To Nicosia: Fifty miles through paradise

May 16, 2016

This morning the mountain is clear, save for the small steam cloud (we assume) blowing swiftly across its cap. It received a light dusting of new snow overnight. Beautiful.

Today begins the last week of the tour. For the next seven days we will cycle west across the top of the island through what looks like wild, mountainous country. Weather, from the current forecast at least, looks ideal - clear skies, mild winds, highs in the low sixties.

The summit received a fresh dusting of snow last night, and the summit still appears to be steaming.

We left Randazzo cycling west on SS120, a secondary highway with only minor traffic. After gradually climbing out of the Alcantara for a few miles we crested a ridge and dropped into the Troina River valley. After bottoming out at the river we climbed out the other side to the ridgetop town of Cesaro, the first community we passed through since leaving Randazzo.

This is a very beautiful stretch of road. We've entered a region that once again feels different than any we've passed through before. To the north we are approaching the Nebrodi Mountains; and to the south there is the spectacle of Mount Etna appearing and disappearing all morning long as we round bends, pass behind and emerge again from small rises, and rise out of the thousand foot deep valley.

Between the mountains, the valley is almost entirely given over to agriculture. It has a bit different character here though, with broad grain fields and more livestock than we've seen elsewhere. Riding is very relaxing - minimal traffic, comfortable gradients. A light headwind pleasantly cools us as we bike uphill.

We stop for a snack on a bit of asphalt shoulder, leaning against the retaining barrier and staring at Mount Etna, debating again whether the small cloud at the top is steam. For lunch, we have an entire pizza we took back to the room last night after badly misestimating our dinner order. We eat half now, saving the rest for a later break.

We agree that this is probably the best fifteen mile stretch we've ridden in Sicily. It amazes us, over three weeks into a tour great beyond expectations, to come across country we like better than any we've been through before today.

On the SS120, westward bound toward Cesaro

Mid morning lunch break, enjoying leftover pizza from last night's dinner; below Cesaro.

The next fifteen miles are almost a mirror image of the first. We begin by the long descent to the Troina River, cross over, and climb the south side of the valley to Troina, at 3,400' allegedly the highest town on the island. The ride continues to be very beautiful. One wonderful thing about being here is that the many fields of clover are fully ripe and bright purple. Harvest is currently under way, and colorful little blue harvesters carve patterns in the fields as they mow the crop down. Across the valley we get increasingly deep views into the Nebrodi mountains to the north.

We stop on the balcony road through the lower edge of town, sitting on a bench beneath a long, bright row of blossoming pink and white locust trees, and polish off the rest of the pizza. We look up in admiration at the town's castl high on the ridge above us, but don't feel inclined to take a closer look. It looks terrific from where we sit.

Just another roadside flower, but a new one to us.

The clover is in harvest, creating colorful patterns in the fields.

We finished off last night's pizza in Troina, under a row of beautiful locust trees in full bloom. I didn't know locusts came in this shade.

The rest of the ride to Nicosia is equal to the miles that preceded it. After rolling along the top of a ridge to Cerami, we drop through a long switchback into the neighboring river valley and then continue on to Nicosia, the largest town around. Today at least, this seems to us like the finest day in an already spectacular tour, and possibly the best 50 mile ride of our lives. When we come back to Sicily (when, not if we've already decided), we plan to ride Ss120 again, in the opposite direction.

The best 50 miles, but it's a 53 mile day. Riding through the narrow, rough, traffic-jammed streets of Nicolosi is unpleasant. Once through it, we still have a mile to go until reaching the farm hotel we've booked for the night: Baglio San Pietro. It sits half a kilometer off the highway - an ultra steep half-kilometer, on a road that's not on the map and has no sign to the hotel. It is a good hing I took great pains to map this part of the route precisely; I would have been afraid to venture up this way otherwise.

We have a bit of a scare when we arrive - they seem surprised to see us, and don't seem obviously like a hotel. It is a big relief when they confirm that we have a room and that the restaurant will be open tonight.

Here's Rachael's video clip for the day.

Total elevation gain: today, 4,800'; for the tour, 80,200'.

West of Troina. Yes, I know this is the second horse photo in two days, but don't worry - it's not a trend.

Cerami, another ridgetop village west of Troina.

Descending from Cerami, with the Madonie mountains beginning to rise in the distance.

Today's ride: 53 miles (85 km)
Total: 1,047 miles (1,685 km)

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