👉 Italiano
Italy by Bike: amazed after every Bend
All the photos in this article and the information about them were provided by interviewee: my friend Simone
I should have realized sooner, when one of my best friends told me that every summer he took his bicycle, reached a different place in Italy, traveled a few hundred kilometers and returned. It took me a few years to put the pieces together and discover that his paths had a structured connection. And so I am going to interview Simone, who in my opinion has given himself a really interesting goal.
Simone, I already know the answer to this question, but I would like you to give me a description. Precisely, what is the path you have resolved to complete?
« Hi, Francesco. I thought of traveling and seeing all the coasts of the “Boot” (the way Italian people call the Italian Peninsula), from Ventimiglia to Trieste. Or better, as you always correct me, to Muggia. When practicable, passing as close as possible to the sea. In some points, because of the particular geographic morphology of the territory or the presence of protected natural parks, cycling (or walking) would be dangerous, sometimes forbidden. So you have to "go into" a little bit in the hinterland. »
When did you start and how did you decide to divide it up, to balance it with your full-time job?
« I started in 2015: from Ventimiglia to Pisa, the first stop. Every year in the summer, during the holidays, I start pedaling and adding kilometers to this dream of mine. The division of the trip is simple and takes into account only two factors: where I arrive I put an X; the final destination of a given year will become the starting point for the following year. Furthermore, I choose an important city that is well connected by rail as an approximate destination: the logistics of bike transport require it. »
Which itinerary did you take in 2020 and where did you arrive?
« This summer I left Reggio Calabria and, along the Ionian coast of Calabria and Lucania, I reached Taranto.
It's a wonderful stretch of Magna Graecia, with a splendid sea that ranges from turquoise to intense blue. It is an area of ​​rich historical and naturalistic value. Capo Colonna, an enchanting pearl of this infinite treasure, hosts a valuable and well-kept archaeological site that has remained in my heart, probably because of my teenage classical studies. And not being able (nor willing) to leave out the more famous Roccella Jonica, Soverato and Krotone (the "K" is to remember the very noble and ancient origins), I arrived in the tormented albeit wonderful Taranto. Which, as if lying on the homonymous gulf, has been waiting for an economic and social awakening for a long time. »
How many more years do you think it will take you to complete the whole itinerary?
« I have to calculate it by studying the remaining territory: at the moment I have no idea how much is left to reach Muggia. In the coming months I will begin to take a look. I know for sure, however, that from 2021 I will accelerate the project. There will be two "macro stages": one in late spring (good weather is an essential requirement) and then the "usual" one in summer. So, approximately another two or three years will be needed. »
Ok, these were the easy questions. Now I will try to dig deeper.
Do you remember the first time we went biking together? I stopped at the 20km tours, you went much further. How did you develop this passion for cycle tourism and, above all, how did you manage to be constant, as far as possible, with training?
« This passion of mine was born a bit by chance: in 2009 and 2010 I had to face two surgeries that "forced" me to abandon an old love, five-a-side football. The doctors tell me that on a sporting level, the only leg movement I can perform is forward. And so running and cycling become part of me in all respects. Then, in 2012, to fight, face and defeat an enormous fear, I undertake the first trip by bike, towards Potenza. Castelmezzano and Pietrapertosa, to be precise. Here I will experience "The Angel Flight" and I will challenge the terror of heights.
As for consistency in training, this time I will ask you a simple question: "how much time are you willing to invest in what makes you happy"? The answer is the secret of such perseverance. »
A bike trip, besides being a sporting experience, which requires some preparation, is also an emotional experience. It's about hours and days of confessions to oneself and of personal challenges. What are the best and worst aspects of this way of traveling for you?
« Definitely the best side is the complete freedom to choose every aspect of the holiday: from the day of departure to the duration of the trip, from the places to visit to the time spent there. Then, the openness of soul and mind that you acquire in those days is of no less importance: truly knowing, with your own eyes, places you hear about on TV or in print, getting your own idea of ​​them. Breaking down clichés and preconceptions (I love this aspect) that someone else would like to impose on us is wonderful. On the other hand, the downside is that when any inconvenience arises, you have to get by yourself: a punctured wheel, a fall, a bumpy stretch of road (I happened to travel along dry riverbeds) are "problems" that may happen to those who decide to do cycle tourism. It is certain, however, that in the West these inconveniences are nowadays very solvable, thanks to the socio-economic environment in which these small adventures take place.
