This spider would eat your face off.
As previously mentioned, the OFs (Old Fogeys) went for a ride around Como today, and, if you listen to them talk, the rest of the trip is going to be a letdown. It was incredibly beautiful, with amazing vistas all over the place. They did a famous climb called “Madonna di Ghisello” which, when translated, means “a nearly vertical wall of switchbacks that is typically ridden during a downpour similar to what you would see during monsoon season in Pyongyang”. Seriously, I got tired… and I drove. But it was a beautiful drive, and the guys stopped and took some pretty cool pictures on the way.
The guys at the top of the climb.
Inside the weird museum.
Como is amazing. Just to reiterate. A-MAZ-ING.
At the top of the climb, there is a shrine to the patron Saint of bicycling. What, you didn’t know there was a patron Saint of bicycling? Yeah… neither did we. But boy, the Catholics do know how to honor their patron saints of sports. The shrine contained no fewer than 8 bicycles (ridden by the world’s most famous cyclists) lining the walls, along with pictures of a bunch of cyclists that died while riding. It was… creepy, but one of the more memorable shrines I’ve been in.
The weird cycling shrine. Look at the bikes nex
Have I mentioned what driving around Como is like? Yeah… imagine the Road to Hana, take away the palm trees, add in a bunch of half-crazed Italian drivers that are convinced this is an Indy-car race, and make the streets about half as wide, and you’re just about there. The road is barely wide enough for 2 cars to pass each other going opposite directions, but rather than slow down to ensure that nobody gets killed, you barrel past each other at mach 3, and find time to wave. I think I’m getting used to driving here though, as I was honked at multiple times, and an old lady even gave me the Italian equivalent of the finger. I figure I must be doing something right.
A statue of a winner... and a loser. Nice view though.
After the museum, they rode around the other side of the lake, and I took a ferry across and met them in a little town called Verano. Then, it was a long and windy ride to Saint Morritz, Switzerland, where we got to our hotel really late and, for dinner, had a plate full of various cured meats, some bread, and a random assortment of fruit and pickled things. It was entertaining and tasty. Next up, a long sleep and then a ride to Stelvio, which is the 3rd-highest road in all of Europe.
One of the many little cities surrounding Como.
2 comments:
'd be pretty careful with those spiders...I've heard they lie in wait for men in sweaty biking jerseys. They smell the stinkiness and leap onto their prey. Maybe that's really how all those guys memorialized in the museum lost their lives while riding. They think it was from extreme physical exhaustion during some amazing climb, but really it was the spiders. Just what I heard.....Jev, that would make you safe since you wear no jersey, but you are also the extra so they may use you as a shield. All the extras in the movies eventually die in the end so watch your back.
Love to see all the beautiful pictures - what an amazing place to be biking through. Hope the Swiss treat you well. Jev, I'm sad I missed your call!
Hi Jevan! We love the blog! And yes, we know just what driving around Como is like! We did it six weeks ago! But we were in a fiat and almost purked our pants... I can't imagine it in a G-Ev! I just kept my eyes closed most of the time... Merrill is the driving king of my heart. But it's not the Indy races in Italy. It's "Formula Eins", baby! You're in europe now! We miss you guys! HOpe the rest of the trip goes well! :) Kaycie and Merrill
Post a Comment