Giovinazzo, Bari to Magnolina, Rovigo -March 27 – April 25, 2022
Cycling numbers – According to the Apps Komoot and Strava
- Miles biked – 756 (1217 km) – Komoot
- 15,112 feet of elevation gain – Strava
- Longest ride – 66.5 Alfonsine to Magnolina – Komoot
- Days cycled – 19 0f 28
- Calories burned 24,888 (this is the most dubious stat) – Strava
- Flat tires – 0
Lodging – Number of nights stayed
- B&B’s/Hotels – 14
- Monastery – 2
- Hostel – 5
- Campgrounds – 6
- Warmshowers – 2
Gifts Received
- 1 small jar of olive oil
- 2 bars of soap (Not sure if this is a rather unsubtle hint.)
- A bunch of postcards
- 1 scarf
- An apple cake
Items Lost
- Mirror (Was never much help anyway.)
- Rear light (I have since replaced it.)
- Tie down strap (Found later wrapped up in my sleeping bag.)
Nationalities of Travelers I Have Met
- Austrian
- Dutch
- German (The overwhelming majority. One couple were cycle tourers.)
- Spanish
- Swiss (This older couple were cycle tourers.)
- Heard an American speaking loudly about how wonderful he was while at the hostel in Matera, but never actually met him. Bummer.
Books I Have Read
- Full Tilt – Dervla Murphy
- Through the Embers of Chaos – Dervla Murphy
- Becoming Duchess Goldblatt – Anonymous
Amazing Laura! You are truly an inspiration. I can’t imagine the amount of sheer determination it must take to get back on the bike every day. Obviously the rewards are tremendous. Enjoy the remainder of your trip. Looking forward to see what lies ahead of you!
Sometimes it’s hard to motivate in the morning, but nearly every time I dread my ride ahead, I have a great ride. Mostly I fear the elevation profile on my GPS route. I really can’t read them objectively and it always looks scarier than it really is!!!