The Appenine Mountains…for some perspective

Ok, just so ya’ know we’ve not had a flat riding day since we’ve started cycling the Cammino di San Benedetto. Oh, well that is because we are zigging up, zagging down, around and in between these mountains. Today was a particularly challenging day….the longest (30 miles), hottest (90’s) and steepest….measured by Mikes iphone as 14 percent. We had to take off our bike shoes in order to push the bikes up the super steep slope. Every few steps we had to stop in whatever shade we could find, take a sip of now very warm water, and continue once we stopped panting and our hearts stopped pounding. When we finally reached the hotel at 5 pm (we started riding at 7 am), I felt like I was wearing cement shoes and had lead on my eyelids. But, we love this! Really!!!!