In Termoli: Molise OAB

May 7, 2023

We have a spacious, comfortable apartment here in Termoli, a place that would work well for an extended stay. Rachael’s apparently been up for awhile when I finally get out of bed and well into her second cup of coffee, though I haven’t been disturbed by it because we have an actual bedroom with an actual door.

Aha! Doesn’t she have a guilty look, wearing my Pendleton without preauthorization?

There are plenty of options for a day ride from here, and in fact our original plan was to stay here four nights and take more advantage of them - an idea that got dropped when we reworked our itinerary a month ago for reasons that escape me now. If we had a do-over available I’d go back and keep that four day stay, but we’re pretty well locked in by our train reservation when we leave here.

Rachael’s wavering on whether to ride with me or take a hike today, so to give her a nudge in the right direction I craft a route I think she’ll look on with favor - an out and back, all on paved roads if RideWithGPS is to be believed this time, and right at the magic distance of 42 miles. She looks at all of this, nods her assent, and as soon as our laundry is done drying on the rack outside we head off.

The route begins with a flat two miles to the sea, which I warned her as we’re biking through town could be busy because it will be on the shoulder of SS16, the busy Adriatic coast road that runs nearly the entire length of the sea, from Padua to Otranto. I’m wrong though, and these first two miles are an excellent ride on a separated bicycle path that scallops along the coast beneath a long row of palm trees.

Just more fuel for the thought burning in the back of my mind that we should return for a longer stay some year.

I anticipated a busy two mile ride on the shoulder of SS16, not realizing there’s this excellent bike path the whole way. Still pretty busy though.

The Adriatic north of Termoli is a twenty mile long string of Sandy beaches, all the way to Vasto just beyond the border with Abruzzo.

The bike path ends at the mouth of the small Sinarca River. We turn inland here, crossing under the SS16 and following the Sinarca for the next seven miles and gaining elevation very slowly as we climb into the verdant, rolling agricultural Molise interior.

Along the Sinarca River. I think that’s Guglionesi on top of the ridge, but it could be nearby Monteclifone.

#145: European stonechat. Not much of a shot, as is the case with the other new birds here. Frustrating that they won’t just stand still until I bike up close to them. Birds!

Nine miles into the ride we finally break away from the Sinarca and start climbing. The next twelve miles to our turnback point are about as fine as a cycling experience as you can hope for. The scenery is stunning, especially the views of Montenegro di Bidaccia gracefully draping the top of a long ridge with the snowy mountains of Abruzzo beyond. The road surface is rough in spots but RideWithGPS is generally accurate this time and it really can be classified as paved, but in a Sicilian sort of way. The weather is excellent, the winds mild, the few dogs well-behaved, the visibility fine. There are birds of interest, and even a fox in the road. And the traffic? Virtually nonexistent. I’m pretty sure I biked a solid hour at one point without seeing a single car.

And after stopping for the first of many compelling sights along the way, I don’t see another bike on the road either as Rachael continues on ahead. As usual, she won’t be seen again until I pass her on her way back to the room.

Finally gaining some elevation, we start getting views east to the Adriatic.

In Molise, a new region for us but one I’d be happy to see more of.

Montenegro di Bidaccia Makes a striking image, stretched lengthwise along its ridge with the mountains of Abruzzo behind.

Another colorful wreck. I was conservative with these, because there were so many other reasons to stop. I could have filled a whole post with shots of ruins like this.

Montenegro di Bidaccia again. We’ll stop over and over again to look at this town from a new angle.

Nearing the end of the marked route I started tracking the road ahead, zooming in to see if Rachael is in sight yet as I knew she will be soon from tracking her on the Garmin. However, I’m a dope. It’s the wrong road, and she’s coming in off frame from the right.

Here she comes, there she goes. We touch base briefly but she encourages me to keep going to the end, which I do. We won’t see each other again until back at the room.

In Molise. That small village crowning the hill is Palata.

The turnback spot. We both went a short ways beyond on this road though so we could round up to 42 miles.

Zooming in on Tremoli. Beyond it you can dimly see the Tremiti Islands.

Returning to colorful Termoli. A sight you could easily get used to seeing at the end of the day.

Video sound track: Horizon, by the Bud Shank Quartet

So there’s more to be said about the end of the day, but it’s time to hike and ride so I’ll stop here and leave you with a view of the castle, nicely illuminated but not in the Giro pink we’d been hoping for. The Giro passes through Tremoli tomorrow!

Heart

Comment

Link

Ride stats today: 42 miles, 2,400’; for the tour: 992 miles, 51,000’

____________________

2023 Bird List

145. European stonechat

146. Whinchat

147. Wood lark

148. Red kite

Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 977 miles (1,572 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	11
Comment on this entry	Comment	0