Castel Gandolfo earthquake

 Soooo.... about 1/3 the way from where I'm going to be in 2 days time (Velletri) to Rome is a town called Castel Gondolfo  and I've just read that this is not only where  the Pope has his summer residence but it's also where the latest Italian earthquake (yesterday) had it's epicentre.

Castel Gondolfo...I just hope I can ride AND look at the views!

So to answer the question I've been asked a few times lately ..."are you excited"..   hmm  perhaps more worried than excited!

Apparently the locale is called the Castelli Romani area...so I can envisage I'm going to be spending  a bit of time  exploring it and if you check a couple of posts back you'll find a proposed bike ride going right through that area...a ride proposal made in total ignorance of what the area had to offer.

As a bit of research prior to my trip I've been delving into ancient Roman history and have discovered THE most fantastic podcast called "The History of Rome" by Mike Duncan..free, gratis and for nothing at iTunes.  Highly recommended.

2 more sleeps
2 more rides
and a bit of packing

woo! hoo!...out of wet cold and thoroughly miserable weather into hot, sticky, uncomfortably  humid weather, mozzies and earthquakes!

Riding the eastlink bike trail

can be fun/a bit dangerous...what with families, unskilled cyclists, skate boarders, paint ballers, runners, walkers etc etc

I had to be rugged up for the cold, cos when I left home the temp was still in single figures.  After the post ride re-fuel came the nanna nap...made very neccessary due to late night TdF watching.

I got an email from my Rome host reminding me not to forget the aeroguard/raid....and a hat!...and light clothes and sandals.....must be a proforma email for people from cold countries!

just testing how to blog+ pix on the Asus tablet

ok download Garmin to  an app called Sport Tablet, open up map then press that icon third from the left on the bottom left=screen shot, then add as normal.  If I want to edit it: using a groovy app called Photo Editor(!) I can have a bit of fun:

ok so watching the TdF and early morning training just don't mix

but at least today the weather is ok for a road ride

patiently waiting

Where I'm staying 13-25 July

red bubble marks the spot and there's Rome top left. I can see a couple interesting looking routes around some lakes...

or even

1 week to go

and the TT bike and it's wheels are already on their way via Jetta and Thai airways. They should arrive in Rome next Thursday or Friday and since I arrive on Friday I'm rather hoping they'll be there for me to claim them  when I arrive.

Today I trial packed the rest of my stuff, plus road bike and 2 sets of wheels and am well within the 30kgs checked baggage +7kg carry on allowance.  

Experience from the past 2 years has made me realise that while freighting a bike over to Europe with Jetta is not toooo expensive, bringing it back is.  Sooo instead of wasting mega bucks on freighting the TT bike back, I'm wasting on myself.... flying  business class...for the 40 kgs allowance but also for the comfort....

7 more sleeps and  I'll be glad to get away from:  

• the cold weather
• the wet weather
• having to watch the TdF during the wee hours
• the awful, awful ads during TdF.

testing using the tablet

Here we go again!

so far so good!

bit limited with pix but there'll be a work around somewhere..just gotta find out how..this pix is from the tablet itself...soooooo.....of to Italy  "next week", but loads to do before that day.....