In Pesaro: Fano loop

May 11, 2023

As expected, yesterday was a complete rainout. We completed a few errands and I went out for about an hour to look around town during one of the few short breaks in the weather; but in general we took a bona fide rest day and were glad to have such a comfortable place to take it in.

We wouldn’t have been surprised if today was a wash also - after all, that was our reason for extending our stay here, so we wouldn’t be spending today biking to Rimini in the rain. There’s definitely rain in the day, but we’re pleased to see a five hour gap in the afternoon - enough time for an outing of some sort. It’s quite windy though, so it’s no surprise that Rachael’s hoofing it.

Winds don’t usually stop me from getting out on the bike, unless there’s rain thrown in to the package. The wind does influence my plans though, and I spend considerable time staring at the map and gaming out the terrain trying to come up with a route where my choice of direction and the lay of the land might dampen its impact. I’m hopeful about what I end up with - a box-shaped loop that begins with a flat run down the coast to Fano and then circles back through the hills, gradually climbing until topping out and then dropping the last five miles back to town. With today’s strong northwester (a Maestrale, according to the wind roses I’ve seen here that label the directions), I should have a full-on tailwind along the coast, find some relief from the wind climbing through the hills, and save some wear on the brakes at the end when the wind’s in my face coasting back to town.

That’s the plan anyway. How was the execution?

The eight mile run down to Fano was just as expected - a flat, easy ride that takes nothing out of me as I’m blown southeast the whole way. It’s a nice ride on a good bike path that takes me right next to the coast through a string of resorts part of the way and for the rest I’m just inland sandwiched between the rail line and SS16.

Heading southeast, passing one resort after another along the long, straight, sandy beach between Pesaro and Fano. It reminds me of the coast between Termoli and Vasto.

There’s a decent Maestrale on today. For the moment at least I’m going the right direction to benefit from it.

When I come to Fano I decide to detour slightly and bike out to the end of the breakwater thinking I might spot a bird or two (I don’t) and get some interesting views (I do).

On the breakwater protecting Fano’s harbor. At the time I thought this was a river running in, but it’s actually the end of the ten mile long Albani Canal built in the 1600’s to divert water from the Metauro River for industrial purposes.

The canal apparently brings a huge amount of sediment down out of the hills, because Fano’s harbor and the mouth of the canal are both a rich mocha color.

Zooming in on Pesaro, eight miles up the coast.

I hadn’t planned to stop at Fano at all, because I don’t really have the time to spare if I want to return home dry. The route I mapped skirts the edge of the city, trying to avoid it as much as possible. When I look to the side though and see the Arch of Augustus beckoning me its way, I can’t resist. I’ll just bike a couple of blocks down to the gate for a quick shot or two and then move on, is my thinking.

That was my thinking; but once I get to the gate and look inside it’s obvious that I can’t just turn right around. Fano is a remarkable place - I had no idea - and it’s an hour and a half before I bike back through the gate again. We’ll leave it for now, but look for a photo dump in the coming days.

The Arch of Augustus, built in 9 AD during the reign of Augustus Caesar.

I don’t start biking again right away when I escape Fano. I’m concerned about the time because I’ve spent so much of my weather window here and still have a hilly thirty miles ahead of me. Consideration is given to the ide of just biking back to town the way I came, but first I check the weather app to see how the forecast is holding up. I decide that if I keep on task and have reasonable luck I can fit the whole ride in. And if I’m not lucky? Well, let’s just hope that doesn’t happen.

The flat, easy riding continues for the next ten miles as I more or less follow the course of the Albani Canal to its source on the Metauro River. As I hoped, the terrain is my friend here and the Maestrale isn’t bad - if anything I’ve still got a bit of a tailwind, which is apparently curving around the hills and bending inland here.

The climbing begins when I turn the corner of my rough box again, cross the Metauro, and start biking northwest. It’s a steady but manageable climb for the next seven miles, gaining 1,300’ before topping out. And my game plan has worked brilliantly so far, as the ridge I’m crossing completely blocks the wind.

And it’s a very scenic ride, through the familiar agrarian Marche countryside I admired biking San Bartolo two days earlier. The surprise is how scenic the hill towns are that I bike through or nearby as I climb.

In Marche. The architecture has definitely changed from our movement up coast from Puglia.

In Marche. This is such a lovely region. I remember still how attractive we found it when we crossed over from Umbria twenty years ago on our way to Ancona and Croatia.

The castle walls of Saltara, a town that looks well worth exploring if more time were available.

My route climbs to and passes beneath the walls of Saltara. Sights like this make me think of how good Pasaro (or Fano!) would make as a base for an extended stay. It would make an great outing to bike out to Saltara and spend some time giving it a good look before dropping back to the coast.

More striking Marche scenery, and a worrying sky.

Finally I top out and begin the long drop back to Pesaro. Views are still striking, especially toward the sea now that am above the hills. The sky is looking progressively more ominous though, and as I race downhill and into the wind I hear the rumble of thunder behind me and feel a few sprinkles. The sky is clearer ahead than behind, and I’m racing the front all the way back pleading to my lucky stars that this not be the day I get a flat or mechanical. I’m heard apparently and stay a step ahead of the storm all the way down, arriving dry around 4:30. Fifteen minutes later we start hearing thunder again and then see flashes of lightning out our window, and then the roof falls in. If I’d been fifteen minutes later I’d have been a goner.

Darker looking behind me, and coming my way.

Nearing Pesaro, with the land flattening out.

Ugh. I’ve arrived not a minute too soon.

Heart

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Ride stats today: 41 miles, 2,100’; for the tour: 1,083 miles, 55,700’

Today's ride: 41 miles (66 km)
Total: 1,078 miles (1,735 km)

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Ben ParkeMany years ago riding along the Main river I had a similar race with a storm. This was back in the day when I didn’t reserve a hotel in advance. I had problems finding a place to stay. I reached the hotel just minutes before the skies opened up and dumped a storm of near biblical proportions.
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Ben ParkeWe seem to specialize in this. We’ve had a number of such experiences, arriving just before all hell breaks loose. There are few better feelings.

And we’ve lost our share too though.
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1 year ago

Rachel and Patrick HugensSeems like we are all cycling in the rain
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1 year ago

Scott AndersonTo Rachel and Patrick HugensYep. It’s not really why we imagined for this part of the tour.
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1 year ago