Day 5 - Taranto to Porto Cesareo - Schnooks Takes A Turn in Puglia - Tandem Tour - May 2024

May 14, 2024

Day 5 - Taranto to Porto Cesareo

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The breakfast at « Palazzo Mata » was excellent and copious. They’ll even make you an omelette or pancakes on order! We hit the road just before 1000. The weather report promised stiff headwinds and the possibility of rain. The winds appeared, but not the rain.

We rode in the bus lane alongside the seemingly perpetual traffic jams on the island of old Taranto, then stopped to admire the Aragonese Fort - another gem amongst the dilapidation of this intriguing place.

Somehow you can tell that this artwork is from 1940

Getting out of Taranto was made easier by a surprising set of really good bike paths. We were on the outskirts of town before we had to get onto the road. By then, the traffic was fairly light and the drivers were very patient and careful with us.

Once out of town, there were only a few ways south. Rich had picked the one that seemed least busy, but it was busy enough and lacked a shoulder. Again, the drivers were very accommodating but it didn’t make for pleasant riding. We pushed into Talsano, which was like riding through a video game simulation of unpredictable driving, triple-parking, and freelancing pedestrians. Somehow we survived the test and were finally able to relax onto smaller, quieter roads as we left town.

Rich’s theory is that Italian drivers and pedestrians are always improvising. Even when it looks like they’re not paying attention they are. At least most of them…

We passed through Leporano, another nondescript but quieter town, and then headed due south on quiet roads into a headwind to the sea. Hitting the coast road, we turned left and headed more south-easterly, gaining a bit of an angle on the wind that would fight us all day.

The coast road was incredibly quiet. Hardly any traffic. We rode between beautiful beaches and some of the worst beach architecture ever, along some of the most poorly-paved roads we’ve ever seen in Europe. It was a weird day. Here are some photos to show what I mean.

Here we have the faux casita look, with the « I live by the sea » wavy wall.

Inspired by a hospital maybe? A great example of one of the 4 or 5 types of walls that dominate the road. We called this one the mushroom pattern.

Lots going on here but none of it good. This wall we could call the Edsel pattern.

Someone wanted their very own turret, with arrow slits in case they were attacked by the crusaders.

Red bricks, yellow bricks, rocks! Every room gets its own facade! The paint was already peeling from the eaves and railings.

Maybe in 600 years people will come here to view history and think this is all charming. If anything is still standing by then. Most of the houses were in some state of degradation, with rust showing, trash piled up against peeling brick walls, and overgrown bushes and weeds everywhere. Not a good look, Puglia!

And then there are the roads. Tandem riders are pretty sensitive to road surfaces. The stoker especially sits almost above the back wheel and road shocks are transmitted directly upwards. We have wide, fat tires on this bike and a seatpost that absorbs some shock, but we were not configured for this. These roads really call out for a fully suspended mountain bike tandem.

The pilot’s job includes calling out major holes in the road that can’t be avoided. The roads we encountered today required constant concentration. A lot of the time we took advantage of the low traffic to ride on the wrong side of the road, which seemed inexplicably smoother. Rich missed more than a few big ones. Robin’s patience was sorely tested, but she was an amazingly good sport.

Just a small example of road surface quality

Could be a Roman road down there somewhere!

Between the ugly buildings and ugly road, we were losing our senses of humor. We stopped for lunch at a beachside shack called « Signor Fritto » and immediately fell back in love with Italy. These people may not do good architecture or maintain roads, but they sure can cook!

What a great lunch! Cholesterol on a bun in the form of bacon, grilled shrimp, and mozzarella. With a smidgin of lettuce added for color, I guess. They were great, though. Sandwiches we’ll remember long after we’ve forgotten the roads and houses.

Regaining our sense of humor - Signor Fritto

Cholesterol on a bun - Signor Fritto, Librari, Puglia

We had a headwind/crosswind and we were tired after yesterday’s long ride. And although the sea was beautiful, there wasn’t much else to look at.

So there was nothing to do but put our heads down and power toward our destination. We took a few butt breaks and water stops, and eventually happily rolled up our accommodation « Bonaventura » in Porto Cesareo. The owner wasn’t available so led us through a remote checkin. Schnooks went into an apartment downstairs, and we’re in a lovely room upstairs. Bliss!

After getting cleaned up, we walked around the small heart of Porto Cesareo while getting battered by the wind. It seemed to have picked up in the last couple of hours. Dinner was at « Ristorante Da Antimo », where we shared one of the best pizzas we’ve ever had along with a pretty bland green salad. And the Aperol Spritzes were delicious!

Celebrating the completion of 2 tough days in a row

For the next few days, we’re going to dial back the mileage. And hopefully increase the fun. We’re pretty tired tonight!

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 265 km (165 miles)

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Rachael AndersonThat’s interesting that tandems have such an issue with rough roads. I sure hope the road quality improves for you!
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