I expected my legs and hip to feel worse in the morning. Yesterday was the longest bike ride I’ve ever done so I feared the worst. Instead, my legs and hip were in good shape and I was feeling confident for the ride.

We were all looking forward to leaving the campsite. It was quite basic and the people weren’t that friendly. We struggled to leave as two rabbits had taken up residence under the van! It took a lot of effort to remove them but eventually we succeeded! Check them out below.

Dad and I made our way out of the campsite and onto a busy road but after 10 minutes we turned off onto a quiet road. We were enjoying the peace but soon we were cursing our luck as it turned into a long climb uphill. We needed to cycle over to the next valley so a big mountain (hill) was standing in our way. This climb was one of the hardest on the whole trip. The elevation gain was 300m in a couple of kms. No sign of hair pin corners- just a road straight up! Check out the view from the climb.

With the tough hill negotiated, it was time for a little downhill action. The road quality was not the best but we made it down safely. The view of farmhouses and small villages clinging to the hillside was amazing! “Real Italy”, I heard Dad shout on numerous occasions.

The next 35km were along the same road. It followed the river through the valley, which turned out to be uphill! We snaked our way along hillsides taking in the cracking scenery. It required quite bit of effort to cycle because there was a gentle slope uphill. The sun was shining so our spirits were good. Dad was extremely pleased we had taken this route. See the snaps below!

I missed the turning for the campsite and rode on ahead so Dad had to grab my attention by shouting my name. The campsite is awesome and the owners have been very welcoming and helpful. I think we’re going to enjoy our time here. Check out the stats from today’s ride. It was a real toughie! My hip and legs are feeling stiff now- luckily I can recover tomorrow as it’s a rest day!