Monte Pellegrino - An Italian Spring, 2023 - CycleBlaze

March 18, 2023

Monte Pellegrino

If you’ve been paying any attention at all you know that Jacquie and Al arrived in Palermo two days ago, on the same day we did.  So where’s the CycleBlaze meetup, you’ve doubtless been wondering.  Some explanation is in order.

It was always clear that meeting the day we arrived was a poor idea.  Even if we all arrived on schedule, we’d surely be too jet-lagged and stressed out to be up for a visit.  The next night seemed reasonable though, and so a few days back I proposed that we share a meal together Friday night.  

Since then though our four flight day happened; and Thursday night we cancelled the Friday dinner plan, feeling like it would take all we had just to make it through the next day.  Saturday night for sure though, we all agreed, our last chance before we all leave town on Sunday.

Yesterday though we felt much better than expected, and late in the day we proposed getting together for dinner after all, and told Jacquie where we’d be dining in case they wanted to drop by and join us.  Which they might have done if they’d opened up invitation in time - but by the time Jacquie picked up on our email they’d already had dinner themselves.  In expressing her regrets though she proposed that we join them Saturday on a shakedown climb up Monte Pellegrino.  We quickly accepted, which brings us up to today.

The plan was to ride a loop climbing Monte Pellegrino from the south, dropping down the  Roth side, and then returning to Palermo along the coast.  It’s essentially the reverse of the ride we took four years ago, and one Rachael and I were eager to repeat.  In fact, it had ready been our planned ride for today when Jacquie proposed it.

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We met at 10 in front of Teatro Massimo, the largest opera house in Italy in case you’ve forgotten this interesting fact already.  after a quick greeting we hopped on the bikes and enjoyed a relaxing two mile ride down to the waterfront and along a pleasant cyclepath to the base of Monte Pellegrino.

Oh, wait.  Rachael reminds me that it wasn’t exactly like that.  Rachael proposes harrowing and hair-raising as more appropriate descriptors for this part of the ride.  And she’s right, of course.  Palermo gets no votes for its bicycle friendliness, and we were all relieved to reach the base of the climb unscathed.  Bicycling in Palermo is not for the faint of heart.

Hi again! Enough chit-chat, let’s roll!
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Such well behaved visitors! Actually, waiting for the green is treated more like a suggestion here, to be observed at your own discretion whether you’re on foot, on a bike, or behind the wheel of a car. You really do have to keep your wits about you at all times.
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It’s not like Palermo doesn’t have bike routes. It’s just that there aren’t many of them, and the few that exist are pretty terrible.
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Aah! Much better. Two miles into the ride and we leave nearly all the traffic behind and begin the steady six mile climb to the summit of Monte Pellegrino.
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We’re stopped here for a break for some reason. I forget why and where, and even if the photo’s in the correct sequence. Nice shot though.
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On the climb, with Palermo receding behind us. Oh, and a comment on the photos - they’re a blend of ones taken by all four of us plus a few strategically placed volunteers.
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Looking across Palermo from one of several spectacular vista points on the climb. As you can see, Palermo is in a dramatic setting ringed by low mountains on three sides with the sea bordering it to the north.
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Here we’re looking in another direction - to the northwest, around the western side of Pellegrino. The ridge on the right of the gap is Capo Gallo, with Mondello sprawled beneath it and the coastal resort of Sferrocavalla through the gap. Or, another way of looking at it is that this is all just Palermo, more or less completely blanketing the coastal plain surrounding Pellegrino.
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Worth stopping for a longer look, even if a breather hadn’t been in order.
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Here’s the fourth side of Palermo’s box. You can just see the edge of the city on the lower right.
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At the top, at the end of a dead-end spur to a vista point overlooking the sea. Here’s where one of those strategically placed volunteers came in handy.
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Rich FrasierLooking good, Mr. Anderson!
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1 year ago
Keith AdamsIt's truly astonishing how much your appearance was changed by that haircut. Whether you do or not, I still like it...
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo Keith AdamsIt’s a different look, alright. I’m starting to get used to it, but I can’t say it really looks like my image of myself.
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1 year ago
Bob KoreisYou can't beat a dead horse, but a quaff of their beer I'm guessing would have been desirable.
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo Bob KoreisIt was! I got this shirt at the gift shop in their brewery. Are you familiar with Dead Horse Point, btw?
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1 year ago
Bob KoreisTo Scott AndersonI had dinner at the brewery nearly 20 years ago during a motorcycle trip that passed through Moab. The label on my pint glass has nearly faded away. Didn't make it out to the Point.
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1 year ago
Looking off the east side of Pellegrino. Below us the slope is covered with trunks of downed palm trees, possibly the victims of a severe storm.
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117: European robin
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Keith AdamsLooks like it must've taken a good eye and lots of patience to get that one. Well done!
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo Keith AdamsNo, just luck. I saw a small brown bird below fly into a tree and took a shot hoping it was in the frame. He was but just barely, crammed into the upper right corner. This is cropped to about an eighth of the original size.
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1 year ago
Capo Gallo. If you could see down to it, Mondello is the coastal town wedged into the cove.
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Al is just finishing up some maintenance work on his chain. I think the most interesting thing in the photo though is how well his shirt matches the sea. Well planned, Al!
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118: Common redstart
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Another strategically placed volunteer contributes to the cause.
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Suzanne GibsonLove this picture!
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1 year ago

