Day 13: Autostrada ≠Bicyclette

Date: 9/20/07
From: Desenzano del Garda
To: Bergamo
Miles: 55.2 (1,200 ft. of climbing)
Miles Completed: 638.6 (21,100 ft. of climbing)
Lunch: Locanda Ristorante Italia in Polazzolo Sull’oglio
Dinner: Capri da Nasti
Accommodations: Hotel Arli



Today’s ride started awfully. Riding the bike was like chewing nails. Encouraged by a serious case of ride rage, I think I yelled “this is like CHEWING NAILS, Ed” somewhere around 100 times in the first 10 miles. The climb out of Desenzano made me feel like I had bags of fluid in my thighs. I’m on autopilot at this point, which probably explains how we ended up on the Autostrada. I can’t even tell you where, how or why it happened but suddenly we are cruising through a huge tunnel with tons of exhaust in our faces. Somehow it still doesn’t hit us we are on the Autostrada. Ten miles later I am hammering the pedals and doing 30 mph in an anxious fury because the road is getting busier and the ante is being upped. Suddenly, the once cordial Italians are honking and yelling at us. Finally, it dawns on us. We are on the superhighway. We pull off at a roadside gas station where the attendant gives us great directions to Bergamo using smaller and more scenic roads.

We stopped in Polazzolo Sull’oglio for a very nice lunch at Locanda Ristorante Italia for €13 price fix. The town is very quaint (especially during siesta when we arrived!). There are some beautiful views along a small river that runs through the town (pic right). As we are approaching Bergamo, we somehow get caught on the Autostrada again! This time a huge truck protected us, blocking off traffic behind us like a guardian angel, until we found a place to pull off. Too bad he didn’t have a bumper sticker with “How’s my driving?” and a number to call so I could give him some props.

My legs actually started to loosen at the end of the ride and I’m feeling better physically. However, I am coming down with a big head cold. Dr. Ed thinks it could be from all the exhaust on the Autostrada. Whatever it is, it’s taking the life out of me. We have a mellow dinner at a local pizza place that has literally hundreds of toppings choices. It’s a great place and definitely worth another visit if I ever go back to Bergamo. We have GROM gelato to end the night – it’s a high-end place that apparently just opened a location in the Upper West Side of NYC. Need to check it out at home.