The long and the short of it - Being Alive - CycleBlaze

April 8, 2022 to April 9, 2022

The long and the short of it


Day 49 - near Bondeno to Corte

Phew, another really long day! We were up at 6.30am and didn't get to our warmshowers host until about 6pm. About 115km but it felt like more due to a pretty consistent headwind, and by the end we were crawling along.

In the morning we were on a nice cycle path in the early sun, and even saw some wildlife.

What a cute little fort!
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(Sorry for the bad pictures, I'm really wishing I had a longer zoom!)

A terrapin or something?
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Bill ShaneyfeltYes, probably an European pond turtle.

https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Emys&species=orbicularis
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1 year ago
Two otters! Or maybe two water rats...
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Bill ShaneyfeltYup. Looks like invasive muskrats.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muskrat
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1 year ago
Lorenzo JaryDoh! Thanks anyway Bill. We really thought they might be otters. Although, if it's small and brown and looks cute swimming in the river, who cares eh? Whoever they're invading maybe...
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1 year ago

Our first big stop of the day was in the city of Ferrara, and what a city it is! Ancient buildings and streets every way you look, still in use and looked after really well. It was also bustling with a huge market, lots of students, cyclists, etc etc. Worth returning to I think!

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I love this 3D finish, never seen it before!
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Finally we arrived and our host welcomed us warmly, we had a huge room and bathroom to ourselves, and they even made us a great dinner featuring vegetables they had grown themselves! Embarrassingly, we went to bed at about 9.30pm. We spent a little more time together in the morning but they were very understanding of our tiredness. Thank you!

Day 50 - Corte to Chioggia

Luckily, we had stayed not far from Chioggia which was our next destination, so had only a short day.

Our ride was short but sweet along more tiny canal side roads / paths, under a beautiful blue sky.

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Chioggia is a town south of Venice that is also heavy on the canals, with its own collection of interesting artifacts. We have been told - by an Italian no less - they almost prefer it to Venice as it's less famous and overrun with tourists, etc!

A short day has allowed us to arrive a bit early, so after a bit if rest we are going to head out to explore. We are really hungry!!

Today's ride: 148 km (92 miles)
Total: 2,093 km (1,300 miles)

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Ali JarySo many miles per day !! Your fitness levels must be rocketing ! So glad you’re making such great progress ! Here’s to a wonderful break in Venice ! Send love in tons and oodles of admiration ! Truly epic cycling tour and beautiful photies ! Xfrom your biggest fan 🙌❤️
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonYou’re right about Ferrara. It’s an exceptional place. I could live there.
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1 year ago
Tricia GrahamI am envying the ride from Chogia along the outer islands of the Venice lagoon to Lido we loved it. Actually Lido is a great base to seeVenic, where no bikes are allowed, there are very frequent vaporetti. If you take your bikes across to Venice you can’t take them by vaporetta but must go about a kilometre along the harbour which takes you to the car ferry. You end up at the Trochotto Harbours ( spelling) which is on the edge of Venice near the train station
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1 year ago
Lorenzo JaryTo Scott AndersonWow, that's an endorsement! Ours was really a flying visit but it impressed me enough despite that.
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1 year ago
Lorenzo JaryTo Tricia GrahamThanks Tricia! Yes we are camping I think on the mainland just north of Lido, having only discovered a couple of days ago that there are no bikes allowed in Venice!
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo Lorenzo JaryDefinitely true, or at least was in the past. We arrived by bike years ago and had to lock them up at the train station. And even if you could take them in you wouldn’t want to. You can’t go more than a block or two without coming to an arched bridge across a canal.
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1 year ago