So the plan was to return back to the loop from this dead end spur and then continue north, dropping down to Mondello and returning to Palermo along the sea.  Rachael and I have ridden this road on the north side of the mountain twice before.  Eight years ago, we crossed Pellegrino on our ride to Castellammare del Golfo, our first stop after Palermo on our first tour of Sicily.  I still remember what a wonderful descent that was, and how excited I was to find a tree full of Monk’s parakeets in Mondello.

Four years ago we rode today’s loop in reverse, meaning we climbed up the north side of the mountain instead of the south.  It was an outstanding ride, especially because since we were here the first time the road he been closed to cars, barricaded at the top and the bottom.  We had this gorgeous road to ourselves, along with a few other bikes.  

Today though, the road is closed to all comers - cars, scooters, bikes, walkers, the works.  I looked it up, and it looks like the road is more or less permanently closed because it’s too dangerous due to frequent rockfalls.  For all I know, parts of the road might have even collapsed since we were here last.

So if you’ve read our previous accounts and thought you might come this way yourself someday, I wouldn’t plan on it without more research on current conditions.  And as an FYI, don’t trust RideWithGPS here - it thinks this is still a fine ride.

Uh, uh.
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Andrea BrownDang. And that road looks so beckoning, too.
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1 year ago
So, with nothing more to be done, we biked back the way we came. Which was pretty great.
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What’s that tree, Jacquie wants to know.
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Anne MathersThat looks so much like the flowering plum trees that are almost in full bloom here in Victoria. But, that's just a guess.
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1 year ago
Keith AdamsI keep looking on that switchback for a new installment of "Where's Rachael this time?"

Can't help you on the tree ID, though.
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo Keith AdamsThat was the plan, actually. I was stopped here waiting for everyone to pass me so I could take a shot of them below, but they all stopped too.
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1 year ago
Any ideas?
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Andrea BrownLooks like your standard flowering plum or cherry.
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1 year ago
Scott AndersonTo Andrea BrownMust be an Italian plum then.
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1 year ago
Still descending. That zigzag ahead is not our route, btw. That’s the walking path.
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Looks like an awesome way to the top.
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Big surprise, going down is even more fun than the climb up. A stunning view around every hairpin bend.
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One last hairpin, then it’s on to the hazards of finding our way back through the city to our rooms.
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One last strategically placed volunteer helps us round out the day.
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David MathersGreat to see another Cycleblaze meetup 👍
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1 year ago
A last look at Teatro Massimo.
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Ride stats today: 18 miles, 1,700’

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2023 Bird List

     117. European Robin

     118. Common redstart 

Today's ride: 19 miles (31 km)
Total: 19 miles (31 km)

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Patrick O'HaraThe continuation of the yearly bird quest is welcome addition to your European tour!
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1 year ago
Janice BranhamWhat a fabulous CB meetup!
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1 year ago