Huddersfield to Istanbul Day 8.

Saturday 26 May. Day 8.
Modane to Alessandria.   143 miles.

It's another early rise at 6.30am and getting ready for breakfast, I pack all my gear away ready for the off after something to eat. The breakfast consists of toast and jam with some cold meat and coffee, not ideal for a long day's cycling ahead but at least I had a great big meal and wine last night.

I sit in the small dining area, and wait to be served, the landlord doesn't speak much english so chat is limited as I don't speak any other language, but he did understand that I was cycling somewhere, when I said Istanbul with only 9 days left he understood and said "Not enough time - too far" I just nodded and said yes very far I will have to be quick.

After saying my good byes to them, I was off towards the Italian border today. It was a cold start to the morning, but it was sunny, the cycle was again going upwards the roads were bending and winding all the time, the views are now excellent and I'm now in the thick of the Alps. I pass by little villages and a monastery in the distance (well it looked like one anyway!).

The climb today was relentless up, up and more up my legs were getting a really good work out today. This carried on until around midday when I reached to summit of Col du Cenis, I was elated the feeling of reaching the top was brilliant, made better with the brilliant weather on this day (Sunny with views of the Alpine peaks all around)

After taking the views in,  I saw there was a small cafe at the col, I propped the bike against the wall of the cafe and went inside - very nice,  but I was the only customer in (could be because of the high price of the refreshments maybe!) Well I sat down and ordered a coffee, also I seen 2 pieces of cake on the bar/counter, I asked how much and had both (Nice treat).

A few other cyclists had made it to the col and were just taking photos and generally chatting to each other (locals). After my snacks and coffee, I make my move thinking that I can't wait for the descending part :-)
For about a mile after the col I had a head wind blowing in my face, and the road wasn't going down but it was flat, I was thinking wheres the down bit ?? Well after about 5 more minutes the road started to go downhill (Brilliant!)  only bad thing headwind again :-(  but I did get some speed up - around 27mph I can remember, the roads were a good condition too, plenty of bends and drops. After about 20mins of downhill I stopped to take a pic of the town below "Susa" but even after descending down so much, the town was tiny to look at in the distance - This was fantastic I must have be going down for about 45mins. The height of the col was 6834ft so lots of fun coming down, well worth the pain going up.

Eventually after descending I arrived in Susa, I needed to top up on supplies so I cycled into a local Lidl store, the usual - bike outside,  and me inside browsing around for my stuff.. when I got out I noticed I had a puncture on back tyre, so I repaired that before setting off again. It was a very warm day today and my tan was coming along nicely.

I was now following signs for Turin, I'm in Italy now after passing the border sign on the descent down from the col. I still have a headwind but I carry on regardless I have to keep going. I noticed along the way that at some roadside laybys I used to see women sat on chairs just waiting (All I could think was must be ladies of the night) They never shouted anything as I cycled on by, but I just thought thats odd because they were not even in any built up areas they were sat there in open countryside mostly, by the roadside.

Eventually I was heading into the centre of Turin. Why do I do this ? I got a little lost and some stages I was going the wrong way - very frustrating! But hey thats adventure I guess. After some wrong turns I began to find the correct roads out of the city. I am on a quiet road heading out of Turin Yes!!  I'm ok now that I'm on the right roads again, and its quieter now after the hustle and bustle of that place. So I'm cycling along and hear a thud.. I slow down to the side of the road, stop and look back to check if anything has fallen off the bike, its my solar charger (Good one too)    I see a coach coming my way down the same road I try to wave to the driver to move to the side of the road cos my charger is in the middle of the road, I don't think he sees me waving and he drives over the charger, when he drove past I run out in the road to see if he run over it.. Yep !  its well and truly squashed. Bugger! That was my best charger.

I can remember tweeting after the coach had run over it,  saying that I think Brendan off Coachtrip has just squashed my charger haha. (I like that Coach trip on TV).

I was now headed towards a place called Alessandria this was where I was aiming for to stop tonight. The roads after Turin were pretty flat and made good time on the bike, passing through Asti then taking the wrong road so that put me behind and by the time I was getting into Alessandria it was dark. I looked up hotels on my phone and rang through to one that come up, I managed to book in over the phone, so I knew i had a place to stay and probably get some good food and drink again. I eventually arrived at the hotel, and the concierge welcomed me in, I said I'm very thirsty,  I had drunk all my water on the way into town, he quickly brought my a bottle of water, I thought Great service until I thought that will be on the bill when checking out tomorrow :-(

I checked in and removed the panniers and took them to my room and started my nightly ritual, showered and changed then back downstairs and looking for food and drink, I didn't have far to go as the reception guy said there was a pizza place just at the side of the hotel outside. Not far to go and I'm ordering a pizza (My first Pizza in Italy!) and it was fantastico :-) and the wine was too.. bedtime followed a few hours after.

