Today is the first time I have exposed my legs to the sun since then. With lots of sun screen this time.
Riding out of Padua demands a lot of concentration. Although we are mostly on marked bike paths, they don't make for easy riding for various reasons. Sometimes it's bad surfaces, or they stop and leave you in the middle of an intersection, or cars are parked on them, and so forth, all the problems that well meant but not well constructed bike paths can present.
After we get out of Padua we are on a bike path that follows the Canale di Battaglia. The first few kilometers have recently received a new layer of gravel which is unpleasant to ride and I am hoping that it doesn't go on like that all the way to Este. It's not a long distance, only about 30 km on the canal, but when asphalt appears I am very relieved.
There are a few sights along the canal that break the monotony and we stop in Monselice for our picnic lunch. The whole day the Euganean Hills are to our right, a group of mountains of volcanic origin.
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Fortunately an early check in is possible at Hotel Beatrice, a very comfortable hotel wtih an uncomplicated bike storage. We just roll in to the hotel through the side door, drop our bags in front of the elevator and park the bikes in a room next to the elevator. Perfetto!
We planned time to visit the grounds of the Castello Carrarese di Este before dinner. Again no luck - the castello and gardens are closed for restoration.
Today's ride: 34 km (21 miles)
Total: 840 km (522 miles)
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