05-01-2026 Entry

Travel day. I slept decently, although I did wake up in the night (<!!>), was able to get back to sleep. We got up and were down to the hotel breakfast not too long after it opened. It was okay, the oatmeal was maybe the best serving, other food wasn't hot (eggs) or cold (orange juice) enough. But it was filling. We went back to the room, I had a shower, packed up my stuff, and we still had time to relax before hitting the road a little before 9:00. We ran into just a little slow-down traffic on the 405, skipping the freeways through downtown LA. Then we were moving at speed all the way through the Grapevine, until we got stopped for about 10-15 minutes on the descent (must have been some kind of traffic break). Then we were moving again. Stopped at a rest area for a short break and, later, around the turn onto the 46, for gas. Into Paso Robles, where downtown was surprisingly busy and parking was scarce (never my favorite thing). Had lunch at a little Thai food place that was decent, definitely not fancy. Ann drove the rest of the way into Monterey. Pretty scenery as we got closer to the coast. We arrived around 4:00 and checked into the hotel, which is a historic building and nice in an antique kinda way. Rested for a bit, then we drove to a laundromat to do a load of wash (and have a Slurpee). Ann had found a coupon for a discount at Great Clips, only to discover that it was for the Monterey area. So we drove to Pacific Grove, and I got my hair cut at a salon for the first time since 2020. After we got back we had dinner at another non-fancy Mexican restaurant, and then that was the day.

04-30-2026 Walks

Travel day. I thought I would sleep better, but maybe it was too much caffeine. I woke up a little after 1:00 and had trouble getting back to sleep. Lay in bed for what seemed like a long time, and I eventually got back to sleep. Ann got up before 3:00, and that woke me up. Had a shower and some leftover pizza for breakfast, then I finished packing. We were out the door around 3:50 and walking to the bus stop, near the train station. Got on the bus fine (Ann had found a way the previous evening to buy tickets ahead of time) and we were at the airport a little after 4:30. The security line was especially bad on this day, thankfully we had time to spare before our flight boarded. Got to the gate boarded the transport bus, it was not a full flight, so no trouble finding overhead storage. Got to Munich Airport way before our flight was scheduled to leave, but this was better than having to rush through the airport, especially when we had to go through EES screening. That line wasn't so long, we were through in about 15-20 minutes. I ate some food in the airport while we were waiting, started feeling hungry from not taking in enough calories the previous day. The flight to LAX on Lufthansa was a long one, but I had a whole middle row to myself. So I was able to stretch out and not feel crowded, which helped me be more comfortable. I watched three Jason Bourne movies as well as Bohemian Rhapsody again. Got some little patches of sleep interspersed as well. We arrived in LAX a little early and got off the plane pretty quickly, since it was far from full. Over to immigration, where we just zipped through, they took our picture without need to talk to an immigration agent. Found our way to the pickup spot for the shuttle to the hotel parking lot where our car was parked. No issues there either, we got it and drove to a nearby Fairfield Inn in El Segundo, where we planned to stay overnight. To the room, where we had a short break and then walked to a nearby Mediterranean fast food place for a light dinner. I had a large salad, it was good to enjoy greens again. Back to the room (it was somewhat chilly on the walk back), where I shaved and cleaned up, feeling better after. Quiet evening, Ann turned in early, and I wasn't too far behind her in falling asleep.

