Trani - Gravina di Puglia - Wandering in Puglia

May 17, 2022

Trani - Gravina di Puglia

Riding from Altamura

The day begins with a short ride to the train station where we will catch a ride to Bari, thence to Altamura. We will occasionally utilize trains when there is something we'd otherwise miss out on if we rode and today I want time to walk around. Had hoped to get a tour of the Sotterranea, but never received a reply on the tour request.

With information from the internet, I knew how to find the FAL station when exiting Bari Centrale. No stress navigation. Everything went well until we go off the train in Altamura. Get the bikes loaded, hop on and away we . . .

WTH?

Rear wheel won’t turn, I’m not seeing the problem, and it’s getting warm outside. Well, there’s a bike shop where we’d planned to stop to pick up a helmet and some SPD pedals for my brother. It’s only about 1.5 miles away. Time for a fast walk to get there before they close for lunch. I felt a bit dumb when one of the employees finally spotted the problem. The bolt for the right rack stay had backed out and the stay had somehow jumped up and jammed itself between the seat stay and the casette. Fortunately no damage done and a quick fix. Plus we got what we originally came for. Side note, my last bike trip to Italy I forgot my helmet on the train and ended up buying a red Lazer at a bike shop in Mantova. History repeated itself today with my brother. Grazie mille, Tbike in Altamura.

Back on the road, it’s not long before we acquire my original routing and RWGPS stops quacking at me. Some bits of high traffic roads, but the drivers have been safe if not always particularly polite. Once in Gravina I contact our host. Just as I received a reply to meet at the B&B, the clouds open up for today’s big rain. We’d been hearing the preceding thunderclaps for most of the ride. It’s wet, we are in the part of town with stone streets, and Google maps is spinning. Even walking is a bit treacherous but we eventually make it without falling while getting lost a couple of times. Eventually the skies dry up and we can get in a walk across the Ponte Acquedotto. The views are amazing.

I do enjoy the sweet part of breakfast. A pistachio cream cornetto.

Is it too small to be worth rehabbing? I hope someone does some day.

Now my brother gets why this is one of the nights when we aren’t sharing a room.

Image not found :( — The view from my balcony. It’s only 81 steps up from the entry.

Tough decision between the meat and the cheese board. Probably should have done both and skipped the pizza, even though the pizza was good as well.

Want to play a game? You’ll have to bring your own pen.

Accommodation - B&B Sul Ponte, above the Ponte Acquedotto featured in the latest 007 movie.

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Keith AdamsWe got caught in a monumental downpour on our Puglia trip several years ago. When we entered whatever town we were headed for the stone streets and 4 inch high curbs formed miniature rivers, and they were rampaging! We were really glad to be wearing sandals without socks.
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2 years ago

Bob KoreisFortunately ours didn’t last too long and we were able to get under some cover. During our Matera tour, the guide pointed out the street that had once been a stream/open sewer and how now when there are heavy rains the street floods and empties through breaks in a wall around the piazza at the bottom.
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2 years ago