Italian TET Day 4 - the little differences
In a scene in the film Pulp Fiction the main characters have a conversation about the differences between cultures. John Travolta explains to Samuel L Jackson that you are able to get a beer in McDonald's in Amsterdam, they both marvel at that.
Well, in Italy prostitutes sit on plastic chairs next to some of the roads, there are also shrines to Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary along the same roads. This is considerably different to where i live and something i mused over on the bike. Whilst its different is it wrong? Is it the perfect synergy for body and soul? You know, something like; Feed the body's base instincts, feel pretty guilty, pray for forgiveness and repent at the next shrine, go home and kiss the wife. Job done! For obvious reasons i didn't stop to get a picture of a prostitute. Although we did see one putting her knickers back on, im guessing business was brisk.
We'd eaten late a great restaurant in Como next to the duomo and had a late start the next morning leaving at about 11am. We headed West this time as there was a section of the TET we'd skipped yesterday.
The roads meandered lazily around italy granting good riding and good views.
When we reached the TET it appeared to be a sharp left off the road, but in reality the track was little more than a goat trail. However it seemed to heading in the right direction so we jumped up the curb and headed up a steep incline into the Woods.
The path was tricky and badly eroded with a steep drop, perhaps 30meters or more to the right. At one pinch point i held my breath, but it passed in a instant. Jason reached the pinch point and his rear wheel slipped off the path and the bike fell side-wards on to the wall of the hill pinning him down. I didn't notice at first as i was ahead and so waited, but after about 30mins i turned the bike the around to find him.
The picture doesnt do it justice, it was precarious, we both laughed and set our minds to rescuing the KTM. A short while later we'd man-handled the KTM back on the path and had to physically pick up the Suzuki rear to turn it round on the very narrow track. With sweat pouring off us we were on the way though the forest.
The rest of the days tracks were more open, some rugged, some steep are but certainly easier to navigate than the goat trail and the miles passed easily.
The aim for tonight was to head as far as possible west so that tomorrow we were in striking distance of TET section 2 (using the map on the previous pages) We'd skipped this section on the way east so that we'd make the lakes and have some off-roading to do on the way back to Geneva.
With a curving route over the hills programmed in we hit the tarmac.
Views were pleasing, the roads empty and the riding easy. Like in Spain there were churches everywhere, some of them pretty spectacular. We didn't take the time to confess and repent.
A lot of the region is covered by trees with villages nestled between them hugging the hills.
Following the wonderfully flowing fast roads we headed to the nearest big town, Biella. I was exhausted and we hadn't stopped for about 6hrs. Setting the concierge service (travelling in style!) searching for a hotel with secure bike parking, we headed for a cafe and scanned for Agritourismo farm steads. The only farms we found were either too far away or werent opening the kitchen this evening. Instead the concierge service found that the Agora Palace Hotel in Biella has underground parking and a roof top garden bar, so that became home for the night.
The old town of Biella is beautiful and on this occasion umbrellas were suspended above the main roads, i guess some kind of regional festival was about to happen as we'd noted umbrellas in a few towns along the route.
We had an over priced meal Cafe Da Matteo, couldn't complain though i was starving and the view was spectacular.
We ate, we reminisced about the goat trail incident and wondered why, whenever we are offroad on a dirt track mountain pass at high altitude, there was always, without fail, a Fiat Panda somewhere along it!?
We couldnt fathom it and turned in early.
Well, in Italy prostitutes sit on plastic chairs next to some of the roads, there are also shrines to Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary along the same roads. This is considerably different to where i live and something i mused over on the bike. Whilst its different is it wrong? Is it the perfect synergy for body and soul? You know, something like; Feed the body's base instincts, feel pretty guilty, pray for forgiveness and repent at the next shrine, go home and kiss the wife. Job done! For obvious reasons i didn't stop to get a picture of a prostitute. Although we did see one putting her knickers back on, im guessing business was brisk.We'd eaten late a great restaurant in Como next to the duomo and had a late start the next morning leaving at about 11am. We headed West this time as there was a section of the TET we'd skipped yesterday.
The roads meandered lazily around italy granting good riding and good views.
When we reached the TET it appeared to be a sharp left off the road, but in reality the track was little more than a goat trail. However it seemed to heading in the right direction so we jumped up the curb and headed up a steep incline into the Woods.
The path was tricky and badly eroded with a steep drop, perhaps 30meters or more to the right. At one pinch point i held my breath, but it passed in a instant. Jason reached the pinch point and his rear wheel slipped off the path and the bike fell side-wards on to the wall of the hill pinning him down. I didn't notice at first as i was ahead and so waited, but after about 30mins i turned the bike the around to find him.
The picture doesnt do it justice, it was precarious, we both laughed and set our minds to rescuing the KTM. A short while later we'd man-handled the KTM back on the path and had to physically pick up the Suzuki rear to turn it round on the very narrow track. With sweat pouring off us we were on the way though the forest.
The rest of the days tracks were more open, some rugged, some steep are but certainly easier to navigate than the goat trail and the miles passed easily.
The aim for tonight was to head as far as possible west so that tomorrow we were in striking distance of TET section 2 (using the map on the previous pages) We'd skipped this section on the way east so that we'd make the lakes and have some off-roading to do on the way back to Geneva.
With a curving route over the hills programmed in we hit the tarmac.
Views were pleasing, the roads empty and the riding easy. Like in Spain there were churches everywhere, some of them pretty spectacular. We didn't take the time to confess and repent.
A lot of the region is covered by trees with villages nestled between them hugging the hills.
Following the wonderfully flowing fast roads we headed to the nearest big town, Biella. I was exhausted and we hadn't stopped for about 6hrs. Setting the concierge service (travelling in style!) searching for a hotel with secure bike parking, we headed for a cafe and scanned for Agritourismo farm steads. The only farms we found were either too far away or werent opening the kitchen this evening. Instead the concierge service found that the Agora Palace Hotel in Biella has underground parking and a roof top garden bar, so that became home for the night.
The old town of Biella is beautiful and on this occasion umbrellas were suspended above the main roads, i guess some kind of regional festival was about to happen as we'd noted umbrellas in a few towns along the route.
We had an over priced meal Cafe Da Matteo, couldn't complain though i was starving and the view was spectacular.
We ate, we reminisced about the goat trail incident and wondered why, whenever we are offroad on a dirt track mountain pass at high altitude, there was always, without fail, a Fiat Panda somewhere along it!?
We couldnt fathom it and turned in early.
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