04-29-2026 Ride/Walk

This was a tough day on the bike. It started out super early, as both of the other guys in my hostel room were loud snorers. I was able to sleep until about 3:30, then I listened to music to drown out the noise. Got up around 5:20 and gathered all my stuff to clear the room. I had some breakfast food, so I went into the common area and ate that. I took too long for breakfast and had to scramble to be ready to ride at 6:00. Checked out after waking the night clerk up to get my bike. When I went to load the route in, it wasn't in the list of rides on Elemnt. Couldn't figure out why, so I wasted about 15 minutes getting the route loaded (I'd originally mapped it as a run, not a ride). But I was glad I did, since the map on my Wahoo was much more visual and easy to follow than the verbal Google Maps directions. Got going a little after 6:15, and it was generally okay at the start. I had to pay attention to the map, since I wasn't getting turn-by-turn instructions on my Wahoo (don't know why). Headed out of Padua, had a little difficulty getting onto the gravel bike path, but with just a little backtracking I got on the path, which was gravel to begin with. The gravel part was more than a few miles long, then it transitioned into a paved path that was easily the best part ot the entire ride. I think there was another gravel section before I got into Vicenza. This is a spread-out city, and I was lulled into a false sense of being ahead of schedule by the signs upon entering the city. I stopped for a cappuccino, chocolate croissant, and banana at a nice little cage on the outskirts, debating whether to do the out-and-back to Campagnolo headquarters. I decided to do it, probably the right call but it ended up causing pain. Headed over there, and I missed a turn, causing me to backtrack, this time for more significant distance. Found my way and had to ride through an industrial area to get to the headquarters. I found it, took a couple of pics, including a memorable one with me in the foreground and the logo on a wall in the background. I wasn't even halfway done and could see that my energy level was going to be challenged. Retraced my route back to the outskirts of Padua, but it was a challenge. At some point I either got off-route, and my Wahoo wasn't updating me on progress on my route. I think this was after the route back stayed on roads through little villages instead of being on the bike path. Anyway, I tried to stay close to the projected route, and eventually I was able to get back on-route. Retraced the route on the same initial gravel path, which brought me into the vicinity of Padua (still a ways away). Here's where it got frustrating. I followed the route to a place where the bike path was blocked along a canal, tried riding on the other side of the canal but got to a point where it was obviously veering away from the intended direction, so I rode back and had to find my own detour (again!). I kept the planned route visible on my Wahoo map and found some surface streets that roughly paralleled this route. It took quite a while before I was able (it wasn't trivial, in this case) to get back on-route. I rode roughly the same direction as the previous day, but thank the Almighty that I didn't have to navigate those narrow gravel paths again. Nearly all of the time was on paced roads or bike paths, pretty good conditions. But I was running out of gas. All the way back I was riding into a northeasterly headwind whenever I was heading east or north, and I was riding, from Padua to Marghera, basically northeast. It was brutal. I stopped for a break by this fancy mansion along the Brenta River, ate the pastry I'd bought the day before, and that gave me a little boost. But my legs were toast, had to pedal softly and slowly just to keep moving for those last 18 miles or so. When I had stopped, I think it was around mile 60, and I was definitely counting the miles to the finish. By my calculation at that point, I thought I was going to ride about 80 miles. Sent a note to Gianluca at 12:20, saying I planned to be back around 1:00. He sent me a text soon after saying the office was closed from 1:00 to 2:30, so I really had to dig deep and try to make it back before 1:00. One last little backtrack to deal with, and I pushed to get to Travel & Bike at 12:50.

Avg speed = 13.2 mph (13.5 mph). Total mileage = 77.9 mi

Avg power = 137 W. Weighted avg power = 148 W

Total elevation gain = 670' (850')

Avg heartrate = 136 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 245 (227)

Training Load = 288 (314)

Intensity = 67% (71%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/18304296784

