There was rain, at times heavy, in the forecast for this morning. We were packed up and ready to head off just before 9, another impressive start for us, and yes, there was a light rain falling.
As seems to be the norm these last few days though, we suffered another ‘start delay’ when Alberto, an interested local passing by on his way to work, struck up a very animated conversation with K about our trip, bikes, bags … life in general etc. Who knew that Otrlieb bags could be such a catalyst?
The upside of all this was that after concluding their chat, the rain had more or less stopped, and that was it for the day.
So off we went. The first 20 km’s of our ride were a repeat from 7 years go where we hugged the coast going NW from Trieste. There were largely separate bike lanes for the first 10 km’s or so out of Trieste and then a good shoulder and moderate traffic on the road the rest of the way to Monfalcone, where we turned north and started riding on the bike trails in the Friuli vineyards.
As I’ve noted before, small roads and paths through vineyards are usually an equation for a great day of cycling and that was true in spades today. The pic’s that follow are pretty good (IMHO) but don’t really show how beautiful the country is here. Overcast skies tend to dull down the pics, but in real life they just add another dimension to the spectacular countryside. It’s not the ‘in your face’ wow of sunshine and blue sky, but a more subdued and seductive invitation to slow down and look around.
Ok, enough of that, the biking was great, the vineyards beautiful, the towns intriguing and each one increasingly so. We were making great time, so much so that we stopped in Cormons and had a wonderful sit down lunch, and then pressed on for the final 20 km’s into Cividale.
In typical fashion, we knew very little about Cividale, no didn’t bother to do much reasearch before hand other to to know that it has a few UNESCO recognized places, and it’s this ‘relative ignorance’ that set up the WOW moment we had as we cycled over the medieval bridge over the Natisone river.
Cividale del Friuli is beautiful!
We had a 4 pm check in time to our B&B and it was about 3:40 when we rolled into town so we thought we’s have our post ride celebratory bevy before looking for our B&B. Here was a cafe just across the bridge in one of the main squares - Bar Centrale - that would work for that. At just past 4 we were ready to find our B&B and we knew it was close by, so we mounted the bikes, wheeled them around the corner and rode 5 meters to find the sign for our lovely B&B. Well that was easy, and it would have been simpler just to push the bikes that far.
Great B&B (Domus Lulii) and facinating and beautiful medieval era centre in this great town. This whole area is now on our radar for a return for an extended stay. Unfortunately we can't do that now as we’re headed into Slovenia (for real) tomorrow.
Steve Miller/GrampiesDodie has fine tuned the technique for ending long conversations between myself and random strangers by first announcing, pleasantly, that we need to go, and if that is not successful she just pedals off, slowly. At that point the conversation ends and all is well. This, of course, assumes that setting off is what you wanted to do. Reply to this comment 7 hours ago
Once through the main downtown streets and down to the shoreline docks and rail yards we were met with this grand entrance to the bike way leading out of town. Nice!
It was care free riding on bike lanes or good shoulders right alongside the sea for the first 10 km’s So care free that we missed the slight turn that took the road we were supposed to be on higher up the bank above the sea. About a km or so later we realized this but found an alternative route back. Not a great route, but it did get us back on track and gave us a needed full body work out.
Steve Miller/GrampiesLaughing (sympathetically since we have been there also) at your plight. Noticed the panniers in the bottom left of the photo. Take 'em off, hike a bike, put 'em back on, keep riding. Reply to this comment 7 hours ago
Lyle McLeodTo Rich FrasierThanks for the info Rich, just hanging out in Kobarid Slovenia having our post ride recovery bevy and read up on the tub. Quite interesting. I guess it’s been a fixture / tourist attraction at Monfalcone for a while..it’s almost the ultimate in conspicuous consumption, a parlour game for the oligarchs . Reply to this comment 12 hours ago
Beautiful riding on more or less deserted roads. There were separate dedicated bike routes as well, but largely unpaved, so why not ride the roads when they are like this?
Steve Miller/GrampiesWe have donecexactly that sort of thing. Once we even rode around the small village, twice, and finally asked a man in his yard where our place was. Why right here, said he, pointing to the sign above the door. We felt really silly. Reply to this comment 7 hours ago
