A Day Full of Surprises - Ancient and Modern- Serravalle dì Chienti to Foligno

​Our dinner that night at Locanda Montigno was a delight as expected.  I had a risotto with saffron and porcini and Jim had a pasta with sausage, a huge plate of grilled meats followed along with vegetables and panna cotta for desert.  Also an appetizer of bruschette a half liter of the house wine.  We felt like the resident pagans as it was Friday night and everyone else in the restaurant was eating fish.  When we paid the bill the next day along with our hotel, we learned the dinner only cost $39.  Absurdly cheap, we left a ten euro note on the bed stand along with a note of thanks for a wonderful experience and we still felt guilty! 

We learned that our hosts, Sylvia and Francesco bought this business a mere two months ago.  They came from Porta Recanti along the sea in Le Marche.  Sylvia’s grandmother was from Serravalle but they left to find work as there is little work opportunity in this village. Many people have left after earthquakes over the years and the need for a way to make money.   The Inn itself has been in business since the year 900.  Yes, a very long time.   They were very friendly and very appreciative of our saying how much we enjoyed our stay.   So we said arrivederci to them and their cat, fiocco(snowflake). 

So we headed out knowing it was to be a short day on the bike and a strangely unfamiliar profile as it was to be mostly downhill to Foligno.   How could that be?   Well , I planned on making the most of it.  We have an apartment in Foligno for four nights as the weather forecast is looking like rain for the next few days.  

So it was a day that we could read every sign for roadside sites, stop and look at them and take everything in without feeling any pressure to get anywhere else or to mentally prepare for the next epic climb.  The day’s route was perfect for this because to our surprise there were many really interesting sites to see.  Starting with this fountain right out of town.  

And whatever this is…

Then we came upon the Botte dei Varana built in 1458 by the Duke of Camerino.  It was a hydraulic conduit to drain the swamplands and provide arable lands for agriculture.  However, an earthquake in the 1990’s required some rebuilding and it was during this, that the bc version of this was found 2 meters underneath.  

Then a few kilometers further down the road we are riding down the middle of a huge agricultural plain where all kinds of crops are growing and being harvested.  Then just around some random corner surprise another archeological site.  This time the ruins of some pre-Roman times.  The amazing thing about this and really every where in Italy is that these ancient things are just everywhere.  You can touch them, sit on them walk over them.  I can’t help but think of how at home any “historic” site is so protected and huge financial resources are often dumped into every piece of history.  Italy suffers from its wealth of history but it is a joy to experience.  

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And to clarify this is in the middle of a field with no fences and a couple of signs.  Then we continue on our descent through the usual beautiful scenery.  

Then another random Roman era site a viaduct just on the side of the road.  We stop and look at it from afar and wonder if that is something of interest.  We push our bikes through the overgrown field and yup surprise a Roma viaduct on the via Flaminia- one of the major Roman roads from long ago.  Only a faded sign to tell you anything about it.  

Now we’re getting closer to Foligno and we are following Jim’s route and then surprise.  A road sign saying that no bikes allowed on the road ahead. 

 Oh boy.  Out comes  the phone and a couple of alternative routes are found which involve gravel roads, steep grade and probably some significant bike pushing for me.  Ok, these things happen and well it has been such an easy day that I am ready for the challenge.  However, it looks like we may be a couple hours from Foligno now and so we need some fuel.  We turn around and go back aways to where we saw a market and buy a few snacks.  As we are munching we start to see mountain bikers coming down the road. Jim runs out to try to get some better ideas for our route assuming they are probably from Foligno.  One guy says , si Foligno and points the way we were trying to go originally but they all whiz by so we are still uncertain.  Then a couple of more guys come by not in a high speed peloton and stop to talk.  So these bikers say the way which doesn’t allow bikes is the only way to Foligno.  Well he was wrong  because Jim found two other ways.  However, I think what he meant was that is the only way a sensible person would ride to Foligno! The other surprise here was he tells us there is a big biking event happening this weekend in Foligno involving antique bikes.  

So we get on the bike banned road and it is a high speed road.  However it is very wide with a good shoulder and we see at least a dozen or so other bikers on it!  

So we end up in Foligno without the extra mileage and suffering and sure enough when we hit the main piazza we see the bike event in full force.  Lots of booths selling retro bike jerseys and bike parts for your antique bikes as well as sign up for the bike ride.  

We also see Simone from the bike shop where we bought our bikes from three years ago and we visit with him.  

Then a bar break where a passing woman on a bike asks us for some assistance with her flat tire. Jim tries but the tire needs more than just some air so we are unable to help her.  

Then what may be our final surprise of the day we reach our apartment.  Our host, Martina greets us and we all struggle with the usual language barrier but she makes us feel welcome and we learn we are only her second guests and she leaves us a chilled bottle of Prosecco next to the lovely flowers from her garden.  Wow!