Giorno 18

August 7, 2017

Sometimes I make the right decision. But I will get to that...

I had a great breakfast at the Best Western and while I was paying my bill I got the biggest stink eye yet from the manager/owner/big shot whoever for having my bike in the lobby while I paid. This is Italy! Whats the problem?!

The poor desk clerk didnt know what to do so I helped her out. "I will move my bike outside," i said, so she wouldn't have to feel like she was confronting me about it.

"Thank you," she said gratefully.

So I set off and after a couple hours in the saddle stopped in a little road side family run restaurant and a retired man stopped to talk to me. He, like many I have run into on this trip, are amazed I am riding my own bike from home. He was leaving with what looked like his wife and a few others but after chatting said, "are you going inside? I will buy you a drink!"

Sure why not, I was getting lunch there anyway, and ordered a "Coka".

"What? No wine?"

"Its the middle of the day and I am riding?" Though I have noticed that doesn't seem to stop the Italian cyclists.

So we chatted about my trip and his trips to the U.S. That included San Francisco and Sequoia National Park, buy not Yosemite which Europeans pronounce "yoa (like whoa) sum ayet (rhymes with light).

Finally, for the first time of the trip, "what do you think of Trump?"

Oy vay!

"He's an idiot," and then went on from there.

"I like him a little," he said. "Not a lot, a little. He is different. Like here in Europe, the union is mostly for the corporations.

I stood by my statements though. He did say, "I do like how it has been a long time since we had any wars over here." That we both agreed on.

Even with the Trump talk it was a nice conversation and break. He also bought my lunch.

"What is your name?" I asked.

I dont know how to spell it, but it is pronounced, "Chin-toe".

After that I rolled on for what I had planned would be at least a few more hours. But about 30 minutes later all hell broke loose weather wise. It kicked up like mad with wind and rain and lighting... I happened to be riding past a hotel restaurant/hotel and stopped to wait out the storm. After a couple of hours I hemmed and hawed about stopping. Would it clear? If so and I stopped I would be annoyed. At the same time there were no more campground for another 70km or so and I wasn't going to do that anyway. So stayed.

And its a good thing because after a short lull it started up again for hours. Torrential rain, hail, lightning, locusts, brimstones, hell fire. It was quite a site.

On the other hand my hotel room was beautifully remodeled and modern, it had a nice bar to hang out in and a nice restaurant with a pizza oven.

Sometimes I make the right decision.

The town of Venzone. It was totally destroyed in an earthquake in the 70's and they rebuilt it just as it was, though hopefully with rebar this time.

For a minute I had a flashback to my Montana trip.

Today's ride: 32 miles (51 km)
Total: 716 miles (1,152 km)

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