So far we’ve had a reasonably wet ride across Europe but today we got a taste of what we could have for the rest of the summer, and we’re not sure which we prefer! The part of Italy we’re in at the moment is sweltering; hot and muggy. A sign in one town we passed through early this morning said it was 26°C and it certainly felt that hot as we climbed the hills that make up the wine region of Roero. The temperature kept rising as the day went on and we took frequent breaks, stopping for a few slices of watermelon and again by a church to dip our heads and shirts under the water tap. In the afternoon we made a beeline for the nearest ice cream stand, before setting up relatively early in one of the few campsites we’ve seen so far. As soon as we had our tent and tarp up and our cycling shorts washed we collapsed in the shade. We’ve got some shopping to do in town but don’t plan on moving an inch until later this evening when things cool down. Our enforced break will give us a chance to plan supper around our new and very exciting frying pan and chopping board! If you have a kitchen, you probably find it hard to understand why this is such a big deal for us but we are thrilled with our new toys. We waffled for months about whether we should buy these things and how much weight they’d add to our bags. Well, now we’ve done it and although they’re still new, we think they’ll get a lot of use. Now we can make omelettes and grilled cheese sandwiches and work garlic into a paste like never before. It’s a whole new world!
Road notes: We are using tourist maps to get around the area (given out free at tourist bureaus) but they have few road numbers so it’s hard for us to be specific on our route. We followed back roads, passing through Piobesi d’Alba, Guarene, Govone, S. Martino and Antignano on the way to Asti. There are a few hills to climb but the scenery is stunning. There are few services in the smaller towns, aside from bars and the occasional bakery or pharmacy. The main E74 features more supermarkets and other shops. The campground in Asti is 3km outside the town and nice but expensive, as apparently most Italian campsites are.
What we spent: €15.50 camping, €22 food, €3 ice cream