Lago di Como

Lake como this morning, quiet and perfect.

Genoa and Milan

We left Rocchetta this morning in blazing sun and headed along the autostrada del fiori towards Genoa the med shimmering blue on our right hand side before turning north inland toward Milan. The climb as you head up through the mountains meant we were in the clouds and dropping 10 degrees, but soon enough we were back in the heat. Milan was as always a nightmare with crazy driving and roadworks through to monza but now were in mandello del lario so a day tomorrow chilling with a ferry across lake Como to get a coffee in Bellagio and then a visit to the Guzzi factory. Not a bad life.

Rocchetta Nervina

This is where I spent some of my childhood and where my sister was born. Its always good to come back for a visit. I'm beginning to see changes now, not sure if its for the best. Just got a telling off from the police for leaving my bike in the wrong place. At least I didn't get a ticket.

Perfect

To waken up to this scenery on the balcony. Every time I come back here it amazes me how nice it is. It's getting a bit touristy now. When I lived here it wax just an old forgotten italian village but these places attract tourists now. Good for the local business but for the locals i'm not so sure.

Weather of all kinds

We had it all today 28 degrees sun and torrential rain. In order to save time we took the toll roads, past Marseille, St Tropez (where the rain was heaviest ) Cannes, Nice, Monaco and then into Italy at Ventimiglia from there instead of going the way I know to my village I took the gps route. This took us over a very small mountain road which I remembered half way over. Parts of it make the road to applecross look like a main road and the height at the highest point according to the gps was just over 3000 ft. And very little barriers if you run wide on the hairpins. Interesting end to todays riding and in the wet.

Catering for bikes

We've just stopped en route to Italy just outside Marseille
The services here have these garages where you can store your bike whilst shopping. Great idea or maybe its a bad area? Warm today with some light rain.

Hot again

Its been sunny and got since 7.30 this morning so just been lazing around. Not much else happening today. Its not a bad life sitting in the sun doing very little. We did give the bikes a wash today so its not all sitting about.