May 15, 2023
To Ferrara
This is shaping up as a historically wet spring in Italy. It’s been raining off and on ever since we arrived in Puglia, and the foreseeable forecast ahead looks no better. Here’s what’s on tap for Brescia for the rest of the month, which is typical of everywhere around:
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We really can’t complain though. Look around the CB world in Western Europe, and everyone’s in the same leaky boat: Racpat, the Mathers, the Fenwicks, the Hutchings, the Maher-Wearys, Lyle and Kirsten, Susan, Suzanne and Janos. We’re all dealing with the same situation - a decent half-day here and there followed by another dreary spell that drives you to checking out train schedules for some relief from another soaking.
And actually we’re doing exceptionally well considering with our itinerary of short, easy moving days and multi-night stays. We’ve been really lucky recently to have our schedule line up well with the breaks in the weather. We sat out the rain in Termoli and got just enough clearing to see us into Comacchio when it was time to move on. Yesterday we laid over in Comacchio while it rained, and the weather’s fine today for the ride to Ferrara. We’ll be in Ferrara for three nights, which is perfect because two days of hard rain are expected but the sun should show it’s face again when it’s time to move north. We really can’t do any better than that.
Today’s ride to Ferrara is a cinch - less than 300 feet of elevation gain in 35 miles, nearly all of it coming in the occasional canal or highway overpass. And it’s sunny, and there’s little wind. We’ll take it.
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"Let's go climb some hills today!"
"Okay. Which overpass?"
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Video sound track: John C, by Bud Shank
We arrive in Ferrara in the early afternoon, pleased that we can check ourselves in at the apartment we’ve booked ourselves for the next three nights. We have to phone the host to get the code to the keypad to let ourselves in though, and when we do Rachael’s perplexed when he asks if we’re here to see Bruce. Surprisingly, Bruce Springsteen will be in town Thursday for one of the first stops on his summer tour of Europe. It maybe says something about Ferrara that it’s one of only three venues he’s performing in Italy.
It’s too bad we hadn’t known. With enough planning and €300 to blow on the tickets, we could have stayed over another night for a really Boss visit.
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Ferrara is an exceptional city, in our opinion. In spite of all the trauma of living through Covid, we enjoyed our four night stay here three years ago and are excited to be back so soon. We’re in an excellent apartment in the historical center, and rain or shine we’re going to enjoy it here. Today promises to have the best of the weather, so I make it outside with the camera while the sun shines before we leave together for dinner at a restaurant near the cathedral where we ate three years ago.
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Ride stats today: 35 miles, 400’; for the tour: 1,183 miles, 58,800’
Today's ride: 35 miles (56 km)
Total: 1,178 miles (1,896 km)
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