Hawaii - Six days of Training

I couldn't wait to get here.

After Zell am see and Riccione the part of the trip between there and Hawii was always going to be just a fill in.  Not that we didn't enjoy Rome or Chicago.  And we were all very pleased with our races but we couldn't relax and we couldn't train easily.

We'd get off the plane in Kona and get into some serious training for two weeks, taper for a week, cruise around the ironman course then go home happy.

That was until we stepped off the plane.  It was hot.  And every local who we spoke to commented on how it had been hot for weeks - hotter than normal.

Kim found great accommodation.  Spacious condo five minutes walk from transition and the centre of town, flow through ventilation, short walk to a good coffee shop and the supermarket, air conditioned, good kitchen, pool.

Spacious accommodation - plenty of room for bikes

We couldn't wait to start training so on Tuesday we woke up, threw down a little breakfast, filled up our pockets with food and spares then headed out on the bike course to Hawi.  When we had been ploughing into the head wind (which I experienced last visit but in my excitement forgotton) for 20 minutes from about 30ks out of Kailua I was wondering why I thought it would be a good idea to get here and train.  I'd run 34 ks two days before, raced hard for well over two hours three days before and spent a long day travelling across a lot of time zones the day before.  I used all this to excuse my lack of enthusiasm and "go".  The good side was that the coffee in Hawi was every bit as good as I remembered but it was hard work earning it and we still had nearly 90ks to get home.  On the way back down the hill the wind was strong behind at the start but as we rounded the island became cross and dangerous.  When I stopped to fix a flat Kim caught up and took my low profile aluminium rim as she was getting blown across the road.  The wind was present but not a major problem for the rest of the ride.  Just the legs.

The Queen K Highway is cut through lava fields and runs sparallel to the coast.  Does that look windy?

No serious hills, great surface but serious winds to contend with

Wednesday was a swim and a 15k run.  The swim was great - water the right temperature, coral and fish to entertain you, a convenient safe place to leave your gear, cool fresh shower at the end and the swim course marked out and safe.  But the run was hot and my legs hadn't forgotton the work they'd done over the last few days (or maybe my mind).  I ran up the east side of the road to maximise the shade and drank litres of water on the way but I could still feel the front of my thighs from my efforts in Chicago.

Despite all that its a great place to hang out.  Each day means more people arriving for the race.  The Queen K was almost deserted the first day but now, five days later, there is a constant stream of bikes and runners from daylight to dusk.  We've got a good pantry happening - got to eat right.  Although we've been getting through the food.  And the buzz in the town gradually gets louder.  There are more people training down at the swim start, last year's ironman banners and t shirts are out on the footpath at reduced prices, moped hire has gone from $50 a day to 100 and there's fit looking bodies about.

The second ride on Thursday, 80 ks to Waikoloa and back, was pretty quick and much less windy.  Legs felt good, spun along sweetly to average 32 then ran 5ks off the bike.  That wasn't so much fun but its got to be done.  Although it was hot I think I'm getting used to it.  We've run into a crew from Melbourne, all from the same training club.  There's about a dozen of them competing and they seem to be everywhere.  Its good to see them about and they are positive and chatty.  Not only that but when out on the bike you are always catching people or they catch you and there's friendly chat about where you are from, how many times you been here, are you enjoying the wind and more depending on how long they draught you or you draught them.  It was good to be part of it last time but now that I'm racing its even better.

Thursday was meant to be a little easier in preparation for a couple of big days planned.  The 12k Run and a 3k swim felt normal training wise and it was good to feel the legs back to normal - tired but not sore.  In our down time we've been wandering around the shops, ever hopeful of finding some decent coffee and the odd bargain.  Even buying ground coffee for the Mr Coffee is difficult.  There are all sorts of blends on the supermarket shelves that are pretty different to the mellow brew we get back home.  They brag about the Kona coffee but its really expensive and still doesn't taste that good - at least to us.

Thursday afternoon I rode out the Queen K for about 8ks and planted four litres of water for our Sunday run out to the Energy Lab and back.  I put it where I thought it would be in the shade in the morning when we were going to run and hoped no-one would find it.  Relaxing ride out with a gentle tailwind and an easy spin back into the decreasing headwind was a great way to finish the day.  Well not exactly finish.  Ate a huge meal and shared a pair of headphones while we watched a streamed movie on the computer.  I could write a blog on TV in the US but there's be too many swear words.  "Romantic" night in front of the computer.

