geeteetravels

Today’s ride took us from the coast up to the cities of Ragusa and Modica. Both of these places have two distinct sections of modern and old.  The old sections were both heavily damaged in an earthquake in 1639.  Following the earthquake the cities were relocated higher up but eventually the lower areas were restored also. They are both known for their baroque architecture and churches. We weren’t able to get inside any of them but could admire the exteriors as well as great views of the lower cities. 

It was a longer, harder day than expected due to the heat and a few route miscalculations, about 70 kms and 975m gain, so we were pretty worn out by the time we got back to Marina di Ragusa. This was a pannier-less ride thank goodness. 

For our supper tonight we found a French creperie, a nice change.  It was delicious.

A view of Ragusa Ibla from the upper newer Ragusa.

Caffè e canolo break.

The lovely Duomo in Ragusa Ibla.

Piazza selfie with Duomo.

Part of the Modica panorama with another triple layer Duomo.

Massive euros have been spent on highways in Sicily.

Today’s ride was easy, only 55 kms and little climbing. The only problem was that we got rained on a little, nothing torrential, just enough to justify buying and carrying rain covers for the panniers. The temperature was actually perfect for riding, no worries about having enough water or finding shadey spots to rest. 

Again we saw endless fields of fruit and vegetable crops all protected by the poly tunnels. They certainly have a good agriculture industry. We also rode to Punta Secca where the filming of the house of Inspector Montalbano takes place. That series is very well known in the area and attracts much attention from tourists. When we approached Marina di Ragusa we suddenly had the most beautiful and well maintained bici path we have seen in all of Italy, a stark contrast from the arrival into Gela the day before. This town is a lovely resort location by the ocean that is bustling with activity, clean and inviting. 

One of thousands of plastic covered greenhouses growing all manner of vegetables.

The fancy new pannier covers pulled into action.

La casa di Montalbano at Punta Secca.

Now it’s a much wanted B&B.

Genuine bike and pedestrian tracks coming into Marina di Ragusa.

We stopped in Gela because it was too far to go to our next destination in one day. It was a fairly long ride, 85km, with some climbing and heat too so we were worn out when we arrived. 

We saw lots of wheat fields and produce farms along the way. We saw a combine out cutting down the wheat already, a bit ahead of Canada. The fruit and vegetables are often covered by poly tunnels so not so scenic, but we spied some artichokes in the wild. The other thing we see often is rubbish heaps as we’ve talked about before. It’s a shame, it really mars the landscape, and it’s all over Sicily.

The B&B we stayed at was nice, very clean and modern with a big balcony for the bike and a view of the ocean.  But the city itself was run down looking with few tourists or tourist sites. We were the only ones staying there that night, there were 4-5 other rooms, and the restaurant we ate at was empty during our meal. Apparently it is or used to be a mafia hotspot. We were happy to leave in the morning however we had a lovely breakfast and a nice chat with the host before setting out. 

Carciofi (artichokes) in the fields here.

Polytunnels allow for a year round growing season,and there are lots of them.

Not as dangerous a road as the sign suggests.

Winter wheat? Maybe several crops a year?

The bike was hauled up the stairs and parked on the balcony.

For our final day here we went to the archeological park called the Valle dei Templi, just 3 km from where we are staying. It turned out to be a free admission day being the first Sunday of the month, we’ve noticed this before but never seem to hit it right. We expected it to be packed with people but it wasn’t too bad. We were here 34 years ago when we were heading to Africa on a ferry out of Trapani. We have a picture of George standing in front of a column from then so we spent the day trying to find the particular spot but weren’t successful unfortunately. Either something has been changed or it was from another site, but we’re pretty sure it was from here. George hasn’t changed much at all. 

Anyway it was another fascinating trip back in time to about 500 BC. We saw several mostly intact temples, artifacts, foundations, tombs,  aquaducts and the Kolymbethra Garden which has been restored to what it is believed to have been like. We saw many almond, pistachio, and citrus fruit trees in the gardens and around the site in general. The Sicilans eat a lot of these types of nuts. The almonds are fresh and delicious, they taste like marzipan even without the sugar.  (one of the few nuts I can have)

In need of a haircut and a shave?

Some things are too big to cover up.

Ancient relics well preserved.

Temple of Dioscuri and Agrigento behind.

Temple of Concordia with Goddess.

Question of the day.

We had a relaxing morning on the beach today, quite a change from our usual get up and go routine. We tried out our new very portable beach mat, a gift from our tandem buddies, and even had an umbrella supplied by our host. It was a beautiful day and a Saturday so there were many people doing the same as us. 

After lunch and a short rest we hopped on the local bus into Agrigento and did some exploring. Agrigento is placed on the slope of a hill so were climbing again but only on foot. We looked at two cathedrals and climbed a tower. We saw three different wedding parties in a small area, a common thing to see on a Saturday here. 

We’re roughly following the SIBIT route on the south coast.

One of the churches we visited in Agrigento.

Interesting facade on this building.

