In Search of Saints And Miracles

​One days activity began with a leisurely ride to Assisi mostly through quiet olive groves.  We had hoped to get there before the throngs of pilgrims arrived and we did so.  It was relatively quiet and we were able to spin through the town without running a gauntlet of people on the streets.  

Shawn and I went into the major basilica and were able to tour it while listening to a heavenly chorus from a mass going on in one of the side chapels.  Then after absorbing as much vibe as we could from St Francis we headed up to the Rocca above town.  The statue that the crew is emulating was a depiction of St Francis after coming home from war at which time he gave up all his earthly possessions and dedicated his life’s work to God. 

Views from the Rocca.  

We leave Assisi from its highest point and then circumvent around Mount Subasio which is a regional park.  It is very scenic with long delightful sections in cool shade.   There is a roadside water fountain where we join locals who have driven there to get water and we fill our water bottles with cold mountain spring water.  

On the back side of Mt Subasio we come upon the town of Armenzano    It is a very small village and is a UNESCO site.  It’s circular city walls are entirely intact.   We were standing down below looking at the pathway to enter the town.  An elderly man approached us with a handful of figs. He started pointing out how to walk around the town.  He assured us our bikes would not be stolen. I was having a hard time understanding his rapid fire Italian.  I pointed to the figs in his hands and asked him if they were figs.  Si sì and he hands me one then to everyone else.  Then he continues giving us information and instructions of which I could only catch bits and pieces.   Then somewhat in frustration and probably somewhat in civic pride, he throws up his hands, gives us all the figs he is carrying for us to eat and indicates that we should follow him.  He then takes us on the town tour.  He tells us the miracle of his town.  The Germans were on one side, the Americans on the other.  A bomb is dropped in the middle of town but never explodes to which the town attributes to the intervention of a saint of which I could not understand the name.  He walked us around the whole town showing us where the town puts its nativity scene in winter and there is even an astronomical telescope there.  Anyway another stellar experience of the generosity and warmth of Italians.  

We continue around the mountain now with some steep climbs.  We stop at the next town of San Giovanni for a quick peek.  Another lovely town which under their town name the sign says a place of peace and friendship.   Then the descent begins and we stop in Collepino which is a few miles above Spello.  As we are arriving a woman getting out of a car approaches us and starts taking about some random topics such as the fact that her dress is wet.   She is with an older man of which I make a serious mistake of asking if this is her husband.  She gets a little excited about this assumption saying she is young and he is very old. Then she looks at Doug with what might be interpreted as a longing look and asks how old are you at which he replies 61.  I then point to Jim who is hiding behind Doug and say he is 64 and she gives a breathless “bel uomo”.   (Handsome man).  Then a lot more rapid fire conversation which none of us could figure out as were we inching ourselves away to make our exit.   Final conclusion is she would be considered crazy is any culture.   

Then lunch in Collepino then the final few miles home on single track following the acqueduct back to Spello.