Tag 9 Foggia - Benevento 100 km / 2000 vertical meter

Ralph
Mar 11, 2022
4 min read

Updated: Mar 12, 2022

That was a day today. I knew I wouldn't make it to Naples today, but I was afraid. Afraid that I would try it after all. I know myself. But from the beginning. I was awake at 6 a.m. and of course I thought about leaving right away. But I held back, wanted to solve my screw problem and the Internet said the nearest bike store opens at 9 o'clock. The reality was different. On the door was the sign "changed" 9.30 a.m.. So on to the next. Arrived at the place where it should be, according to the Internet, nothing.

An old man came running up to me and started chatting. I understood "Bicicletta" and nodded, he continued talking. All right, just around the corner Marco moved. No, I didn't learn Italian overnight, but sometimes i have "insights". Happens to, no matter where/how and what. Very often also in Germany (professional life), I don't hear not just the words, I understand the actual statement, by observing the body language of the posture and the tone of voice. Empathy is what they call it, I think. In the meantime, I even listen to it, in the past it always got me into shit, when I didn't listen to myself and trusted the wrong people with selfish motivation. Or just life experience? Anyway, so around the corner, and yes there was the store also in reality and was already opened. Marco took care of the problem, which he actually could not solve immediately, neither hammer, nor saw, nor pipe wrench, but he came up with the brilliant idea to loosen the brake pad and turn the whole block of the screw, that actually worked. He replaced another screw and showed me another new method to quickly center the brake. You never stop learning. He wanted of course no money from me. I then bought new cycling gloves, my old have left brown points from the sun on my skin. Looks "funny". Topic sun, tomorrow I should probably apply sunscreen, my face has already quite colour. So then around 9:30 a.m. i finally went off and I speculated already if I`ll pull the 160 km yet. The traffic in the city was really hellish, the drive crisscross, not quite according the rules, hardly outside the city, less traffic. Since ask myself why to live in the city and then drive/own a car, that will never open up to me. No matter, not my (biggest) problem. Shortly behind the city, however, again pain in the knee (left), so again adjust the saddle (and later the angle of the shoe) and continue. In Troia in a "Farmacia" i bought a bandage. Again, the first pharmacy that should be open, according to the Internet, no longer existed, at the second, in front of the door i had to draw a number. The lady who measured my knee could not quite believe it "troppo muscoloso, grande muscolo". My thigh was too fat for her bandages. I just taken two numbers smaller and mighty stretched, have not only muscles in the legs, no ...... also in the head! The bandage worked quite well, at least for a while. After Troia it went finally really high. The nice thing beside climbing? No cars! On the long way up in total 2 cars. Up to 12% incline, a bit of snow left and right, I sweated more than i froze, and about 1 pm i was over the top. Still about 110 km to Naples said my head at 8 pm you could be there. But this time I did not pack the knife between my teeth, no! I have time. And also my navi did not play so completely with. Again it wanted to lead me on a gravel road downhill, left and right snow. That was too tricky for me after yesterday's experience. For ice plates and such I had no desire. Along the road, that the Navi did not like and refused to cooperate for the time being. But from top of a mountain not many roads leads. At some point, the navi had also caught itslef again and calculated me a new route. Which I followed for the time being. Until 20 km after, it piloted me into a side street. And I saw it already from far away. A ramp that I would never been able to have climbing up, a look at the Navi. 17% over several hundred meters. No way, no Willi today. There I stood, staring into the phone and a car drove past me, the driver smiled at me. He knew what was going on in my head. So I continued, back on the longer way. And the navi made another attempt, left turn. I saw why, the road/route I was currently on was clearly much longer. All right. 200 meters of altitude at a stretch straight downhill. I still thought to myself hopefully i don`t have to turn. And lo and behold, the bridge below was closed because collapsed (No, have no photo). What to do? Well, a little cross-country, worked. Puh lucky guy. Then came another slope, which at first sighting, before turning left on the Navi showed 5 - 9% slope. . Then suddenly 12% were shown on the display, my speedometer shows even 15% by the way. So there also still tortured up, again with some dogs on the roadside. I really do not know how the Navi works, but today I was really thinking to let the competition run. Interestingly, my knee only hurts when riding on the flat, under the strain on the hill, no pain. Right now I'm lying in bed and have it affixed. The last 5 km and also tonight, no pain (walking ghost phase?) Let's see how it turn out tomorrow, the 60 km to Naples. If it's good, i will include a visit at the Vesuvius. What else? So the Abruzzo are great to drive, except for the potholes. Still until 16 o'clock I thought I could still slip through to Naples, but it was getting dark and I really reminded me to stop. Would still have a few dogs and motorist stories to offer (videos) but I want to let it be for today well. In this sense a good night and please Mr. Putin end the war before they lose it completely.

i will link the videos as soon as they are uploaded.....