Badass Cyclist

About 8 years ago Lyn called me “badass” – it was given as a compliment and I took it as a compliment, although I never felt I fitted the title.

Lyn was the amazing nurse I met in America when I had an accident and she let me stay with her and her fabby family – Lyn also translated my Scottish accent for the other nurses who couldn’t make me out at all – Lyn liked Scottish TV.

Badass – tough, uncompromising, or intimidating person.

Badass lady – confident, independent and strong.

Badass – can also be used to describe a bad or slightly frightening person.

I’m not sure I’m really any of the above but decided 2 days ago I was maybe a wee bit “badass”

On Sunday I was cycling from just north of a wee town called San Quirco d’Orcia to Laga di Bolsena. The Komoot route took me on route number 2 and a number of wee side roads – it was going to be another hot day – because of this I left early and as the roads had been quiet the last couple of days I decided to stick just to route 2 which would make it shorter and more importantly much less hilly – worse case scenario if the road was too busy and unpleasant I could pick up the side roads.

When I crawled out of the tent at 6am I wondered what the hell I was doing – it was still dark and the starry sky was beautiful. By the time I was finally packed up and ready to go at 7am the sun was up and it was a beautiful morning and hardly any traffic on the road.

All was going to plan and the cycling was fantastic (but still hot) until I came to the road closed sign – I was hoping to go straight and not take the windy hilly route.

The road wasn’t completely closed and the sign indicated that locals could pass through – I reckoned if locals were able to get through I’d be fine on my bike and carried on, on a completely traffic free road with no sign of roadworks until a more significant barrier……

There was still no evidence of roadworks or any noise. I googled “do roadworks take place on a Sunday?? in Italy ” Only in an emergency” according to google – that didn’t help. I’m never keen to go backwards and it was getting hot and I really didn’t want to do any more hills. I broke all construction site health and safety rules (Dad you’d had better stop reading) and snuck through a wee gap just big enough for the bike (once I’d moved a fallen post). I kept going, enjoying the scenery and having the road completely to myself but a bit apprehensive that at any moment I’m going to get a telling off and made to turn round. A good few kilometres on there were signs of works vehicles but still no construction noise and no signs of workmen and then just round the corner I came to the tunnel where the work was taking place BUT not on a Sunday thank goodness. The tunnel was well lit and looked as if it was going to be re-tarmacked but the surface was still good. A bit further on, it looked as if the tunnel was completely fenced off and my way was going to be barred – was this the point where I was going to have to admit defeat and turn round? Luckily not – there was a slightly raised walkway just wide enough for me to cycle on without having to take the panniers off, and I got a good view of the rather large hole that was being fixed.

Passed the hole and then after another kilometer or so back into daylight and a lovely gentle descent to my final barrier which was a bit harder to get round and I had to take everything off the bike, lift Phil over the barrier and put everything back on again and still not a person in sight – we had done it and as it was traffic free, the nicest tunnel I’d cycled through, knocked off a good few miles and about 1500 feet of climbing!

My footwear didn’t comply but I did have a helmet on. If this had been any other day of the week it wouldn’t have been badass at all – I would have been sent back with an embarrassing flea in my ear!

After my tunnel adventure the road started to overlap with the Via Francigena walkers route and I saw lots of walkers and gave them a wee ring of my bell and shouted hello on the way past. Further on I noticed a wee shack with walkers sitting outside in the shade of the trees and I pulled over – the wee shack was a tiny bar and made lovely fresh sandwiches. I got speaking to 3 of the walkers – a lady from Denmark who spoke very good English with an Australian accent; a lady from the north east of Italy – they were both in their late 60’s / early 70’s and a much younger Italian lady maybe in her late 20’s / early 30’s – they did not know each other from Adam when they started the walk but had formed a bond and were looking out for each other – and this was apparent with most of the walkers I got speaking to, especially the section of the route between Lucca & Rome.

They left just as a couple of cyclists heading north appeared. He was from Spain, she was from Austria and this was their 2nd big bike tour – their first trip was to link their home towns in Spain and Austria together. I got a tip of a good campsite to stay at the next again evening.

The only time I strayed off the route no 2 that day and take the Komoot route I regretted it – I was so close to the lake I was heading for I could almost touch it but the path just disappeared into a wall of cane and I had to turn round.

Finally made it to Camping Mario – and Mario made me think of a little scruffy Super Mario. The campsite facilities were a bit scruffy too but it was a lovely spot, everything worked and I got a delicious wee jug of red wine for €3 before heading to bed.

Next day I was heading for another lake and the campsite that had been recommended to me. Another good day on the bike but not as scenic and the road was busier – cycling along the west side of the lake was lovely though except for the 20° incline!

I did come through this lovely wee town though – the walking route goes through it – the cycling route skirts passed it and it becomes apparent why at the other end of the town where I had to zigzag down all the steps – if I wasn’t fully laden I think I would have had a go at cycling down them.

For the 2nd day in a row my end point was at a lake – Lago di Bracciano – and for the 2nd day on the trot I thought I was going to have to retreat and make a u-turn – the path narrowed to almost nothing and sloped down to a narrow but muddy burn – had to push Phil up the steep slope on the other side and then on to a steeper is-this-even-the-route section that I only just made up without having to take the panniers, etc off and found myself on the edge of an olive grove with no indication which way to go – finally joined a wee road to the chorus of barking dogs at their house – and then it was an uphill before a nice swoopy downhill to the lake and reccomended campsite……. which was closed! And so was the next one. It’s getting to the end of the holiday season – in my head it’s warm enough to camp you should be open but don’t suppose it works like that.

3rd campsite lucky at International Glamping – lovely location but wanted €34 for one night – my expression must have said it all when she asked if that was alright – eh no – I’d want of your pods at that price – I managed to talk them down or I would have found a wee wild camping spot.

And this sign made me giggle the next morning