Clearly not true; I could turn back and head to the UK but the one that I will be continuing on today – the SS2 – certainly does. And an important milestone en route to Brindisi. Most people stop their walk or cycle in the Italian capital so, on the assumption I actually make it, it’s no mean feat and something to be proud of in itself.
The morning that has broken in Bolsena is a cool and grey one however. The clouds are moving in the opposite direction to the bank of darker cloud which doesn’t bode well for having a rain-free day. That said, the flag on top of the castle was fluttering briskly in the wind when I passed it a few moments ago so whatever weather we do have today may not stick around long.
Lots of people have warned me about how cycling into Rome is difficult due to the preponderance of dual- carriageway roads. However, Tim Dean sent me an email a few weeks ago that I have been keeping just for today. He wrote;
“I don’t know if you have picked this out already, but there seems to be a traffic-free cycle route in Rome from the A90 / GRA ring road in the north at Castel Giubileo into the heart of the city.
From what I can gather it runs right down the western bank of the tiber? If so it’d be a great way of cutting right into the city from the north, without dodging so many APE trucklets and Vespe!”
It would indeed! He has also sent me a website reference with pictures of the cycle route which I looked at a few days ago when I had access to a proper computer in Pisa. It looks very promising indeed and it is certainly my intention to seek it out. Does anyone have any further knowledge of the route?
I’ll hopefully be meeting up with Claudio in Rome who contacted me via Warmshowers.com . Claudio: what’s the best way of contacting you when I arrive in Rome? I know you are following my Spot track as you very kindly welcomed me to Lazio within an hour or so of me crossing the border! Will you be doing the same today?
We just had a few spots of rain and I can see someone with an umbrella on the other side of the square. I need to get back to the Pensione Italia to pack up and check out.
Andiamo!