Friday.  I've been forcing myself to get up when there is light - rather than roll over and go back to sleep.  Although we've got all day to train its nice to get into it early, when the temperature is still under 30 and the wind hasn't built up too much.  That's the plan.  So, half awake, we shovelled food in, packed our sandwiches and head out on the Queen K for our second trip to Hawi.  As usual, the gentle tailwind for the first 20ks lulls you into thinking today's ride would be less windy than Tuesday's.  By the time we'd ploughed into the headwind for 10ks into Waikoloa (where we refill our water) we realised it was going to be a hard day.  I'd already swapped wheels with Kim so she wasn't being blown about as much on the lower profile front.  There was a Brazilian guy passed me with a moped in tow about 15ks from Waikoloa.  He had four other hangers on in his slipstream.  Although I'm training for the ride on my own already I was looking for an easy way out of the wind.  Initially I thought he must have been with others but no-one else was doing turns.  One by one they dropped out of his slipstream until it was just me, him and the moped.  He was holding about 30 into a 40kph headwind which was gusting from the side.  It was so strong that it didn't seem like I was in his slipstream despite there being just millimetres between my front tyre and his rear.  He was strong.  Guilt made me think of dropping off a couple of times but each time I thought of the wind the guilt wasn't a factor.  Eventually I just couldn't keep up.  Close as I was to his back wheel the wind was blowing me around so much I wasn't getting much relief, so I thanked him, dropped back to well under 20 and rolled into Waikoloa to wait for Kim.

One of the higher spots on the Queen K about 30 ks north of Kailua.  In the race you ride
around the left hand side of the lump in the background.

Kim is more determined than me.  So I was surprised when she suggested going back because of the wind.  I'd signed up for a day of hard riding and a great coffee in Hawi so I was pretty keen to keep on.  The wind came from around the front to the side and eased a little between Waikoloa and Kawaikae and by the time we had climbed the hill out of Kawaikae and were onto the rolling highway before the climb to Hawi it was almost bearable.  But the further we went around to the north the wind came back.  So strong from the side that I was being blown a metre sideways by the gusts, sure that one of them would rip the bike out from under me.  It was far stronger than Tuesday.  As usual it was on the nose for the last 10ks to Hawi and we crawled up the hill into it.  Straight to the little supermarket to get a litre of coke which I had downed before Kim arrived.

At coffee time we met up with an older Aussie on his 5th trip.  He wins his age group sometimes and was all positive and happy.  Yes the wind was the strongest he'd ever know but not much you could do about it.  Nice guy.  Nice coffee.  Now about that ride back.

We rolled out of Hawi, gradually picking up speed with the hill and the wind, knowing the wind would be coming from the side.  I'm usually  confident on the bike but I was  bracing myself for every bit of open road where I was sure I would get blown into the armco or the bike would go out from under me.  So it was brakes on and not an enjoyable descent like it should have been.  Kim stopped with a puncture as she was leaving Kawaikae and almost had it fixed by the time I had missed her and come back.  I cleverly let all the air out of the tyre as I took over the pump so I had to start pumping from scratch.

Whenever you get down near the coast you pass one of these signs.  This road descends into Kawaikae the port town.

From about 10 ks out of Waikoloa the wind came around behind us.  We were doing well into the 60s on gradual downhills with little wind in our faces.  From my gps the times for two 5k laps were way under six minutes.  I did two lots of 5ks yesterday in way under six minutes (a 5:24 and 5:36).  Gentle downhill smooth hotmix and howling tailwind.  Great fun but nothing less than we deserved after we had fought our way into it earlier in the day where one of my 5k splits was over 16.5 minutes.

Kona has been unusually hot over the last few weeks and there has been much more rain than normal.  Water running down the gullies in the lava flows is not common.

Watered it up at Waikoloa then rolled home, wind up our back wheel for the first 15ks then coming round to a steady headwind for the run home.  Tough day at the office.

Sunday.  Couldn't wait to jump out of bed and go check whether my stashed water was still 8ks out on the Queen K.  Although I could be lying.  It was more like dragged myself out of bed and wondered how I was going to get my legs going for 26 ks.

