Day 30 Sciacca - Palermo 100km (1500 meters altitude)

Ralph
Apr 2, 2022
4 min read

In the morning i started early, first uphill, on the first 650 m first 100 meters of altitude away from the sea. Hello awake. Then through the busy streets of Sciacca, knowing that it has just after the city limits an end with the traffic. And lo and behold, barely outside, quiet. The weather looked very changeable, on the horizon I could make out places with sun as well as with rain. The wind was strong, but I had him at my back. After a few kilometers my Navi said, try left off the highway. The road looked good so I followed the road. After a few carefree kilometers I was allowed back on the highway, but the way there would have probably pleased every mountain biker. A narrow path down and because it had rained it was clay. Arrived at the bottom I had to clean the bike first, so that a further drive was possible. In this course also checked the tire pressure and lo and behold back again a low tire pressure. I must urgently get me a new coat, this one is through. So pumped up instead of hose changed, then continue and lo and behold, immediately hold again and put on the rain gear. I was allowed to do that more often today. After my experiences I stayed then rather on the little used federal highway, the hard shoulder was continuously available and if I looked at the suggestions of the navi from afar was also better so. With the narrow paths and the loamy nature I would roll there in the evening still over it. So onward, always nicely with tailwind. From the far I saw the disaster then already. A bridge huge over a mountain ridge. About 900 meters above sea level and the weather moved once again to. Slowly I moved on it to still the memories of Calabria. Storm set in, from behind still, the bridge stood however 90 degrees to the direction of travel. The Navi said, I know another way. In the pouring rain I checked the route, still with the experiences of the morning. I checked it with the other product and it suggested the same way. The bridge laughed at me from a distance, not a seductive laugh, more like a demonic "You won't get past here!". Trust the Navi and drive forever in the Pampa to come then no further, to turn around and then nevertheless over the bridge (push)? Or immediately the "simple" way? I decided to trust the Navis. In the meantime, hail began to fall. In the pouring rain and hail and thunder, but with tailwind, then an old road up towards the mountains, a flowing stream of water rinse the road down. The path should also go along and under the bridge. No maintenance had been done on the old road I was following for some time. Sections of the road had been cut off. Missing tar or overgrown slippage. Not a single car came along. The whole time this feeling hopefully not to have to turn around always further up. Below the bridge I was first glad not to have driven along above. Even the cars drove rather moderately along above, water poured from above and was blown away by the wind on the way down. Also the barrier down was now rather not very good. In the fog and rain on. Then a car came towards me, the driver smiled at me when he saw me and a few minutes later I saw it. Blue sky! I was over it and in the distance I saw the bay of Palermo, with bright weather. Not that the tailwind wasn't still blowing me down the mountain and several short heavy showers still trailed behind. But yes I approached the sunshine and sea on quite a gradient. On the descent I was then immediately reminded what awaits me in the bay. Big city car drivers. One that came from below gave me by hand signal to understand that I would have to drive on the far right, as the potholes at the edge on the middle of my lane half wanted to avoid. Another came towards me on my side, probably avoiding the potholes on his side. I was also supposed to give way to him. Meanwhile, I can keep my balance quite well on the bike, there we were now facing each other. That my bike including luggage and me probably had almost the same mass as his junk Fiat Panda was then also clear to him and he dodged. That was only the foretaste. Then I had to change the tire (video). In the few minutes, every weather again played out above me that you can imagine. Barely down and on the outskirts of Palermo proper, Italian big city traffic. Great! (Video). Elbows out and go, first to the port and to look where the my ferry leaves on Sunday and find a place to stay. Another short conclusion to the people here. They are very rude and rude. But I speak that fluently, so we get along. In this sense, have a nice weekend and Mr. Putin, even the east of Ukraine you will not get, you pull themselves right back to the border before 2014.

Oh yes, here again garbage on the streets around, incredibly a lot. Everbody puts what in addition, but no one takes what.