Our last touring day! And it was beautiful. Sunshine and warm temperatures. I was looking forward to biking along the lake's shoreline. I had done this route many years ago, but it was in the opposite direction. Regardless, my memories of that trip were being stirred.
Our hotel room had a balcony facing the courtyard, which also received the morning sun. Perfect for drying out our very wet clothes and shoes!
Our buffet breakfast — provided by the hotel. Our last tour-day breakfast. We had a pretty easy day with only one big climb . . . but I anticipated getting into Milan would be somewhat tedious.
We pushed off around 11:00 AM and headed south. There is only one road, SS33, which can be busy at times. We noticed that yesterday once we hit the shoreline. But that was a Saturday. This was Sunday, so things were a bit quieter. Plus, the road makes its way through all the towns and villages along the lake, which serves to slow traffic down a bit and usually provides room for the cyclists. And we were not the only ones out today. Several pacelines, headed in both directions, passed us, reminding us of the popularity of the sport in Italy.
At Arona, we diverted into the town for our last really good look at the lake and the towns that line its shore. From Arona, the cycling would be less pleasant as we made our way across the southern shore of the lake, a highly developed and congested part of our route. But that only lasted about three miles, and we were soon crossing the Ticino at one of only two bridges north of Malpensa, Milan's International Airport.
The bridge over the river Ticino . . . for such an old bridge, it had a nice pedestrian way.
Arriving in Sesto Calende put us back on local roads and away from traffic. From there, we followed the river southward on flat terrain. But I knew we had our big climb coming up soon. Rivers are there for a reason, and the Ticino does not flow to Milan. So shortly after MP 18, we made a left and started climbing, peaking at an 8-9% grade. Whew. Then it leveled out for about a mile or so, and we had some nice riding through farmland and forested areas.
Then we joined a main road for a short distance before turning into Somma Lombardo, the first of many small villages and towns we would go through on our way into Milan. Effectively, the suburbs of Milan and the nearby airport, Malpensa. So this was one of my biggest challenges when mapping today's route. How to get into Milan without using a major highway. And the primary road along our route was Via Sempione (it goes by several other names as well). I can't say we avoided it 100%, but we did a pretty good job. But, regardless, it wasn't the prettiest riding . . . although there were moments.
Our hotel was only another 1-1/2 miles from the Duomo, and the riding there was easy. Super easy, as there were bike lanes most of the way. Plus, our hotel was located on a one-way side street that did not connect to the main road, Corso Buenos Aires.
The hotel was super accommodating of our bikes, storing them in the basement. They even moved them there themselves! Time to relax and think about laundry and bike boxes! And, of course, dinner and a beer or two. The tour was over!
Today's ride: 56 miles (90 km) Total: 847 miles (1,363 km)