The solo trip, Francesco, is for those who are comfortable with themselves and open up to the possibility of being amazed after every blind curve, at the end of every climb. Whoever does not fear solitude (another name for freedom) and considers it not necessarily as an evil, but rather as a requirement of the spirit, will then find sublime benefit in this experience. »
« By cycling alone, you immediately learn that you often ride with your heart and not with your legs. »
From your stories, it seems that sometimes, spontaneously, moments of aggregation with other cyclists arise. You share a part of the path, then you all go on alone. Sometimes you keep in touch. What do you think of this semi-collective dimension of cycle tourism?
« As already mentioned, opening soul and mind in these moments of "isolation and estrangement" from the daily habits that are (safe and fundamental) part of ourselves, also means being ready to travel and ride for many kilometers with strangers who share the same passion. In my travels so far I have been able to meet local cyclists who have given me indications on the most beautiful places to visit. And then their company was just for a few kilometers. I also met other cyclists in the opposite direction: we gave each other advice on the route already taken, on the best route and on places to avoid for various reasons, so that I was able to break the silence for a few minutes. Finally, and this is the key to the question you asked me, I met cyclists who were going in the same direction as me and we chose to travel the common trait together. It has never happened to me for more than a day, since the final destinations are the most varied and the desire for "solitude" is too strong and fascinating. Revealing to each other what “cycling tourism” meant, I had the pleasure and - why not? - the honor of meeting extraordinary people. After three years, I am still in contact with the great Luigi of Turin, friend and dreamer cyclist. »
Which are the places in Italy that have struck you the most so far? Were there any that you found very different from what you expected?
« The Ligurian coast, divided into the Riviera di Ponente (Ventimiglia-Genoa) and the Riviera di Levante (Genoa-province of La Spezia), is something spectacular. The west, wild and majestic, contrasts and yet blends perfectly with the more elegant and sweet East.
I am a fan of De André (an Italian singer-songwriter) and visiting, or even just reading on road signs, the places described in his songs was very exciting. Genoa, in fact, with its shadowy alleyways has an ancient and sensual atmosphere, worldly but never dirty, elegant but always popular. And after having skirted its infinite port, the magnificent and renowned Levante opens to the eyes. I owe a mention and respect to Passo del Bracchetto, in the province of La Spezia, for being one of the most beautiful and toughest climbs I have ever faced on a sporting level. »
« The Sorrento peninsula is then simply ineffable: man has not yet found the words (or more likely I don't know them) to describe those places. So far the most beautiful I've visited on my little bike adventure. I am certain in affirming that life cannot be considered well lived if at least once you have not been there to see this spectacle of nature with your own eyes. But these, Francesco, are only two of the many wonders that I was lucky (and even a little courageous) to admire.
And finally, one of the places that surprised me is Calabria. Often at the center of tragic chronicles and media gossip, it is instead a land of a thousand sensational surprises: the mountains overlooking the sea make its Tyrrhenian coast arduous yet fascinating, while the sweetest Ionian coast is still the perfect and immortal treasure chest of Magna Graecia. And then the people, the food, the endless fields of fruit and vegetables, the olive groves, the promenades, the islands that can be seen from the coast and other amazing wonders will be able to silence and amaze even the most ferocious of critics. »
Tell us some travel anecdotes. As they say in Rome: “make us laugh". Or dream, if you want.