Didn't feel much in the way of energy unfortunately.  Sorry about the hat - it was turned around to keep the morning sun off my face.  True.

And then hoping that the water wasn't there because if it wasn't I would turn around after eight ks.  Unfortunately it was there so I swallowed my gel and drank a litre of water hoping the gel might perk me up.  By the time I made it to the energy lab turnoff about 10ks out I was feeling ok.  Ran with and Australian lady, Jody Gilchrist who sounds like a regular here.  She was full of ironman talk and positive thoughts about ironman which helped the run go by.  We went out to the turn around point then we parted company about six ks out when she stopped for water.  The last six was tough.  The day was heating up and my legs were feeling fatigued after a hard few days.  Finished off at the swim start, showered, swam a few strokes, dragged myself up the hill to our condo, ate a hearty breakfast, slept for two hours, cooked up a hearty lunch then went shopping.

At five we decided to cruise up Alii Drive on the bikes to get some lactate out.  It was an easy spin and coming up to dusk there were still plenty of locals out on the beach.  They do pretty good picnics here.

Sunday afternoon Hawaiian style

Sort of a rest day tomorrow with only a swim pencilled in.  And eat of course.

Back to Serious Training

A mountain that sticking up somewhere between Seattle and Kona

I was riding along on the wide, smooth, level Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway, about 30 ks north of Kailua at around eight in the morning.  At 19 kph.  I was tucked down on the bars, aero as possible (for me) struggling against a 40kph headwind, eyes stinging from the sweat and sunscreen that had been running into my eyes for the last 45 minutes in the 30 degree heat trying to figure out why I thought doing the Hawaiian Ironman was a good idea.

The Big Island.  Hawi, the turning point for the bike ride in the Ironman is about centre picture.

I'd already emptied my first water bottle having devoured two litres before we left.  We had 180 ks to ride today and I was looking forward to our first break at 40 - for water and to top up our tyres with air.

After a long drink, a refill and the air we left Waikolo heading north again into the howling headwind.  After about 10 ks the wind had eased and come around to the side so progress was getting back to normal.  We reached the port town of Kawaihae in reasonable condition and started the gradual climb up the hill and around the north of the island to Hawi. The more we climbed the stronger the wind was, first from the side then headwind.  The 19 ks I'd been doing looked fast compared to the 12 I was doing now.

Finally reached Hawi.  Straight to the supermarket to get coke, downed the 1.5 litres while waiting for Kim to arrive then enjoyed two good coffees, some corn tortillas and honey then headed down the gentle hill, back towards Kawaihae.  At 55 kph.

The first 5 ks was magic. Then the wind came from the side.  I stopped high above the ocean in the gusting wind to fix a front wheel puncture.  When Kim caught up and after I'd repaired it she took my wheel as she was struggling with the gusty wind with her 60mm front and back.

Once we were back on the Queen K it was just a drag for 75 ks back to Kailua after stopping at Wailoloa for a water bottle refill, a drink and to eat the last of our food.

Me and my bike on the way back from Waikoloa, looking roughly North to the northern lump of the Big Island.  The cycle leg goes up the left side of the lump.

We'd raced hard three days before, then run 35 two days before, then travelled and changed time zones the day before today.  But even taking that into account it is going to be a hard ride on the day.

Two Down

Checked in our gear at about eight on the windiest, coolest day we've had in Chicago so far.

I start at 11:40 and David and Kim after 12 so its back to the apartment to eat, drink and sleep.

According to the athletes handbook the bike course is a convoluted series of loops on wide roads with tunnels, ramps up and down to different levels and smooth (ish) hot mix surface.

The run is up and down the same wide boulevarde that makes up part of the bike.  It's been effectively closed for days and in a town with lots of cars that's got to be unpopular.

We went down and checked in our street gear about 11 after food and sleeps.

The forecast wind was not that strong so there were disc wheels humming up and down the road in the race.

Swim was cool, with occasional weed in the face that refused to wash off, followed by a 650m (Dave's gps) run to the bike.  Onto the bike, wide, smooth, South Columbus Drive then into the tunnel and... can't see a thing.  Can vaguely make out the road markings and luckily it was straight for a while.  We'd imagined that there would be short tunnels or covered roads with light from the side but the darkish covered part of the course seemed to make up around half of it.  It was a little bit better when the lenses in my glasses faded from being out of the sun for a while but every time I reentered the tunnel I had the same problem of blindness.

