On the Path of the Giro d Italia - Pretoro to Tocca da Casauria

​Turns out the El Senor was a great experience for Doug and Shawn.  They had full immersion in family dining in Italy. The hotel was packed with families attending a national motorcycle event for children.  Kind of like a Ski Tiger event on Italian steroids. 

Our am started with a pretty stiff 15 k climb up to Passo Lanciano where the giro d’ Italia went this May.  It was fun to see the writing on the roads encouraging the Italian favorites.  

 It was a long climb but the engineered road grade wasn’t too bad and the views were amazing.  Made it up to the pass where there were incredible views, herds of sheep being moved along with sheep dogs, mountain bikers coming down the mountain, road bikers heading up to blockhaus and lots of locals out hiking and enjoying the alpine scenery on a Sunday afternoon. 

We talked with some other Italian cyclists. The guy in yellow who said he could only ride on Sundays because his family is in the wine business and apparently this is a busy time in the vineyards   

The long descent was probably the best downhill ride on a bike I have ever had. The scenery was unreal.  We passed lots of bikers, we saw herds of sheep and ancient sheep herder shelters.  The air was cool as you were plummeting down but all you had to do was slow down to feel the heat of the sun.  

We passed through some lovely towns and ancient  olive groves that had the oldest gnarliest olive trees I have ever seen. 

Now I need to back up and talk about our night’s lodging 

We had to book something in Tocca da Casauria. Once again no availability to be found so we have to leave the easy booking engines and resort to old school phone calling which certainly means communication challenges.   So after a few fails, ie no camere we go to our last one which is an agriturismo outside of town.  We are all huddled in one of our bedrooms in Agnone and I am making the calls with the speaker on so everyone can hear. So I call this place and ask “vorriamo una prenotazione per due camere per dodici di settembre.” The answer is no siamo pieni.  (They are full).  A big moan happens from the peanut gallery behind me.  I dejectedly hang up.  A second later the phone rings.  Yes, they have room.  A cheer erupts behind me.  But more- they only have one room.  Moaning. Then on the other end a woman is talking to the gentleman that called me back.  What, what.  Now they have an apartment with two bedrooms and one bathroom   Cheering erupts.  Then I ask if their restaurant is going to be open.  No, signora it is several chilometri down the road.  Moaning.   Then I try to ask them if they have food.  A lot of back and forth and finally he says they do have food.  He thought I wanted to eat somewhere else.  Cheering behind me.  So I confirm or at least I think I have confirmed they have an apartment and food.   Hang up, sweat dripping, a lot of backslapping and relief. Whew!  Maybe we will have a bed and food. We shall see. 

So aren’t we once again amazed by our good fortune as the agriturismo is extremely nice. The hosts, Francesco and Giorgia are most gracious despite our difficulties communicating. When we arrive we were offered cold water and beer.  Then she brought out a plate full of bread with their own olive oil and home cured meats.  

The dinner was never ending. First bruschetta with tomatoes and lots of their delicious oil, their home cured olives and meats. Local wine, of course with no label as probably filled from a barrel. First course pasta with a ragù sauce. I could have been done at this point but then the serious food came out. All kinds of roasted meats- sausages, lamb and pork. Roasted potatoes, beans, a cold potato salad, more bruschetta, lots more wine, stuffed mushrooms and more I am forgetting. Then a plate of figs for dessert with two locally made digestivos. One made from genetian root and the other a liquorice like one. We rode through both of the towns they were made at today. So much food, so much laughter all seated outside basically at some stranger’s home in a foreign land. Later I apologized to Francesco about our awkward phone call to ask about staying here and everyone had a good laugh. I think the call had stressed him out as much as it had stressed me out too! Oh and did I mention puppies and kittens.

Bike maintenance outside our apartment 

The oven where are meat was roasted last night.