Rainy Days and New Beginnings - Recanati to Spello

​We wake up once more to an ominous weather forecast and threatening skies. We decide to forge ahead despite the current thunder we are hearing.  The radar looks like we will have about a three hour window which could get us most of the way to Tolentino.  The two people at the desk beg us to stay as it is too dangerous to go. We tell them, siamo pazzi (we are crazy) and our limited Italian prevents us from explaining our analysis of the weather radar we have carefully studied.  Off we go. 

Things go well for awhile.  Only an occasional spritz of rain.  However, there are some hills which slow us down so we aren’t moving as fast as hoped for. 

Then we are undertaking a long climb over a pass and we face our first obstacle.  There is a mudslide on the road which is actively being cleared.  We have a turn ahead which will drop us back into the valley where we would follow a river most of the rest of the way.  However the very kind road workers tell us that the valley is flooded and it would be impossible to go there.  

The workers stop their operations to let us pass and Jim does sone remapping to find a new way.  Sadly, the only reasonable way is to head towards the city of Macerata which we do.  It is a large city and their is a lot of traffic and now there is a steady light rain.  It is also a moderate climb into the city, coupled with the traffic makes for quite a few stressful miles. 

We survive it with reinforcements taken on at a very delightful bakery and onward.  The rain becomes heavier and a few more good climbs. Then heavy traffic again into the city of Tolentino and now a steady hard rain.  

We get to our hotel and we are greeted by the proprietor who is not one hundred percent present. She kept asking me every minute or so if I was Elisabetta. Si, sono Elisabetta and then she asks again. We finally get into a room.  Like the night before this hotel has no heat. We are soaked and we know our clothes will not be dry in the morning to face another cold rainy day.   

We go out and find food and make a point of visiting Giorgio’s shop where we went last year.  Giorgio won a pink Jersey in the giro d italia many years ago. He actually remembered us from our visit last fall.  

Then back to our room where I get into bed to try to warm up.  The hotel phone rings.  I answer to only static. I hang up, then a knock on the door.  It is crazy lady.  Jim answers the door as I am in my pajamas in bed.  She directs some rapid fire Italian at him which he can’t understand.  In frustration she steps past him into the room and right up to me.  Once again, I am in pajamas in bed!!!  At my bedside she is giving me a lot of info.  The only thing I can get is that she would like us to pay tonight so we can get an early start tomorrow.  Jim goes down and pays.  By the time we left the next morning after breakfast, we have grown to like her.  Although her style was a little scary, she was really kind and was trying to make sure everything was to our liking.  

So we wake up to steady rain and Jim reluctantly agrees that we should probably abort the riding.  At our destination which was Serravalle di Chienti, the predicted high for the day was in the 50’s with low around 40 for the next day with pretty steady rain throughout. Tolentino is on the train route. 

We make our way to the station past the clock tower. 

It is raining pretty hard and it seems we have made a good decision.  The train station is a lot less dreary. 

It is only about two hours to Foligno and the Italian train systems accommodations for bikes are as welcome as always. 

We arrive in Foligno a bit early for Italian lunch. However, the restaurant lets us order wine and brought us some bread to tide us over till we could order food. 

We make our way after an exceptional lunch with a bit too much wine the short ride to Spello and check into our lodging which is one of the most comfortable and lovely apartments we have ever rented and wonder of wonders it has heat and a washing machine.  It feels wonderful after a few rather uncomfortable days.  

The day keeps getting better though. I check my email to find a letter from the Detroit Italian Consulate which says my Italian citizenship has been recognized.   I can’t believe it. It took three years and I am very happy and grateful that I have been given this opportunity.  

The next day we head into Foligno because my hub was making a lot of knocking at the end of yesterday.  However, by the time we get there it seems to have dissipated.  So we just head out into the countryside for a beautiful ride to Canara and Bevagna.  Bevagna is always a good place for a coffee break. 

The poppies are in bloom and things are lush and green with all the rain. 

One of my brake pads needed replacing so why not stop in a lovely spot to do it.  While replacement is underway we meet several people riding on the bike path.  A couple from Australia who now live in Greece and a couple from Hawaii.  It was fun to chat and share intel. 

The next day we meet with a couple who owns a house here in Spello for coffee in the morning.  They bought their Spello home in 2005 and we had a lot of questions about expat life here and owning a home.   It was great to get to know them and they imparted some really helpful info including the name and contact info of a good realtor.  Who knows what the future will bring….