Hi each.... I was awoken at 6am this morning with the sound on rain against the tent and an it was Hissing it down... quick dash for the early morning ablutions and back into the sleeping bag... by 8pm it was obvious that this rain was set for the day.... pack up as much as I could from inside the tent and donned the riding gear and the wet weather gear... packed up a soaking wet tent and muddy by the end..... and hit the road at 9.30 note: a brilliant camp site and the facilities were top grade......
Rode for about 2 hours and it was still raining very hard... had to stop and don the heated waistcoat as the temperature was getting low.... the waterproof gloves arn't and my hands were wet and cold... decided that as the rain was so hard and the visibility so low that it was a waste of time going the planned route over the passes... so hit the motorway and froze my tits off from Udine to Venezia and Padova and came off at Vicenza and headed up the A31...... At the end of the A31 then we had fun.... I put the Autostrada ticket in the machine and nothing... the lady in the control room kept shouting instructions in italian and still nothing..... soon a dipstick arrived to explain that I need to put the ticket in the machine...
I tried to explain that I had..... he opened the machine and said I had not.... and started to rant and rave a little... then off he went... came back and asked where did I join the Autostrada... and so I told him and he asked again where was the ticket... in the f***ing machine was the polite english reply.... He open the machine again.... nothing... I was now asked to park up and pay over 56 euros. Bollox to that said I.... So I dismounted and returned to the pay booth..... Then as luck would have it a very attractive young mum arrived with kids and she spoke a little english... and she then translated for me....
We all returned to the scene of the crime and opened the machine yet again... nothing he said..... wait said I... just like Nigel with one of his photocopiers at work... the ticket is in here somewhere.... ---- I and stuck my head into the back of the machine and Hey Presto (that sort of Itelian) there was the bloody ticket; a little wet and crumpled in the in-feed of the machine.... arrrrrrhhh they all said... and after much back slapping and thanks-you's to the young lady - I was invited to I pay my 10 euros and I was on my way.... (20 mins wasted with Mr and Mrs Jobs-worth) the weather had brightened up a little so up and over the mountain pass it was... and then ended up in Trento and not the planned site.....
On the way I had promised myself an overnight stop in a Motel and a soft bed and hot bath and big meal..... I arrived in Trento and thought better of it what a whimp I thought; one night of rain and all things change..... no you don't.... I asked Gertie to find a campsite for the night and ended up at the Camp de Lido with a fabulous view over a lake and the mountains in the background ..... excellent choice..
Tent now up and drying all the kit out and drying and a wonderful hot shower.... and now sitting in the bar writing this blog entry with the assistance of a 2nd beer..... and the view is excellent mountains all around and the sun going down over then..... and a large bird of prey circling over head. Going to pop across the road for a pizza now..... Tomorrow is the visit the th Max Reich motorcycle ... in Belzano... then on to the last camp site in Italy... then the Stelvio Pass and Switzerland..... possible......
Today's mileage was about 270 and the total is about 2300...... but now heading home... Well west anyhow
