It is beautiful out this morning when we wake up - clear skies, the wind has died down. Our touch of late winter has passed by. After another amazing breakfast at Antic Dimora, we head out for Caltagirone. First though we climb back up to the high point in town, the Rocca, for a look around. The nearer sights all look brilliant, and off to the east we can make out Mount Etna for the first time, rising up into the clouds.
Before leaving town we went back up to the Rocca for a look around. We got what we went up there for - our first view of Mount Etna!
We drop off the mountain the same route we came in, and then continue south to Lake Pergusa, important in mythology as the point where Hades abducted Persephone to the underworld, and bringing winter to the world as Demeter was so grieved that she cancelled the harvest. There is nothing evocative about the lake now though, because it is circled by a race car track, and surrounded by a fence. There is a quiet ring road you can cycle, which we did, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go there. Better to view it from above at Enna and let your imagination wander.
Soon after, we left all traffic behind when we turned onto SS117, a decent looking tertiary road partially barricaded and signed as closed. There's plenty of room to bike around the edges though and we're tired of the traffic, so we decide to take our chances with it. For the next hour we were alone in the world again, cycling through another beautiful setting - passed by one car and a group of three motorcycles.
SS117 really is a wreck though, as we find out shortly when we turn a bend and find the pavement disintegrating. Something bad looks like it must have happened here - a slide perhaps - and the road appears to have just been abandoned. From the state of things, it doesn't look like it will be long before it completely disappears. For now though it is a great cycling route as long as you watch where you're going.
An abandoned public building of some sort, on SS 117. It must have gone with the road. I wonder what happened here to shut everything down - some sort of major slide perhaps, or maybe it was just obsoleted when the new highway was completed.
At the end of this dying highway we turn off onto an even smaller road - unsigned, it looks more like a private driveway. We aren't sure of it at first but it's clearly the way I had marked out from home, so we decide I knew what I was doing. Brilliant - another wonderful, totally carfree hour of cycling. I'm impressed that I found this route. Score one for planning out routes in advance - I would never have taken a chance on this thing if I hadn't scouted it out first.
For lunch we have sandwiches sitting on the grassy margin of the road, looking up at some colorful birds that prefer the highest tips of the eat caliphs canopy above - frustratingly too far for a decent shot with even my new super zoom. Not long after we rejoin to the secondary roads and the world of cars, following them the rest of the way to Caltagirone. Traffic is fine though, and the ride relaxing. It's been an excellent day of cycling.
Caltagirone is famous for its ceramics - it apparently has been a ceramics center for thousands of years, and there is evidence of it everywhere you turn in the city. It is also famous for the Santa Maria Steps, a giant, steep 142 step stairway that connects the upper and lower tiers of the city. The risers are all paneled with ceramic tiles, each level hand painted in a different pattern. It is quite beautiful overall, and fun to climb the stairs slowly, looking at the uniqueness of each one.
We are staying tonight at Tre Metre Sopra il Cielo (three meters below heaven, I think - the name comes from the title of a book and film). The B&B is high up on the stairway, but fortunately we ace the navigation through the small alleyways and come to the stairway only six steps above our lodging. Even those are plenty - it's hard enough walking up and down these stairs without lugging loaded bicycles along.
In the B&B, the owner shows us to the room and opens our window. Wow! We have a fantastic view over the old city - one of the best views from our bedroom we've ever enjoyed.
One last view back at Enna, before crossing over the ridge.
Descending a few of the Santa Maria Steps to our room for the night. We aced the navigation, entering the steps on a tiny side alley only six steps above our B&B. It's a good thing - the stairs are steep, and six was plenty.
After cleaning up we go out for a look around the city, starting with walking downtown the staircase to its base, 98 steps below our B&B. At sundown we head for dinner, which proves to be an amusing experience. First, there is the navigation. For some reason, we thought the restaurant, on Via Roma, was at the top of the stairs, so we walk all the way up (142 steep steps, you'll recall). At the top we can't find Via Roma, hauling ut the map, we realize we screwed up - it's at the bottom.
Down again, and we find the restaurant - and I find the first Meal in Sicily that I actively dislike. Who knows now why we picked this one out, but it's a new quisine place, with tiny, delicate, goopy servings - just the sort of meal I hate. I have no sense of smell and not much taste, and food like this is totally lost on me. The wine is good though, and I salvage something from the experience when I notice the reflection of the wine glass on the patterned fine tablecloth. That's something, but not much to come away with from the most expensive meal of the trip.
Total elevation gain: today, 4,400'; for the trip, 37,400'.
The one thing I enjoyed about this evening's meal (other than my company, of course): the wine, and it's reflection on the tablecloth.
