Day 71 Sutri to Civitavecchia Port

In which Sid and Doris suddenly find themselves at sea, on their way to Sardinia and a holiday.
At Vasto we told our hotel host we were headed for Civitavecchia and she made mountain signs with her hands. Today we finished the ride over the Apennines to the sea with a ride that was half joy and half delivery. 78 kilometres and 539 of climb over the last hills before we take to the road up the coast.

The charming element of the day is the ride up to Lago di Bracciano and around it. Think Lake Tahoe but smaller. At a restaurant with a view of the lake they are preparing to host a wedding lunch. They kindly clear a space for us to rest and propose pistachio tiramisu. This is holiday riding.

When we set out this morning we had in mind to check into a hotel in Civitavecchia – a port with many sailings to Sardinia, France, Spain, each on different days of the week – and have a think. Part of the original plan had been to include a week’s holiday during Phase 2 in Turkey or Greece in a beach resort hotel, and in fact we had talked to Neilson about staying in their resorts both in Lesbos and near the Igoumenista Greek ferry hub before finding the logistics didn’t work. But inspired by the fruit salad we found that they also have a Sardinia resort. Phone calls. Booking! Payment!! Commitment!!!

There was some doubt whether we could join before Saturday, and today is Wednesday. So at about 2pm we chose to take the Civitavecchia to Arbatax ferry which leaves on Wednesdays at seven o’clock. Going into sardinia at Arbatax would occupy us happily until Saturday, riding up the West coast of the island. This rushed us along the coast road with some urgency, pausing only to eat and even to take pictures of food, so much better in Italy than large parts of the Epic Ride.

 

 
Despite our haste we paused to catch this expedition truck: Brussels to Ouagadougou. So did they never make it, or break down on the way home? The truck (GMC 4×4?) is covered in brambles and looks well sun bleached, but you could make them an offer. [Joe – this is a JOKE – D.]

The port was an especially frenetic example of the genre. Doris dashed in to get tickets and book a cabin then dashed out again to ask where we were going [my short term memory for place names is now somewhere south of zero – D. – but this was an especially depressing moment]. Arbatax. No, until a couple of days ago Sid hadn’t heard of it either.  Maybe there is an Asterix character called that? if not, there should be.  Readers suggestions welcome.

So, here we are aboard the Athara, on a seven o’clock ferry at 5.30 with big outside cabin. Sea to shining sea.  Across Italy, Bari to Civitavecchia over the mountains, it’s not nothing on its own but just one small part of the Epic Journey for Sid and Doris.

We chose the a la carte restaurant mainly because the top end catering on a ferry costs 50% more than on land and the self service canteen charges a scandalous 100% more (and the self-service food on the last ferry was so outrageously terrible). So you may as well. A little later two teenage lads came in and ordered the “gourmet” burger and started drinking Coke from the bottle. Then their little brother joins them and hooks his leg over the arm of his chair. The staff are very put out. Then their mother turns up to stand crossly by their luxuriously-tableclothed table and say ‘WTF are you doing in here? Do you think I am made of money. And wipe that smirk of your face. Etc’. Families, eh?

Now off to Sardinia with two or three days mountain ride to a resort that majors on sailing, mountain biking and road cycling. We [Sid – D.] are strangely interested to see how we might get on with unladen Neddies; after a few days rest.