Belgioioso - Riding the Via Francigina - CycleBlaze

September 15, 2009

Belgioioso

Some rain overnight but dry this morning with a very threatening sky.

An easy exit which was busy for 2-3 km then a coffee and roll stop and some direction from the café crowd about how to get to small places and quiet roads. Then on through wet rice fields. The harvest has been interrupted by this 4-5 day weather event with rain and showers. We went alongside then over the Ticino River, there was a lovely old bridge going into Pavia.

Just before Pavia there was about 15 minutes of actual rain and it was cold all the way. Then it stopped as we went int Pavia. We made our way to the centre and the Duomo. The Duomo could be seen for miles, unfortunately it was being restored so we could see very little of it. Had another coffee and decided to go on till we got to a smaller place. There was a lot of traffic going out but we had no navigational problems. Then we got on to smaller roads until we reached Belgioioso which is a smallish town with a good hotel and a large supermarket on the edge with beer and juice to keep us going.

We went to a service in a very well preserved church with a youngish priest. The attendance for a Tuesday night was around 40. There is a castle, a fort and several decaying grand houses

Every small town has speed indicators on its edge giving every vehicles (including ours) speed limits. More rain is expected and we are hoping it comes overnight, we may have to stay put tomorrow

Our first coffee
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The wonderful bridge into Pavia
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The Duomo under repair
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On our way out
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We were not quite sure what this massive brick building in Belgioioso was
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The town square
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This was our hotel, it didn't look great on the outside but was actually was very good
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Today's ride: 48 km (30 miles)
Total: 1,497 km (930 miles)

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