Waking up in a bed was worse than I could have ever imagine. I would have to loved to stay in bed, watched TV, and then have a big breakfast and then slowly start the day. But I wake up at 7h30 and start to get ready.
The roads this morning are beautiful but boring, long hills and long downhills, straight, with few cars. The rest of the morning is uneventful, I listen to radio, a bit to music and try to do as many km as possible.
On the road, I cross many ghost towns, completely abandoned villages, I can’t find water, and no food, no stores around and very few people for over 50km. And then the wind turns, it comes facing me, and all of sudden this invisible force makes it even harder to keep going. My pace has slowed down considerably and anger and frustration creeps in, I just want to move forward but it feels like I am going uphill on flatland. I stop in order to relax.
The break at 13h30 helps a lot, the house is really creepy, did not have electricity, 2 fireplaces, and there are list of people written on the walls, names and birthday “Mafia nato il: name birthday” (Mafia, born on:). Maybe anonymous tips to the police, or just random pranks? The wind is still pretty bad, my legs are hurting but time to go again.
The second part of the day is brutal, the wind is facing me, the roads are bad quality. It is warm and there is nothing and no-one around me. And after 2h30 of pedaling, I finally reach a supermarket in the middle of nowhere, and get a few things to feel better.
After leaving the supermarket, I barely bike 7 km, and decide to stop as my energy levels are low and won’t make it to the planned destination. Short day in terms of kilometers but I want to rest.
