01.26.08

Bomba, Italy

I definitely cannot complain about the weather on this blog entry.The sky has been blue the past two days and the temperature very good.As I move farther north and into the central Italian peninsula mountains I may be changing my tune.

I have never felt lonelier than I do right now typing this entry.I left Matera, quite possibly one of my favorite hostels and definitely a great city and arrived in Bomba; A nothing town at the bottom of the Abruzzi mountains.Mind you, the view is spectacular and it is situated right on Lake Bomba, but very quiet and very lonely.My choice to stay here was based strictly on the fact that it was the next closest hostel and a good days journey away, but before we I talk about the accommodations let me tell you about a very horrifying experience.

I have been scared and quivering climbing around mountains and now I have been horrified and every muscle in my body has tensed.I was doing close to 75mph my usual speed on a 4 lane road (my bike loaded does not like to go faster) and was just passing a truck that swerved over into my lane just before starting to go around.No big deal this happens all the time.Well he was swerving to miss a poor little beagle that happened to jump out of the trucks way and right into mine!Our eyes locked as did my brakes and for a split second a million thoughts went through my mind.I thought for sure I was going to hit the little dog and go flying over the handle bars.Everything in me braced for impact as my back tire started to swerve out a little.I looked into the eyes of that little dog and saw his fear.Luckily he jumped just to the right and I barely missed him.It took me 30 minutes to start to relax.I have had close calls before, but not like this and I am not sure if it was amplified by the fact that it was not only my life that could be taken, but the poor little puppy's too.So there is my close encounter for the day.

After my small little trauma I was pretty much on straight and bumpy roads until all of a sudden a mountain by the sea appears in the middle of plains.The Gargano region is a little peninsula that juts of the east coast and boy is it incredible.Every road in my map is outlined in green identifying a scenic route.Very scenic!One thing that puzzles me though about Italy is trash!Italians seem to have no pride in their country.I have seen this in many ways, but especially in their disregard for clean streets.They blatantly throw trash out their car windows or on the sidewalk.It is crazy.You have beautiful streetscapes or what I saw today beaches that are just littered with trash.Okay so the Naples trash issue is one thing, but just trash laying about everywhere is ridiculous especially when you have such a nice coastline or in the case of Bomba, a beautiful lake.Not only is there just rubbish lying about everywhere their does not seem to be much thought given to houses or gardens etc and how neatly they are kept.Even hotels that have been advertising seaside resort on roadside signs for miles with 4 stars attached look rough.So I was on some amazing roads and views today in Gargano, but ever beach I saw was filled with bits of trash poking out of the sand.It is too bad.

The other thing I have started to notice more and more is the state the roads are kept.Everyone roars about how awful the roads are in Croatia and Serbia etc, but someone needs to mention something about Italy.Now for the most part they are pretty good, but there are some really bad roads out there and I think I hit them all today.I went over so many bumps and holes that my starboard pannier actually got rattled off a bit.I had to stop and reset it.I sure hope the roads aren't this bad in the east otherwise I will need new shocks and rear end.

So here I am in Bomba having had blue skys, seen amazing trash filled coastlines and I am very alone.When I arrived it took 30 minutes just to figure out if the place was open and what sort of room I would get.My hostel book explains that it is open all year round etc etc, but it sure didn't look like it.Besides the bartender at the little bar I am the only person here.The hostel is actually closed and so I was put in a bungalow instead.The grounds by the lake have camping facilities, several bungalows, a bar/restaurant and the hostel which is above the restaurant.Anyway all this to say I am in the very small city, in the middle of the woods in the huge camping complex and I am the only one around!I guess there are two ways to look at this, but after two long days on the bike 10 hrs riding yesterday and 7hrs riding today I need some people around.It is not so much the being alone, but more the feeling of being isolated.I think there is a difference.Anyway good thing I have downloaded a couple of movies!I will definitely be breaking my no travel on Sunday rule though and head for a more exciting place.Lets hope I don't break down especially since I will be on a very rural road through the mountainous center.