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Sunday, June 9, 2013

Full circle back to Milano

The day had come for us to pedal the final 75km back to Milan, the end of our journey was almost upon us. Fortunately for us there is a series of cycle routes and bike paths that covered most of our route, beginning on the dirt track along the Adda River through the Parco Nord and finishing on the Naviglio Martesana all the way into the city.  We expected that since it was Sunny and Sunday that lots of folks would be out enjoying themselves, and we were not wrong.  In fact the final 30km was a riot of humanity biking, walking, roller blading and strolling along the path in an amazing example of ordered chaos.  We wish we could have taken some photographs of the mayhem, but it was definitely full focus riding that required complete engagement just to make sure you didn't run into someone or get run off the path. 

We passed a really cool river ferry that was built from designs by Leonardo Da Vinci that used the rivers current, a ferry platform on a cable, and a simple steering rudder to move the ferry from shore to shore.  We also met some really nice people, one of whom bought us coffee and sent us along with well wishes. Whether it has to do with our mindset of being near the end of our trip, or simply increased confidence engaging with folks we have certainly found ourselves meeting and engaging with more people as the trip progressed. We finally arrived to Milan in the later afternoon and felt both proud of our accomplishments, and a bit melancholy about the end of our trip.  

We enjoyed a last few days in Milan to enjoy our last Italian Cappuccino, gelato, foccacia, etc.  Our friend Antonio was again a wonderful host, cooking great meals for us, taking us on a nice last ride through the park nearby his apartment, and escorting us to do a bit of shopping and see the sights of Milan before we departed.



Riding along the River Adda south of Lake Garda.
The early stretches of the Naviglo Martesana was peaceful and had stretches with few other folks, but when we got closer to Milan it was a zoo, but there was something classically Italian about the experience of navigating through the masses.


This ferry appeared to do brisk business bringing cars and cyclists from one shore to the other using the rivers current and an ingenious rudder system to power the ferry back and forth.

 This is the moment that we arrived back to Antonio's apartment at the end of our tour.

The next day we went for one last ride through the nearby Parco Nord.  Antonio (who just turned 80) rides his bike and takes public transportation everywhere he needs to go. (We were appreciative of his son Massimo's car though that helped make getting to and from the train station to the airport that much easier).



Italian clothes dryer - works great!




Italian breakfast of coffee, tea, and biscuits or other bread or pastry.

Even in Massimo's compact car both our bikes fit easily in the back leaving room for our 3rd checked bag and carry-ons, as well as 3 adults.

When all is said and done we both feel very lucky for the opportunity we had to undertake this adventure and proud of the way we were able to execute it.  We ended up riding just over 3300km (2075miles), and the vast majority of that was really excellent riding.  The Dolomites and Alps eluded us on this trip, but perhaps another adventure will allow us to explore their peaks and passes.  The many historical sites, cities, villages, as well as the people we met, and the food, coffee, and gelato all made for a lifetime experience.  
We now look forward to returning to the states, and soon after moving back into our home in Carbondale.  They thought of a home actually sounds pretty good, as does riding unladen bikes for a bit.  Return to work will also happen, and hopefully we can benefit from the inspiration, peace, and perspective that this adventure has provided to ease that transition, time will tell...

Caio, and Arrivaderci!








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