Day 1 monreale out of palermo
Stayed at a beautiful old nunnery after we arrived from Milan. Bike went together ok and was in one piece.
Caught up with tim and trish and started on our first campari & soda at 8am and kept going
First bike ride across to the little town and a stop at a local bar before the ride back home uphill.
Then a great dinner at a refectory table with all 14 of us.
Day 2
To Corleone as per blog
Day 3 Monreale to Cefalu 130k
We started off in brilliant sunshine and headed down from the accommodation. Found out I was in the big chain ring just coming down the driveway as the road headed up. Result fell off and scraped knee and elbow. Will make sure I check next time.
The route was the reverse of yesterday but turned off before Corleone. Mainly undulating country but lots of photo opportunities.
Stopped of for lunch at Marineo on a bench beside the main road in the centre of town. Sally did a great job with david.
Off on the next leg to cefalu. Followed the autostrada down in heavier traffic. Good downhill leg. One more ridge to get over before the beach. Of the autostrada to a small road and up hill. But really uphill. Narrow rough cars coming down and 20%+. Just made it standing and working hard. Over the top and down to the coast.
Pretty dull coast road, flat and industrial. Worked the bunch and we motored on at 30 ish. Almost cleaned up by a scooter passing a truck passing a car. Very Italian driving.
Arrived at cefalu to find our hotel right on the beach. A swim. Warm water and waves. Fantastic way to cool off follows by Campari and sodas.
Dinner behind the hotel in the open. Tim wound up the banjallele for a great night
Day 4 Cefalu round mountain trip
Small ride of 45 k except we had 20k all up hill then back down.
Jill a painful night with back and shoulder but we both went into the water first thing. Looked like 2 pensioners holding hands into the water but she didn’t fall over.
Off for the ride on and up in the heat. Steady winding climb a few photos and drink stop at the town on top Gratteri
Then a bit uphill and the long cruise down corner after corner. Jamie and annabel’s coaching was paying off on the downhill. Sit back on the saddle, break before the bend, weight on the outside peddle, inside knee out and light hands on the bars. Keep low to lower the C of G.
Quick lunch at beachside bar nap and off for a haircut then the duomo and the museum which was a very odd mixture of Victorian furniture older paintings seashells and even a stuffed crocodile.
Dinner that night at a restaurant overlooking the sea in the old town. Excellent food as per all the other evenings.
Dave kindly gave us their super suite as Jill crook. Overlooking theo beach. Disadvantage at night was a horn blowing contest at 4 in the morning.
Day 5 Cefalu to Nicosia
Started off the day with a swim and then ready for the ride following the coast road. Much like the great ocean road winding around the cliffs.
Mainly flat undulating until we sight a freeway overpass circling ahead. That’s for us and we begin a winding hot climb up at a constant 6 to 7% for the next 16k’s to Misretta with some relief. Found the non riding party there at a restaurant booked for a house pasta lunch. Energy restored on and up for 5 or so k’s and then a magnificent down hill ride to the turn off to our hotel. Wonderful rolling country.
Narrow road turns off and 10% downhill and then up but left gears in the big ring so felt like 20%! long upward driveway to a restored farmhouse. Wonderful accommodation in the restored part. Oak beams low ceilings and a view out over the hills. Swimming pool.
Dinner in the restaurant all local produce and very good. Anti pasta to start followed by pasta course and then pork and potatoes and sweets.
Great day.
Day 6 Nicosia to Milazzo