Took the pedals and head unit mount off quickly, then I unloaded the stuff from the rear pannier. My voice was hoarse from dehydration (ran out of water around 12:30), so it was a chore talking to Gianluca. My legs had started to twitch in those last 10 miles or so, but I was able to manage it. Even still, as I was taking the pedals off I got a severe cramp that forced me to stand up and stretch it  out. The turnaround for the bike was pretty quick, I was out in front of the store with my stuff by about 1:00, so he could close the shop. He pointed out the bus stop, so I put my shoes on, packed up my bike stuff, and walked (slowly) down there. I had enough time to buy a ticket using their WhatsApp interface, it worked slowly but was ready just before the bus showed up. Initially I sat on the bus, but my two bags made it uncomfortable, so I stood instead. That might have been a mistake. It was a short bus ride, but about halfway I started feeling faint and mildly queasy. This was an after-effect of the effort I put into the last part of the ride, which really drained me. It helped to lean over and feel a cool breeze, and I was able to keep it together until the bus stopped near the Venice train station. Got off and walked carefully to a little stand, where I bought a larger bottle of Coke and went to sit down. I've probably had better Cokes, but I can't remember one hitting the spot so clearly as this one did. I did some more rearranging of stuff in my two bags, texted with Ann and Laura about their plans (this was really disappointing, they finished lunch and went directly to Murano, one of the reasons I had hustled so much during the ride was to get back in time to go with the, but apparently I didn't fit into their schedule). Then I walked to the Airbnb, taking in some of the sights on the way. Dropped my stuff off, had a very little to eat, then took a long hot shower to wash off the accumulated salt. That felt really good. Changed and then did a longer walk over to the Grand Canal (not easy to find by yourself, it helps to follow the crowds. I ended up at the Rialto Bridge, which is a central point in Venice. Took some pics, then went to find a beer to buy so I could sit by the water and enjoy it. That was nice, although it was cool with the breeze coming off the canal. From there I walked along the Grand Canal as far as I could, then meandered through the streets looking at sights. I ended up walking about three miles on tired legs, no fast pace on this day. Got back to the flat just before they returned from their afternoon sightseeing. Later we went out for dinner at a place nearby. I had a four-cheese pizza that was probably the best I've had this trip. Was a little agitated at the start of dinner but calmed down after a while. Back to the Airbnb, where we pack up most of our stuff, then I went to bed.

Some general highlight/lowlight comments from my first overnight cycling trip:

• The weather was just about ideal, not too hot, not too cold, no rain (although there was a chance in the forecast). For the future, I need waterproof panniers and a waterproof backpack or cover.
• Distance on day 1 was too short and on day 2 was too long. If the weather had been unfavorable on day 2 I might have been in a real bind about how to get back to the starting point. 40-60 miles/day for a bikepacking trip seems about right. I might be able to go longer if I stick in a long break somewhere in the middle, as long as I don't go too deep in the first half.
• Definitely stay away from using Google Maps audio directions. That was a nightmare on day 1, had to stop, look at the route on my phone, and backtrack quite frequently.
• Plan on an average riding speed of 12-14 mph for flat terrain, not including stops. I likely can't ride faster than that over a long period of time, especially on a route with lots of turns through cities and towns.
• Stop every hour for at least five minutes and have something to eat, also use energy/electrolyte drinks in water bottles. On this trip I got dehydrated and calorie-deprived in the second half of day 2.
• Keep your phone charged by having it plugged in to a power bank all the time. It's just too risky to be out in the middle of nowhere with a low-battery phone.
• A backpack is nice and portable but not a good solution for bikepacking. Much better to put all your gear in bike bags (panniers, extended saddle bag, handlebar bag).
• Travel as absolutely light as possible. I definitely took too much stuff with me,didnt use all the clothes I brought, took two bike locks and repair kits, etc. Every pound is another burden to move, especially if there is a lot of climbing (there wasn't on this trip, thankfully). This goes for the bike as well. My rental was robust but really heavy, especially in the rear.
• There is a dilemma to resolve about which tires to use. The terrain I rode on definitely needed gravel tires but perhaps not as wide or knobby as the ones I used. The max speed I recorded was about 20 mph, and I was regularly pushing steady power with few breaks (no downhills). That wore me out faster on day 2. There is something to be said for extensive training under the same kind of riding conditions that you will experience.

