San Pietro to Sorrento

September 19, 2015

Today was a short . . . very short . . . day. About ten miles with a little climbing and a big descent over the peninsula's tip as we arrive in the "crown jewel" and major tourist center, Sorrento. From there, we will launch a side trip to Capri!

But first, a report on the Great San Pietro Fire of 2015. Mark and I went to bed fully prepared to evacuate on a moment's notice. We pre-packed our bags and devised a strategy for exiting with our bikes. Italians are notorious for ignoring rules (i.e., blowing through a roadblock yesterday seemed to faze no one). So we figured, regardless of the direction we were given, the bikes were coming with us. We even made sure our light systems were fully charged so we could ride in the dark. And . . . we set the alarm for 2:00 AM so we could check on the fire's progress through the night!

Maybe we were overly cautious, but when the alarm went off at 2:00 AM, it woke me from a deep sleep. While the fire was visible from our room, I took the lift to the rooftop to get a better view. I was surprised at how little progress it had made, given its leaps and bounds the night before. Plus, it was not roaring as much and seemed to have calmed down with the wind. I'm sure the locals know better, and in the early morning the planes were out dropping major amounts of water on what remained.

A plane drops seawater on the Great San Pietro Fire of 2015.

So back to the important stuff, riding! This was supposed to be an easy day, and it was. We only had to climb 885 feet (per RWGPS), but we actually did 615 feet. All these elevation numbers are vaguely suspect, particularly in mountainous terrain. Our ride up the Amalfi Coast was to have been a climb of 5900 feet, but my Garmin registered something closer to 3000. Still, I use it for relative comparisons, and it gives you one measure of the effort required.

What is more important is how fast you gain the elevation! And today was a good example; it started out relatively mild but started right out of the gate! No warm-up time!

Today's ride to Sorrento

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Then, at MP 2, the grade really turned up and got relatively steep. Not something we couldn't handle but again, no warm-up! This occurred right after Colli di Fontanelle. Go figure . . . colli is Italian for mountain or pass. So up we climbed!

In what I call his super granny gear . . . i.e., out of the saddle.

As you can see, it was an overcast day. That was a little unfortunate, as we were hoping to get some good views from the top. And on the long descent into Sorrento.

The view looking back from the climb, shrouded in clouds.

Possibly Priora, framed by two olive trees.

Sorrento is a bit touristy. Well, at least it seemed to be more so than the other places on the peninsula we had visited. Probably because it is so accessible to Naples and on the way to Capri. After settling into our lodging, Sorrento Charm B&B, we made a tour of the town and hit most of the main attractions, such as they are:

The historic center with its narrow and crowded streets.

Another pleasant square, but the name eludes me.

There is limited access to the waterfront, so this park near the ocean was a pleasant relief from the hustle and bustle of the centro.

Most of the waterfront real estate is restricted access and down many stairs. A lift will transport you for several euros.

The passage to the port and ferry service to Capri and other points.

Mark and Tom, enjoying the ocean breeze. Very different environment than the Abruzzo!

Today's ride: 10 miles (16 km)
Total: 328 miles (528 km)

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