September 19, 2023
Day 13: Verona to Vicenza
I heard it through the grapevine
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Today's route brought one killer diller of a hill, as you can see above. More on that in a minute. First, I want to explain a slight change of plans from yesterday. Instead of a campground as a destination, we dialed in the address of our first Warmshowers host in Italy! We were very excited about it. We love to meet new people when we're touring. But seeing as how neither of us really have outgoing personalities, the connections are usually planned rather than spontaneous. This one was pretty last-minute, so maybe it qualifies as spontaneous. I won't be the judge of that.
Because our host was working until 6pm, our normal up-and-at-them routine (said in a Rainier Wolfcastle voice) would have to be modified. Luckily it was a bit cooler today, so riding in the afternoon was still quite pleasant. We left the campground at 9:30am, taking the back way -- the steep way -- out.
Our first stop is often a grocery run, and today was no exception. For once, we found the perfect parking spots:
We made it out of the city remarkably easily. We were happy to cruise along on some fresh new bike paths, and smooth low-traffic roads.
We were treated to many scenes of grape harvesting. After I snapped the photo below, a worker appeared from out of nowhere, held up a huge bunch of grapes, smiled, and jokingly pantomimed throwing them to us. I think we all made one another's days. I wish we were quick enough to snap a photo of the interaction, but we have the story to tell!
About that hill: it was supposed to be steep, and it was! I think 12-15% for the most part. But it was also one false summit after another! We both conquered it without stopping. I was so winded! It was a foolhardy endeavor. If you're approaching from the west, as we did, be forewarned. Take your time, do it right.
We were finally rewarded with a breathtaking view of the flatlands below:
Next came a fun an easy descent, followed by yet more grapevines heavy with fruit, ready for the harvest.
We arrived in the town of Soave just in time for lunch. After searching n vain for a cold drink, we settled on a park bench to feast on our usual assortment of bread, cheese, and salad greens. No sooner did we start digging in, then not one, but two buses pulled up, spilling their guts of German tourists with astonishing speed.
Nevertheless, we were very much at peace with both the meal and our surroundings. We're not experts at killing time, but we're improving little by little.
Soon we were back out on the farm roads. Hey, more grapes! We're cool with that.
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Time to kill more time! We happened upon this little bar with cushy outdoor seating. Too good to pass up.
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I've seen a lot of war memorials in just two weeks of travel. Only now have I bothered to read an overview of Italy's involvement in The Great War. But, as the great spiritual says, "I ain't gonna study war no more." I hope that the statues inspire us to study peace.
The last few kilometers into Vicenza were pleasant but unremarkable. I'd say that's a bonus, since riding into a city js usually pretty hectic.
We dawdled as much as we could, but it still wasn't enough. We arrived at Karin's place at 5pm. And who did we run into but Karin! She of course recognized that the two sweaty bike tourists at the entrance to her building were her guests for the evening. We told her we were just dropping by to make sure we could find her doorbell, and that we would continue on to briefly check out the city center. And we did just that.
We cleaned up, then spent a delightful evening sharing a meal and conversation with Karin and her friend Giulia. They're both cyclists, bike tourists, and bike advocates. Obviously we already had a lot in common, so we had a lot to discuss. We probably stayed up a bit too late and drank a bit too much, considering we had another 75k to ride the next day. But it was going to be flat, and we were going to be off the bikes for another day as a tourist tourist (they don't even allow bikes in Venice due to the narrow streets). So I think we had our priorities straight.
Today's ride: 66 km (41 miles)
Total: 682 km (424 miles)
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