04-28-2026 Walk/Rides

Slept well, the best I've had in a while. I woke up before the alarm went off, spent some time trying to locate my bone conduction phones (they eventually turned up in Ann's fanny pack). Had some yogurt, a shower, finished packing, and took out the trash before we left the flat at 7:20. We walked to the train station and got to the platform with time to spare. The 90-minute train ride to Venice was uneventful. The train actually stopped at Mestre, closer to where I was scheduled to pick up my bike, but I decided to stay on it into Venice proper. It turned out to be a good decision. The train arrived, and I split from Ann and Laura at the exit to the train station. Was a little confusing to orient myself and walk toward the bus stop, but I figured it out. I did end up getting on the wrong bus, though, telling the attendant I wanted to go to Mestre, not Marghera, which is where I actually needed to go. So I got off the bus before it turned north and then had a long walk to the bike shop. It ended up working out okay because I got to the shop around 10:35. The door was closed, which caused me to worry about whether there was a problem with the reservation. I texted the shop, then walked across the street and bought some bread and a pastry. While I was walking back, Gianluca, the shop owner, showed up and unlocked the door. It was all good after that. Turns out I had planned to pick the bike up at 11:00, so that's why he arrived when he did. Got the paperwork taken care of, then he let me use the bathroom in back to change into my cycling clothes. The bike was brand new, never been ridden, and I had some difficulty getting the pedals off. As soon as I reviewed a video reminding me of the direction to turn the Allen wrench, a hard push loosened them up, and it was easy from there. Got the pedals installed along with the head unit mount, adjusted the seat height, then gave the bike a quick test ride. All good, another minor seat height adjustment, then he took a picture of me and the bike before I took off. I stopped a little afterward in the shade and finished getting ready, putting on the bike light (this bike actually had integrated front and rear lights, I later found out), my head cap, gloves, and inputting directions to the Hotello Padova. Then I was off. The main frustration of the trip was having to stop frequently and check Google Maps on my phone to make sure I was going in the right direction. The directions had A LOT of turns, staying of main roads as much as possible. It was all good until I missed a turn, backtracked, and found myself on a true gravel path. I estimate that I rode about five miles on gravel, most of it in one long stretch. There was also a point where Google Maps had me on a path that was under construction, causing me to backtrack again and find my own way (not too difficult) as a detour. Back on the gravel path and on route. Around this time I stopped to tighten up my handlebars, which probably weren't tightened enough at the factory and had slipped a couple of times when I hit a rough patch. I actually made pretty good time when I wasn't having to weave through streets and paths, but that weaving turned out to be a significant part of this ride. It became particularly tough when I got into Padua, where the route had me going on pedestrian paths with lots of walking traffic, slowing me down considerably. I was very close to the hotel when I lost my navigation, and it wouldn't come back readily. So I navigated manually to where the hotel was supposed to be, rode by the nondescript entrance once, then found it when I retraced my path.

Avg speed = 12.6 mph (12.9 mph). Total mileage = 25.0 mi

Avg power = 109 W. Weighted avg power = 118 W

Total elevation gain = 150' (250')

Avg heartrate = 122 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 36 (36)

Training Load = 68 (72)

Intensity = 54% (59%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/18291031389

Gave my information to the desk clerk (Marco), then I headed out on search of a place to eat lunch (was pretty hungry by this time). The hotel is located in more of an industrial zone (not too far from a main bus terminal), and I couldn't see any decent places to stop. So I googled for pizza near me and found a place less than 10 minutes away. Unfortunately, it sent me back into the crowded pedestrian area, but I got through there and, with some fits and starts, found my way to the place. Had a pizza and a Coke, taking my time, then I rode back, a little more efficiently but not by much, to the hotel, where my room was ready.

Avg speed = 7.5 mph (7.9 mph). Total mileage = 4.6 mi

Avg power = 44 W. Weighted avg power = 54 W

Total elevation gain = 40' (70')

Avg heartrate = 105 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 5 (5)

Training Load = 4 (7)

Intensity = 24% (34%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/18292129148

Got my room key, paid the city tax of €2, and put my bike in the secure luggage storage room before heading up to the room. It is simple and clean, should be fine for my needs, although I should have brought ear plugs. Rested for a bit before going out in the evening for a drink and some dinner. I rode to the Prato della Valle, a pretty, central area in Padua. Sat outside and enjoyed the early evening, watching the people on the piazza. I used Google Maps in auto mode to get there, it was quick and didn't have any sidewalk detours. The auto route home was much longer, so I switched to bike mode, which had me sharing a bunch of sidewalks and narrow alleys with pedestrians. At one point I got turned off route by a guard, no bikes allowed there. Found my way back on route and got to the hotel just fine, stopping briefly at an outside museum that didn't have much open for display in the evening. I used my Amazfit watch to record the ride, and it did a decent job, I think, although I'll need to check whether it synced with my power pedals (I don't think so).

