... and here is the corresponding opposite view, looking North from the Palace of the Dukes of Urbino:
Sightseeing in Urbino today. The 15th century Ducal Palace, the cathedral (Duomo), the house where Raphael was born (now a museum to his life, art, family, and contemporaries), etc.
Today (Monday) I set off from Urbino in the pouring rain - which made a pleasant change from the scorching heat - and rode some deserted back roads through the hills up to San Marino, which is a mountain. After a pleasant lunch, descended to the plains and took the busy coast road to Milano Marittima, which is a holiday beach resort full of hotels near Ravenna. Meeting up shortly with a Ducati-owning friend from London who is here on holiday, and we have arranged to have dinner later. I plan to spend tomorrow visiting the antiquities of Ravenna, especially the Byzantine mosaics, and then head North on Wednesday.
Ha, I have exactly the same shots. I got a bit Ducatied out after a solid 2.5 days at WDW so did the Urbino-San Marino loop on Sunday afternnon. Some great views but some trukly shocking (in all senses of the word) road surfaces. The SL didn't like the "off-road" sections at all!
Yes, there are lots of places where the roads have slipped down the hills. Don’t forget that they get earth-quakes in that area.
Enjoyable dinner at a restaurant with some characterful waiters last night, as the guest of Italian friends Gaetano and Barbara M. He is riding round on a Royal Enfield Bullet, not a common sight in Italy. Feeling a bit tired today so resting up for a while. Age creeping up!
Slight medical problem, so spent Tuesday resting and in company with friends in Milano Marittima. Very pleasant well-appointed hotel with helpful staff. Wednesday headed north across the baking hot plains. This is the tower of S Apollinaire in Classe, near Ravenna. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Sant'Apollinare_in_Classe
Headed up into the Dolomites and took the Passo Rolle between San Martino di Castrozza and Predazzo. Here is a photo I took near the top.
Wednesday evening booked into a hotel on a hill overlooking Bressanone. Unfortunately the hotel was terrible - no lift (carrying luggage up six flights), no aircon, no food or drink available in the evening, rude unhelpful staff. On any given tour, there is always one terrible hotel, I find.
Today (Thursday) I rode over the Brenner Pass into Austria, taking the old road not the autostrada. It's one of the lower passes, by Alpine standards. Down to Innsbruck, then headed west along the A12 / S16 towards Switzerland via Landeck. Lots of long, long tunnels so a quick and easy route to ride but not so interesting. Crossed into Switz and along the south shore of Lake Konstanz - I had only ridden the north shore before. Followed the valley of the Rhine westwards as it twists and turns, crossing into Germany and back twice. Ended up finding a hotel in Basel, more expensive but far nicer with a secure garage, lifts, and helpful staff. Makes a world of difference.
Thanks. Not too bad, but I decided that extending my tour to Trieste and Slovenia would be pushing my luck too far. Heading back towards Calais, but over four days and taking in some interesting places I want to see, or see again.
Hope you are feeling better Pete. Please let us know the name of the hotel that should be avoided at all costs ! Looks like a nice route back. Have fun.
Over the Ballons de Vosges today (Friday) via the Pass of Bussang - a mild one, with lots of fast sweeping curves and not many hairpins. Then across France on the Routes Nationales, avoiding Autoroutes completely so far. Got as far as Reims, so checked into a hotel. Looks basic on the outside but actually very comfortable inside. And the aircon works. Nobody at all will be surprised to hear that it was scorching hot all day. In future I think I'll have to do trips in May or September, these July jaunts are getting too much! Tomorrow just a short hop to Calais, tunnel and home. Assuming the tunnel trains are working, that is.