And its not like it was straight and easy to navigate.  There were several u turns, 90o turns and ramps up and down.  There were several crashes and its not hard to see why.  Gutters couldn't be distinguished from the road surface in the dark and there were pylons and expansion joints, not to mention the occasional wet patch.

Great discussion after the race about how dangerous it was.  And to top it off the ride was only 37 ks.  You'd think they'd get it right for the world championships.

The run was straight forward.  Join the crowd running up and down South Columbus drive, duck into Buckingham fountain on the way north and do it four times.  Except someone forgot to bring the turn in from the aquathon and the run ended up 10.8 ks.  Pity the odd athlete who was cheated in their favourite bike leg then passed late in the run.  Great support from Justine and the kids helped keep the running pace up - at least till we passed them each lap.

Both David and I were in groups big enough to have two waves so results were a little while coming through.  I knew I would be back a bit as I had been passed by two riders in my age group going considerably faster, then passed by at least one runner (again going considerably faster).  Then, only a couple of minutes after finishing the first runner from the wave behind came through.

I ended up 8th, six minutes off the lead.  Kim was 10th, eight minutes from the leaders and David was 37th and 12 minutes back.  Strong showing from the USA although, according to team management, we were the second most successful team after the US.

We analysed our results as you do and the greatest area for improvement in my race is transition but a minute of that wouldn't have been enough to get me on the podium.  I don't think I can go any faster on the bike or in the run.  The guys who beat me by minutes must be freaks.  Or on drugs.

So last night my head was sorting out what sort of drugs the people who beat me take and how widespread it is.  On one side was the idea that old people don't take drugs and on the other was the recollection that we had to do a drugs in sport course prior to competing.  And the fact that even at 60 there are some seriously competitive athletes who might be desperate enough to be drug cheats.  So where were the testers.  Even at this level I've never heard of anyone being asked to undertake a drug test.

No on course photos this time.  

Pleased with the race, especially the run which has continue to improve.

Today we helped David, Justine and the kids get to the subway.  They were heading to the airport then San Fransisco.  Disneyland.

While Kim and I went out for a three hour run.

And as usually happens we sorted out the touristy things we should have done in Chicago and found a real coffee shop.

As usual, Kim is very pleased to be in a photo.

We felt like telling the crowd there that good coffee can be found in at least five places in Maclean, a town of 3500 people and that was normal in Australia.  The looks on their faces and on the faces of the staff suggested they thought they were pretty special.  They'll get the hang of it in a few years.

Chicago is a beautiful looking city with dozens of polished high rise, museums, art galleries and open air theatres.  Today (sunday) everyone was out along the foreshore enjoying the last of the summer.  Riding, running skating.  Drop into one of the thousands of restaurants and fast food shops for giant iced coffees, soft drinks, "subs", hamburgers, donuts, and lots more.  Then its back to your apartment.

Big city

Can't wait to get to Hawaii.

Chicago One.

As we looked out the window, on final approach to O'hare airport we could see two other passenger jets on final approach too.  And they stayed that way until they disappeared into the buildings that separated us on our descent.  We landed at an airport.  I hope they did too.  Busy place.

Step three of our trip from Rome to Chicago went without a hitch.

Now.  How to get to town?

Airport transport?  $30 per head and $30 per bike added up to a lot.  Especially compared to $5 per head on the subway.

Subway it is.  15 stops later and we emerged from the depths into downtown Chicago.  Glossy on the outside. Dozens of towering glass buildings rise 30 stories and more.  Three levels of roads in some places.  A metro that rattles loudly above the ground as well as below it.  Roads of four lanes each way, full of traffic going who knows where. Each car with one person in it. Starbucks on every corner and restaurants in between.

Beggars and homeless are sprinkled around, in alcoves, road tunnels and parks.  A contradiction to the glossy front.  Not so glossy underneath.

The lake is cool, clean and has good access along the water front.  Officious police and security people give instructions and herd people, despite the obvious walk/don't walk signs at the intersections and the signs everywhere warning you to keep off the grass..

The skyline is amazing.

This is looking in one direction.  There are many more big buildings.

A yellow cab, hybrid style.