Avg speed = 8.5 mph. Total mileage = 4.5 mi

Avg power (est) = 46 W

Total elevation gain = 90'

Avg heartrate = 109 bpm (Amazfit)

Relative Effort = 5

https://www.strava.com/activities/18294765098

I cleaned myself up and changed into clean clothes (felt much better), then walked to a nearby market to buy banana, water, and a beer to enjoy. Sat in the hotel common area to drink my beer, but it was really quiet. I was hoping for a more social atmosphere in this hostel, but it seemed more to be a way station for travelers, not a gathering point. Caught up on blogging, finished my beer and then got ready to sleep. Watched some TV before turning in.

04-27-2026 Run/Walk

Woke up really early, read for a while and was able to get back to sleep before getting up before 6:00. I was going to run and asked Laura if she wanted to join. Mapped out a simple-to-follow route in Strava, and this is what we took. It basically followed the main roads surrounding Bologna city center. We generally kept an 11:30 pace, lots of stops are street crossings. Laura slowed down a little toward the end but kept up her pace pretty well. It was super annoying to follow the route on my phone, Strava is not well suited for this. On the run, I didn't experience any discomfort from either my right foot or my right leg, which is great news.

Avg pace = 11:06/mi

Total distance = 4.52 mi (Actually 5.36 mi, from Laura)

Elapsed moving time = 50:12

Avg heartrate = 112 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 9

https://www.strava.com/activities/18274290992

Got home, had some crackers and coffee that Laura made using the Moka press. I'd shaved my goatee off the night before, it was getting itchy, but I trimmed some wayward whiskers in the morning. Later in the morning we went on a long walk, featuring a stop for more coffee (decaf for me) and pastries at this little stand inside a mini food court. We kept walking all around this part of the city, eventually making it to the clock tower, the Torre dell' Orologio, by the Piazza Maggiore. We bought tickets and walked up to see the clockwork from the inside as well as the clock face from close up. There was a balcony above the clockwork that had some nice views of the city. Stopped at a nice little bistro that Ann had found in one of her Bologna guidebooks, food was good. She had a charcuterie board for one that was impressively sized. Walked back to the flat for an afternoon rest after that. In the late afternoon Ann and I walked over to the Piazza Maggiore to visit the Basilica di San Petronio, the 10th largest by volume in the world (very high ceilings). It was impressive in size, but the chapels were fairly pedestrian, nothing special about the altar. It did have a cool meridian line as well as a sculpture of what Jesus' body might have looked like, recreated from the image on the Shroud of Turin. Also, it contained, in one of the chapels, the head and body of St Petronio. After this visit we walked to a nearby bar to meet Laura for drinks. She is starting to feel the stress and complexity of planning the wedding together with Joe. Stopped at a market for some dinner fast food and stuff for breakfast before heading back to the flat. I had a lot of steps on this day, and my feet were ready to take a break when we got back. Did some sorting and packing for tomorrow's bike ride, then read before getting to sleep.