Huddersfield to Istanbul Day 7.

Friday 25 May. Day 7.
Annacy to Modane 86 miles.

I'm up at 7am and down for breakfast, its no use rushing around as the bike shop does not open until 9am so another late starter for me. Damn spokes ! :-)

I'm sat eating my breakfast, and the guy behind the reception comes over to me to ask if I have the cellar key, I say I gave it back to reception last night !  but they cannot find the key and Its the only one apparently!  Thats not good, but I go back up to my room to have a check anyway,  but nothing there.  As I get back to the restaurant the guy comes along and says he found the key... Hurray :-) (my thoughts turned to breaking the door down if we can't find a key - I have to get to Istanbul haha).

Its around 8.30am and I start to push the bike down the road to the bike shop, it doesn't open on time in fact thEy opened at 9.15am, but at last I'm in and ask if they have a new wheel, they did... that's great,  I'm thinking - can you change it now ?  Their reply was come back tomorrow and it will be ready, What ? no I need it now my head was shouting..  I quickly get my phone out and go to translate (I need my bike asap as I'm doing a charity cycle ride solo to Istanbul so I am in a hurry - please) They checked the translation on my phone and were all chatting I think they were impressed, they replied No problem come back in 2 hrs we will have it done, will you have enough time to get to Istanbul in such a short time they asked me...  of course I can I'm MadHeadCyclist :-)

I went back to hotel to pack my bags and get everything together. At 11.30 am I'm on my way back hoping they have replaced wheel and its ready to go. It is,  and only cost about 50 euros all in !  I'm happy as larry.

After putting my panniers on and loading up the bike, I'm off on the road its 12pm and its already hotting up, I cycle my way through the town and end up near the water front where open markets and shops/cafes were. I'm thinking am I hungry now, so I stop at a cafe which does pizzas and coffee too, its nice just sat here in the sun watching the world go by. There are 2 older couples in the cafe too and I hear them talking in english, so I start to chat to them, they were from Lincolnshire and were on a coach holiday, once they asked what I was doing there and I told them - they were very impressed.

It must have been about 30 mins chatting to them all and my pizza had not come yet, I had finished my coffee, and thought sod this I don't want the pizza now I got fed up of waiting, so I paid the coffee bill and was off to stock up on supplies at a local store. I'm packed up now with food and water and thats it I'm now on my way and I'll keep going as long as I can to try and pick up some miles that I have missed due to waiting for bike.

I cycle past lake Annacy its beautiful scenery and the mountains in the distance are getting bigger, after some miles I end up on a cracking / smooth cycle path for ages Its Brilliant! and I'm whizzing by... these are easy miles - if this is what's its going to be like today it will do for me, I'm amazed It's not that hilly going through the alps - the cycle path goes as far as Albertville.   I think I spoke to soon as from here I seemed to slow right up, no more was the 20+mph I was cruising prior!  Now it feels all of a sudden that there's a headwind in my face or something (Its a weird feeling but there was not a headwind at all) I didn't realize at the time I was gradually climbing for the rest of the afternoon, it was mental how I slowed down, so I kept on stopping at the side of the road and had snacks/pringles and drinks (maybe it was energy I needed!) but I carried on regardless taking in all the scenery around me as I carry on forward heading towards Italy border, I pass by a big sign where it stated which cols were open or closed - My first look was at Galibier it stated Ferme!  I can remember tweeting what does Ferme mean ? I got some back saying Closed. Oh well that was the pass I was going to cycle over but now thats not going to happen, and I have to carry on the road that I was already on.

Again cycling onwards and upwards towards the Italy border, it must have been about 7.45pm and it was getting dark, at this time I had just cycled through a town called Modane my thought was where is the next town after here, I looked on my map and there was nothing for miles, so I turned around and headed back into the town. I found a hotel just on the edge of town before the main cafes/bars (there were only a couple of restaurants by the looks of it but it would do me for the night, I needed some wine :-)

It was an old couple who had the hotel I stayed in, it was in need of modernization but it would do me. The guy showed me to my room, it was up 2 floors and the lift was only big enough for 2 people and the light in the lift was going on and off. (Fawlty towers springs to mind! Manwell) After I'm sorted/showered and changed, I'm off out walking down into the centre of town where I go in a restaurant for something to eat and  drink. I'm surprised it's so busy in there, and the food was very good. I was sat there drinking my wine with my meal whilst reflecting on todays journey. After a bottle and half of red tonight I make/stagger my way back to the hotel, my thought was I hope they are still up at 11.30pm and that they have not locked the door. But when I got there and knocked they opened the door and asked if I had a good night, I said yes thank you,  and see you in the morning for breakfast.