 We are here for the ITU world championships for elites and age groupers.  The afternoon we arrived evaporated with the time spent getting to our apartment, organising food, eating food and settling in after 4:30.  Any thoughts that we'd had, of having a swim or a bike ride, disappeared in the dwindling hours and jet lag.

Wednesday we woke up at normal time (for Chicago) and had to get organised for the aquathlon, do the aquathlon, attend a team function and join the march - so no training again today.

Once Kim and I had qualified for Hawaii this race had become more of a training hit out than the culmination of our trip and the loss of training time in Rome where we could only manage one run in four days and Chicago where long rides are out of the question and long swims need a wetsuit was becoming frustrating.

Kim, David and I had entered the aquathlon and with little recent work under our belts and plenty of jetlag it was a big question mark how we would perform.  Reports from Kim and David suggested they weren't affected by the upset to the training schedule and I don't think I was.  David ended up 20th and second Australian in the 50s, despite taking half an hour to get her wetsuit off Kim was 6th and second Australian in the 55s and I was fourth and first Australian in mine.  Very happy with the run, doing well under 21 minutes for the five ks.

The rest of the day was a drag.  Kim's wetsuit was missing from transition when she went collect it so her and I spent most of the afternoon going from there to the presentation to the lost property tent (presentation because I thought I had come third) and back but to no avail.  We had little time to get to the function where David and Kim gorged themselves on a wide range of tasty food while I had to content myself with ham and mustard on gluten free bread.    I'm a bit sour because they spend a fortune looking after "disabled" athletes when with a little effort could make more than a token effort for people who are forced to eat gluten free.

We came to be part of this team.  300 odd Aussies.  We didn't get to hold the sign during the march, just stole it for a photo.

Buckingham fountain.  The queen donated this fountain.  Looked good in the late afternoon light.

 Millenium park is just down the block from where we are staying.  It stretches along the waterfront, with busy roads either side, about a kilometre long and 500 metres wide.  Lots of grassy areas and seriously sculpted outside theatres, walkways, fountains, cafes (that's what they are called but getting a "real" coffee there isn't possible) and actual sculptures.  V

The gang appreciating the roof of the stage of an outside theatre.

Thursday, after an easy run and a ride along the lake, dodging walkers, skaters and other cyclists we went wandering.  Dunno how you are supposed to see a city like this in a couple of days but the area around where we are staying, on East Washington Avenue and Millenium Park has plenty of attactions.

A large bean shaped reflective sculpture that eliminates the need for a selfie stick.

Couldn't help myself.  Photobombed my own photo

The gang.

The panorama from the lake side of Millenium Park

A quick ride home from the field museum.  Home of Sue.  You'd think they'd come up
with a better name for a Tyrannosaurus Rex

The closed road for the triathlon course.  With storm brewing.

The view from the mounting paddock.  Day before the race.  Looks of anticipation all round.

Our apartment is probable 50 years old and looks like it could have been used for Seinfeld. Although we haven't seen a Kramer yet.  Big loud fridge, big black electric stove, tiny cupboards, small food preparation area, largish living area, loud but effective air conditioning and a bedroom and bathroom either side.  Its is close to the shops, reasonably close to the race and does the job of accomodating us but I'd hate to be a permanent resident.

Our apartment is about a block up on the left of this city canyon.  Check out the firestairs on the building on the right.  Straight out of the movies.  

From our filthy window on the 19th floor we can look down on the traffic and people through a single pane of glass.  No thoughts of insulation here.  From heat, cold or from noise.  We can hear the elevator signal its arrival through our door, the sirens that seem to go off every 10 minutes, the trains roaring along the railway above the street on steel scaffolds seemingly designed to amplify the noise and the constant roar of the traffic.  They don't use their horns here as much as they do in Cairo but they go off with useless frequency.  All this goes all night and day and is masked only a  little by the roar of the fridge.

I don't think I am a city person.

Rome

The transfer from Riccione to Rome was a challenge.

Six of us with luggage had to get to Riccione station by seven in the morning to catch the train north (away from Rome) to Bologne then 20 minutes to sort out the stairs on the busiest station in Italy to get our connecting fast train to Roma.

The Fedora hotel came to the rescue by driving us in their van to the station - one less worry.  The icing on the cake was the breakfast they put on early for us - after which we proceeded to fill our pockets with food for lunch.  Would have loved to take the hotel with us.  Particularly since while I am writing this is lunch is dry cheese and bread.