04-26-2026 Walks

Slept okay, read some in the night but got back to sleep. Woke up feeling a little worn down, wondering if I have caught Ann's cold. We packed our stuff up, I had a shower and some bread and water for breakfast, and we were moving by 8:00. Laura stated, correctly, that our likely best bet to get to the train station on time was to walk there and avoid the risk of missing a bus. So we did, eventually entering the station at a high point and taking lots of stairs down to the actual station. I was hoping to get a coffee in the food court nearby but no luck. We were able to get seats, not together, on the train back to Firenze. It got really crowded during the 90-minute ride, I updated my blog and watched the landscape pass by. Off the train, just a short wait, then on a new train to Bologna for a fairly short ride. This was a bullet train, reaching speeds up to 270 kph (165 mph). A lot of it was underground. Trip was quick, we arrived in Bologna around 11:15. Walked over to the neighborhood where our Airbnb was, it was a little sketchy on the way over, but the neighborhood itself is fine, just on the edge of better areas and apparently in the midst of improvements. We ate lunch at a Greek place close by, pita sandwiches were very good, and cheap. We toasted the day with grappa, which really provided a kick. The Airbnb itself is very nice, well laid out, pretty, and tidy. I was tired, needed a little rest, so I took a nap. Meanwhile, Ann and Laura were discussing where to go in the afternoon. We ended up walking over to a main piazza (Piazza Maggiore), a more upscale area. There was a protest going on pleading the case of the Palestinian people. We went to a gelateria near the square, my pistachio was delicious, good flavor and creamy. We kept walking, but I started feeling a little out of sorts. Kept back from them and just focused on making it back to the flat. We ended up walking about three miles. I started feeling worse when we got back. Head started aching, maybe it was a headache from missing caffeine in the morning. I eventually took a couple of ibuprofen. Ann and Laura went out to dinner, but I wasn't up to that, so I stayed back and focused on not getting sick. Eventually the ibuprofen started kicking in, and I felt better. I watched an episode from second season of Young Wallander, then went to get a pizza for dinner after they returned. The delivery place I went to was doing a booming business, it was interesting to watch the comings and goings of the food delivery guys. The pizza, however, was terrible. I ate it just to get the fuel, but it was the worst meal yet on this trip. Felt much better after eating, no congestion and headache was gone. So, the end of the day was a good one.

04-25-2026 Run/Walk

Again slept okay, up in the night as usual but slept into morning. Laura was up when I got up, and Ann was up soon after. Little chat, then I went out for a morning run. Weather was good, but these streets were unfamiliar to me, so I had a number of times where a ran down a street or alley only to turn around and run back. Found a football stadium and ran around it, then I located some kind of old walled Citadel with a generally nice path around it. I did two loops, then started heading back. With the exception of one detour, I made it back to the flat pretty well, didn't really get lost. Very slow in the first mile, but I had a fairly fast third mile.

Avg pace = 8:55/mi

Total distance = 3.22 mi

Elapsed moving time = 28:46

Avg heartrate = 130 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 11

https://www.strava.com/activities/18246874039

After the run the three of us walked to a chain coffee and pastry shop (I didn't know it was a chain); the pastries and cappuccinos were fine, actually pretty good. Back to the flat via another route that took us through a major nearby piazza, where we plotted out the day. We walked over to the Duomo, the local cathedral, and bought tickets for the complex, which came with an audio guide. I couldn't download mine, Laura's downloaded right away, and Ann's took a very long time (don't know why) to download. I went into a nearby church while I waited, hear a nun singing, slightly off-key, and accompanying herself on a guitar, out of tune. Could have been beautiful, but I couldn't listen to it very long. We eventually gave up on downloading the audio guide and went into the main cathedral building. It was pretty, nothing very special about it to my taste. There was an interesting little library area with large old music texts. Other than that, fairly standard decorations. The crypt area had some frescoes depicting Jesus on his way to the cross, and the baptistery was also mildly interesting. After that, Laura directed us to a pizza restaurant that actually ended up not having pizza. This place was on some lists as a good restaurant in Siena, maybe that's why she picked it. We had a large cheese plate and artichoke pie for appetizers, both were good. My gnocchi was okay, a little too much pesto flavor. Then it was back to the flat for an afternoon rest. I read and had a nap, felt refreshed. Later in the afternoon, Laura and I went to a wine shop not too far away for chianti and red wine tasting. Ann's stomach was upset, so she stayed back at the flat. The wines were decent, the server was nice and descriptive of the way the wines were made. Chianti wines are mainly made with Sangiovese grapes, I learned. Laura paid for the tasting and a bottle of wine we brought back to the flat. When we got back Ann was feeling better, and a little later we walked over to a place where Laura thought there was a rooftop bar/restaurant, ostensibly to watch the sunset. However, she couldn't find the entrance, so we ended up walking over to the large piazza near the flat and having drinks and light snacks at a high-priced place with a decent view. We walked into Piazza del Campo just as a celebration of Liberation Day was wrapping up. Back to the flat after that, and a very light dinner of crackers, cheese, and the wine from the shop. That wasn't filling enough for Laura, so later she went out for a late dinner while Ann and I turned in for the evening.