Modena to Ancona 164 miles.
After waking up about 6 am I was feeling a little tired, but I had to get up, get packed and off I go on my bike for another day. After a larger breakfast than normal I was off to reception to check out of hotel, the guy on reception was the guy who checked me in last night and first off he said that I didn't lock my bike up last night and that he was surprised it was still there... I left it in a bike rack outside the back of hotel. I said I thought it would be Ok being at the back of hotel but maybe not! Lucky me then by the looks of it, as it was there waiting for my good self to jump on and off I go for another day.
One thing that was different today that I noticed was how many people that were around and about compared with yesterday - probably due to the fact it was now Monday and all people back to work. Anyway, my first port of call was to see if I could get any money out of a cash machine as I was now really scraping the barrel. I cycled off out of Modena and it looked quite an easy route today I just need to follow the SS9 and that would take me to Rimini. I was just hoping the bike would be Ok and that the roads stay flat and then I could really knock out some good miles today - head down and off i went.
I received a twitter message from a follower around an hour after setting off and it said that stay in the north of Italy as its very flat. Well they were bang on there, because thats what it was like straight to Rimini. I had made it there after about 7 hrs of cycling it was around 1 pm and I was in the centre just cycling around the town, I also remember it well because I had a go at getting some money from a cash machine (and it worked!) Fantastic ! I was starting to get a little worried, because I was down to about 5 euros in cash. So this withdrawal boosted my morale together with knocking off a hundred miles just after dinner. I celebrated by calling in at a pizza shop for a few slices and a coke cola drink.
I continued to make my was to the coast as I knew this maybe a beach type place and wanted to see the Adriatic sea. I did and continued to cycle along the coast and it was very nice beach, it was miles long and one thing I did notice was that it was in sections, all 250 sections I cycled passed along the path parallel to the beach. Each section had a bar, playgrounds, sun loungers etc (I'd never seen a resort split up like this before). The sun was beating down and the temp was probably at the maximum for the day. I was beginning to slow down and was just taking in the beach a little too much and the time was ticking away, I had a chance to really get a record day of milage in here so I better stop looking around and get on with the cycling.
I only got out of the resort and noticed a Mcds and turned into it and scoffed a Bigmac meal with coke and a coffee for after - the restaurant was really quiet too. I was one of three people who was in there (maybe Italians don't eat many McDs unless it was just a quiet part of the day for them). After the meal I was off on the bike again and heading towards Ancona. My thoughts along the way was that I could get a ferry from there instead of going further down the coast of Italy to Bari (thats where I originally was going to get a ferry over to Albania) I had my bother (Ady) looking on internet back home checking what times and days the ferry made the crossings. It worked out that I could board a ferry tomorrow from Ancona and arrive in Albania by 3 pm the following afternoon, or cycle to Bari and get to Albania the same day but at 7pm that night. Well, the option of Ancona was more inviting because when I arrive in Albania I could knock off some miles from 2 pm that afternoon.... So. thats my plan, I crack on towards Ancona, its about 40 miles to go but I stop off at a bike shop, to have a new tyre put on the back wheel, just in case (I didn't want to get to eastern Europe and have worn tyre that may start to puncture ! (I'd had enough of set backs earlier on in my adventure. The front tyre still looked liked new still even after all the miles up to now (Schwalbe Marathon type).
The bike shop quickly changed the tyre and also changed the brake pads - Result! that should do me for the rest of my cycle to Istanbul. At the shop there was a Japanese guy who looked like he was on a cycle adventure too - he was trying to talk to the shop owner that he's cycled from japan and loves Italy country. he was right I was enjoying Italy too. The japanese guy was having plenty of photos taken with the locals, before he set back off on his touring bike to wherever next. I left the shop not long after and said my goodbyes (no photos though) :-)
For the afternoon it was all along the coast mainly, cycling with the sea view to my left for the rest of the afternoon into the early evening. I had a couple of stops at petrol stations along the coast road where I had drinks and snacks and a few ice creams. I met another touring cyclist from Sweden, he was going in the opposite direction. I was eating well today but I'm not surprised as when I arrived in Ancona I had cycled up a daily milage of 164 miles (this was the most on any day of my trip so I was buzzing).
Just as was coming into Ancona I looked back to take a photo of the sun going down had been a great day of cycling considering I was not feeling very energetic this morning. I was on the outskirts of Ancona near the ferry port and came across a hotel it was only a cheap one, I walked in with my bike and asked if any room for tonight, It was 20 euros, very basic but Ok. The only thing that concerned me was the fact my bike was to be left in an arcade part of the cafe within the hotel building :( but the girl on reception assured me it would be Ok. I took my panniers up to my room, usual shower, changed and out around the corner to a restaurant pizza and pasta place I remember it well as the locals were gathered around the television above the small bar area watching Deal or no deal in Italian :-) After my meal and of course some Red wine, I returned around the corner back to hotel to sleep, on the way up the staircase I looked back to make sure my bike was ok (It was still there propped up against the gaming machines :-) My first job tomorrow morning was to get up early and go to the ferry port to check sailing times to Albania.
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