We walked out Roma Central into a taxi rank with no taxis but lots of roadworks and waited in the taxi line.  No other people in the line and not a taxi in 20 minutes was enough to convince us that we had to find the real queue.  So we dragged our 13 pieces of baggage to the other side of the station to find a long queue and plenty of taxis.  Promising.

Then, like Paris three years before, we had to find a driver (or two in our case) willing to take on a challenge.  Took a while but we hired a nine seater van and a station wagon and headed for the inner suburbs to our third floor home for the next few days.  Should have taken a photo inside - it seemed a very Italian decor - with ornate paintings, ornate furniture and ornate toaster and coffee maker. Clean, comfortable and tidy but a little crowded in the kitchen department.

Not ours but the sort of street we were in.  Ours didn't have the pretty flowers.

Looking out the window on street level there were corner cafes in most directions with glossy chrome espresso machines, small grocery shops, kebab shops, fruit shops and 100 metres down on the main road a fair range of shops ranging from expensive clothes to supermarket.  Very much the suburbs Italian style.  And we were five minutes walk from the train/tube station which got us into "town" in 20 minutes.  Great spot.

So we bought a two day metro pass and headed into town with the photo bombers while David and Justine went on a food tour.

The photobombers.  And the view when you walk out of Colosseum subway station.

 If you get off at the right metro station you walk right into ancient Rome.  We walked out of Colosseum metro to our first view of ancient Rome in the evening sun.  Bigger than I had imagined.  Bloody amazing in fact.  Even tho' we'd had a long day it was hard not to be impressed.  We followed a wedding up a narrow curving paved street to a tiny chapel.  Then walked along reasonably aimlessly - the ruins which were everywhere.

An arch near the colosseum and some giant old pavers.

 There were hawkers everywhere selling everything from segway tour tickets to open top bus tours to umbrellas (which appeared magically the next day when it started to rain).  One thing they all had in common was selfie sticks for sale.  They were in your face but nothing like as pushy as the Egyptians or Ballinese in the Kuta area.

Rome is full of ruins.  Not much of this building left

I'd hate to be riding across this pave.  Well worn, uneven and slippery.  Photobombers are everywhere.

Lots of restoration work going on.

Ruins everywhere.  Some don't rate a plaque to explain what they are.

Roman ruins are BIG

Sorted food, ate then went seriously to town the next day.  Lined up to go inside the Colosseum and joined the thousands of other visitors swarming over it like ants.  There must be a fair bit of wear and tear on the place but the millions of euros in entry fees must go a long way towards the restoration.

The maize below the floor allowed gladiators, animals and props to be brought into the arena and up through the floor.  Pretty flash design and engineering.

 We "did" the open top bus tour because it was becoming obvious we weren't going to see everything and we needed to sit down for a while.  We went past impressive building after impressive building - probably just as many as Paris but many not quite as upmarket.  Some of the large building with their large marble and limestone columns were difficult to appreciate because they had been built out.  Huge building with columns on one side of a narrow street with a more modern building opposite crowding it out.  Pity.

Dunno.  But it was impressive

 We got off the bus at the pope's house (or just down the street from it).  We'd been in Italy long enough to be confident that coffee and snacks were priced fairly consistently so we order coffees and ice creams without looking too closely at the cost.  66 euros later and in a state of shock we vowed to get on trip adviser as soon as possible to out the thieves who had set up a cafe as a front.  The coffees were E6, single cone ice creams 10.  Were were shocked.  When we questioned the bill they just shrugged.  Obviously not looking for return customers.

St Peters.  We emailed the pope to tell him we were coming but didn't even get a reply.  If he wants to visit us when he's in Australia next we'll ignore him too.

Part of the Circus Maximus in the foreground and some impressive ruins in the background.  We waited a while but no chariot racing  on the day we were there.

 We'd been citied out after just 1 1/2 days.  Or I had.  With a day to go before we flew out we realised, when tried to book, that getting a taxi for us and all our stuff needed 48 hours notice and would be expensive.  So while the others went back to see they pyramid I waited for confirmation of a ride to the airport.  If the trip from Riccione to Roma was a stress, getting to the airport, flying to Chicago and getting to our hotel was a level up in difficulty.