It was very satisfying to ride downhill from Caltabellotta today but it always seems amazing that these hilltop towns disappear so quickly when it took so long to climb up. Throughout the day we kept getting glimpses of the peak again and wondering how we ever managed it.

Today’s ride was definitely easier but not easy. We still had a bunch of shortish but steep climbs and we rode over 80 kms. We went through Ribera and then to the coast to Eraclea Minoa to see the Capo Bianco, literally a white cliff above the ocean. There’s also some ruins there but we chose not to see them as the day was already long. 

Closer to Agrigento we rode past the more famous and larger white cliff the Scala dei Turchi, or Turkish stairs which are literally giant stairs going down to the sea. It’s a very interesting thing to see but unfortunately also very busy with tourists. The rest of the ride was uneventful. We are staying on the coast in San Leone just south of Agrigento and the Valley of Temples. It’s a nice beachy town where we’ll relax for a few days.  The hosts seem wonderful and very helpful. She even gave me some laundry soap to do my washing. 

Looking back to Caltabellotta on the way down.

Capo Bianco near Eraclea Minoa.

Tara and Scala dei Turchi.

Ancient Caltabellotta stuck up against the mountains and a big solar array below.

This was an epic climbing day, more than the one to Erice which was just a warm up.  Today we rode from almost sea level to the town of Caltabellotta which is about 800m but the total elevation gain was about 1140m, with all our luggage! We had no bags climbing to Erice.  But as George always says, there’s no view without the climb. And a great view it is. 

The town is on the side of a mountain. It’s streets are impossibly narrow and steep. I can’t quite see how it all works for driving. There is barely enough room for one car and yet the streets are not all one-ways. Well, actually they are all one ways but the direction changes with each car! There are only a few sidewalks also and people have to squeeze against the wall to let the cars pass and for cars to go around most corners takes a few adjustments. And of course no one drives an automatic. It makes driving at home seem very boring. 

The B&B is very nice, the host Giuseppe was quite impressed that we rode up here and with the bike. His family also runs the restaurant “MATES”  that is close by.  It stands for Museo Antiche Tradizionale Enogastronomica Sicilia. It is one of those restaurants where there is no menu; they just bring you food until you can eat no more. Fantastico!

Oh yeah, we’re tired.

We climb for the view from our B&B.

I agree the view would be better from there but no…

Another view of the view.

The selfie view.

Hard to describe or capture the driving in this tipped over town.

After the primi but before secondi in MATES

We made a quick exit from Marsala this morning so we could arrive in Selinunte with enough time to walk through the Archeological Park. It was a relatively flat ride so we made good time and were able to check in to our B&B early so that we didn’t have the bike to worry about. 

The ruins here cover quite a large area and there’s just one temple still standing the rest were knocked down by an earthquake in the 10th century. Many of the artifacts found here are on display in a Palermo museum so I guess we are going the wrong direction. But regardless there is much to see and admire here. It is a very picturesque location right on the coast. 

This is also a beachy town with a nice waterfront area. We had our supper looking out to the sea. 

Along the way from Marsala to Selinunte.

Reconstructed temple at Selinunte.

Stoic

Massive chaotic jumbles.

Selinunte selfie.

Ceramic Cinquecento

Compared to yesterday’s ride to Erice today was a walk in the park, all flat and only 40 kms, from Trapani to Marsala via the salt pans. The salt pans are possible where there are shallow areas on the coast, where it is hot and dry and the wind blows to power the windmills. Basically the sea water evaporates and the salt is harvested. The windmills operate water pumps and grind the salt. This industry had been going on for a very long time here as a way to preserve food prior to refrigeration. At one point they were exporting to all of Europe through Trapani, and salt was known as white gold. Not so much now but still some happening. We visited a museum along the way and learned how the premium sea salt we buy at home is produced by this ancient process. 

Then we were off to Marsala where we sampled some dry and sweet Marsala wine before dinner and saw a bit of the town. 

Salt pans on the way to Marsala.

The pans are different colours depending on salt concentration.

Una pausa caffè and a visit to the salt museum.

Windmills were for grinding the salt and powering screw pumps.

Looking back to Erice, the bici, and the salt pans.

This day was reserved for a special climb out of Trapani. It is clearly a well loved route of cyclists if you look at the Strava heat map (an indispensable tool for planning), and of fans of Sicilian pastry, which is basically everyone else. Erice is a hilltop town overlooking Trapani. I would maybe call it a small mountain instead. We climbed 712 meters over about 13 kms, so an average of 6% grade. We didn’t have our bags thankfully or we would still be climbing. The town is a bit of a tourist trap but we felt accomplished with the ride and we earned the pastries from the famous shop of Maria. The road was fairly quiet and full of lovely switchbacks but the Italian drivers can be crazy so you need to aware going around the blind corners. Of course the climb is also rewarded by fabulous views of Trapani and up and down the coast. The Norman castle overlooking everything was almost incidental given the ride and the views. 

The ride up caused some “glowing” on some while others just sweat like a pig.

The Norman castle and the view.

Looking back up to Erice from halfway down.

There are several pieces missing from this photo.