« Summer 2020, I'm heading towards Taranto. Traveling, for the most part, the SS 106 Jonica I see road signs indicating how many kilometers are left to the city of the gulf. »
« So I read “TARANTO 181” and I think: “a couple of more days and I'm done”. I keep pedaling for about an hour and reread "TARANTO 161". "Excellent, 20 kilometers per hour: on a mountain bike, with the weight of the suitcases and a few days of effort. I'm really proud of myself ”. Another hour: “TARANTO 171”. "I must have misread, impossible". And then: “TARANTO 161”. “I'm going in circles! But the sea is always on the right! " Yet another hour pedaling: “TARANTO 161”. “I understand, whatever route one takes, at any speed, Taranto will always be 161 kilometers away”. I keep pedaling. And again “TARANTO 171”. "Now it is clear to me, Taranto moves like the horizon, it does not exist, it is a dream, a chimera. In fact, I never met someone from Taranto. It is a legend, a utopia. I will never arrive in Taranto, no one has ever succeeded, I will stay here between 171 and 161 kilometers. I will die with the doubt of never knowing the reason for the final 1! I would have liked Taranto so much. Goodbye forever, sweet Taranto..."
I still managed to reach it. I think with a space-time leap, I don't know how to explain it well. Or maybe I'm still there, in that odyssey worthy of Magna Graecia.
If one day you too, trying to reach Taranto, will see a tired and distraught cyclist on the side of the road, by then old and crazy, that will be me. Appointment there, between 171 and 161 kilometers, the distance from a wonderful and unattainable dream. »
Italy, we all know, does not abound in cycle paths. Even if there are signs that go in that direction. Do you find it difficult to travel by road in Italy? What advice would you give to anyone wishing to undertake a path similar to yours?
« Along the coast by bike, I can tell you that there are very few cycle paths, or pine forests or dirt roads. Most of the time you are along state roads: these in the inhabited centers are slow-moving, with relatively low speed limits for cars. Going out, the danger increases, given the speed of the cars. Usually there is space on the roadside for bicycles, so that going is possible, obviously with the risks and unforeseen events that may happen to any cyclist. For those wishing to start a similar journey, I recommend daily training on an asphalted road for at least 2 months, with significant climbs, and at least some outings of 100 kilometers or 6/7 hours: to see and understand your resistance, your pain threshold and above all how does it feel the next day. In between my bike training, I also run to increase breath and power in the lower legs (fundamental factors when tackling long climbs). However, I repeat that these trips are made with the heart. Legs are important, of course, but if you don't want to put yourself to the test, you will give up immediately. »
« You can train as much as you want, but there will always be a climb that will try to tame you. »
In addition to training, what are the logistical aspects to consider for this type of trip? I am referring, for example, to equipment, luggage, accommodation reservations.
« It will seem silly and obvious but, first of all, you need to know the path you want to take: I mean distance, height differences, the cities you will cross to find your way around and not having to stop constantly to check the maps. And therefore a tour on the internet is a must.
The equipment you can't do without are bicycle bags (you can find them of many different prices). To start, I mounted a rear rack on which the aforementioned bags are attached. Then a medium-small one on the handlebar and a small one on the frame. What to put inside is up to the judgment of the individual: however I recommend not to load too much, otherwise the weight will be felt.
Regarding the booking of accommodation, in my opinion it is not necessary: in Italy there is more supply than demand. And then, not being able to predict the daily kilometers, it is impossible for me to know the place where I will stop. »
Once you have completed the tour of the Italian coast, do you plan to start a similar route in another country?
« Unfortunately I can't answer you. As there are still many kilometers to go to Muggia, I still don't think about a hypothetical future trip. For now, I am focused on this. »
To conclude, I return to the philosophical. Since you are traveling along the coast, inevitably there is a lot of sea in your itinerary. Define it then, the sea. The one you see outside and the one you have inside.
« The colors and scents that I was able to see and hear entered deeply inside me, and the thought of them is sublime. And when, just before sleeping, in the silence of the night, the memories come back to my mind, I feel happy knowing that these will be mine alone in any case. Even if it may seem silly to you, I want to tell you that above all I LOVE rethinking a landscape or a road and not remembering where they are precisely located. This is because the simple awareness of having really been there repays me for all the difficulties faced.
In these trips I realized that I can consider myself lucky to live and to be born in Italy. Traveling along roads resting on sheer mountains or endless flat and straight stretches, crossing silent fairytale villages or entering the sonorous pine forests of the Mediterranean scrub, where the powerful and rhythmic song of cicadas reigns over everything, I understood how much the sea, mysterious yet fascinating, is part of me. The horizon is just the beginning! »
Thanks a lot, Simone. I hope that from today there will be some more friends to cheer on you.
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