What do you call a collection of mopeds?  Spot the photobomber.

After perfect planning, several text messages and four bookings (and three cancellations) the black nine seater arrived on time (3:30 in the morning) and with a little bit of persuasion (and a moderate amount of shock at all our luggage) the driver squeezed us in and we headed to the airport.  Speed varied from 20kph in the back street short cuts to 145kph on the autostrada but we arrived on time and within budget.  Step one completed.

At check in the less-than-helpful clerk informed us that despite our ticket clearly stating we were allowed two bikes we would only be allowed one.  With a moderate amount of urging she made several calls and we checked in our bikes and farewelled David, Justine and the kids as they disappeared into the business class lounge.

Chicago here we come.

The Last Ride

On our last ride we met up with Paolo again.  He'd been with us for the first two days then disappeared.  Claudio, the hotel manager said he'd been sick.

When he turned up he had a bruised forearm as a result of being on a drip in hospital.  Kidney stones we think (although his English is good it still wasn't pefectly clear what his ailment was).

But he was keen to get back in the saddle. We did a circuit that went around San Marino taking in the climbs above and behind it to the famous Cippo where Marco Pantani used to train.  From the pass at over a thousand metres at Villegrande we could look back down on San Marino - so we'd done a bit of climbing.

The climbs were more even and steady than the steep Montescudo two days before but went on for a while.  The worst part was the descents.  If the roads were any good we could have had a great time going down but the broken uneven surface meant brakes on even along the straights as you picked your way through.

Where we were headed.  The pass at the left.

Top of the climb

Looking down on San Marino from Serra San Marco.

 We stopped for coffee at an abrupt rocky hill called San Leo.  A fortress built on top and ancient town square within had the most uneven pave and few tourists.  Great coffee and quite a "find".

San Leo

San Leo with Paolo waving

The next day we packed up our 13 pieces of luggage and headed to Rome.

Our gear.  Waiting for the train at Riccione

Our Hotel

Well our first impressions of Riccione were quite correct.  The place is a tacky tourist strip.  And when I said it goes for miles it does. There might be a few hundred metres of beach around a river outlet or fishing port where there are not wall to wall beach umbrellas and cabanas but it goes for at least 15 kilometres north and 10 south from where we are.

And just off the beach there are restaurants and cafes, kids rides, shopping malls that stretch hundreds of metres inland, perpendicular to the coast.  There are also areas where it is obviously more expensive than others.  And also the odd area of failed development.  Not hard to understand tho' as the number of empty seats at the cafes far outnumber the number of occupied ones.  I suspect it is getting towards the end of tourist season - school has gone back.

Hotel Fedora seems to fit into the middle of the hotel classes.  They make a point of putting themselves up as a bicycle friendly hotel and everything so far supports their claim.  We have a bike guide each day if we want who will go as far as we want, as fast as we want and in any direction that we want.  We get our gear washed when we come back.  Lunch is kept till mid afternoon so we can go on long rides and eat when we return.  We just tell them at the desk each night what we want to do the next day and after a huge breakfast we are met by a guide and off we go.  Great service.

They do great gluten free at the hotel Fedora

Nothing is a problem at the hotel.  Their is huge amounts of gourmet food.  I am greeted at breakfast with my own plate of rice cakes, gluten free cakes, biscuits to eat - in addition to the luxury breakfast I can choose from the buffet.  Most of these usually end up in my pocket to be eaten on the ride.  Absolutely fantastic seafood.  Three different types of pasta or lasagne, beef and or chicken dishes, several fish dishes including fantastic seafood chowders for lunch and dinner, a choice of gluten free pastas, gluten free deserts, tables of fresh fruit including sweet peaches, melons and plumbs, a dozen different salads at lunch and dinner, espresso coffee at breakfast.  It just goes on.  Even with all our training we are probably putting on weight.

Us in our complimentary hotel bandannas.  And Claudio the owner celebrating our stay with
 complimentary champagne to farewell us.

Great seafood chowder.  A different one every day.  13 Octopus lived in this bowl.  Till I ate them.

Our hotel from the Beach.  The lifeguard is hiding from the sun on the tennis chair.  Our hotel is the one on the right.

And the staff are embarrassingly friendly and helpful.  Great hotel.