16 May 2019: Spello to Todi (Mileage: (38/170)

Close to our actual route. We diverted to a sports store, but not far from this route.

Finally, the typically beautiful Spring weather we and the locals expect—mid-50s(F) at the start and upper 60s by mid afternoon. We had a lovely but limited conversation with the Italian woman at our Spello lodging. No English on her part, but we coped. On arrival, the internet did not work. I ended up providing tech support by unplugging her modem and restarting. In the morning, I went down to take her photo and found she was an artist with a studio full of paintings, complete with a white studio cat.

Rather than take the Ciclismo Classico route, because they had a stop to watch paper being made, we followed the maps.me route back toward Assisi, then southwest to Todi. We had a short climb out of Spello, then a long descent. The early route was through rural fields, small villages, and often paralleling the E45 expressway (Autostrada toll road).

Their description on cycling to Todi was: Slow and steady on the climb. They good advice, but they were not carrying their gear. We were dragging a 40# load (gear and trailer) up an 18% grade for  x miles. We both stopped multiple times, me, 3X, and not sure about Christopher.

We arrived at the eastern entrance, but maps.me routed us around Todi for another 1.5 miles. More steep ups and downs. Perhaps we should have put it into the Walk mode and gone on the direct route. However, we did get a good tour of Todi. Once at the top, we spotted a funicular that connected the car park at the base to the upper town. That would have been much easier than grinding up that 18-percent grade.

Once we arrived at our hotel, Hotel Flora, the owner said he had many touring cyclists reserve rooms on booking.com and not arrive. Seems they did not make it up the climb. Our bikes are safely stored in the reception bagno (restroom), and our host says that the two best restaurants are 50 meters one way and 100 meters the other way. We are both tired.

Spello Departure Street

Spello Street Display

 Spello

Dog's of the Day. Their owner dropped into a pizzeria, had a shot of limoncello, talked to us a bit, and left.

Residence La Terrazza

Residence La Terrazza Host and Residence Artist

Residence La Terrazza Cat

Departing Spello

Just dropping his daughter off for school. not Christopher, the owner of the Fiat.

Unsure what this was.

Roadside Olive Trees and Grapes

Monica. You are looking at 2.20 euros. Try to get that at an American coffee shop. Monica was tending bar, taking care of an invalid mother and disabled brother, and decided to adopt Christopher. She worked hard to find a source of rain pants for Christopher.

Brotherhood of the Pants? Christopher finally finds some rain pants, repurposed soccer wear and the Little Outlet.

Routa Traffic Circle. The entire town was devoted to the manufacture of pottery, Often painted, and terra cotta objects. 

The gallery was open and the artist was in residence. He proudly displayed his coverage in the Lonely Planet guide.

Another pottery store in Routa.

Routa Terra Cotta. 

We see these signs warning of snow and rain. Our greatest worry is the areas of rough roads.

Todi

Christopher Starts the Climb to Todi. 450 meters, or 1500 feet up, a steady 185 all the way, for a little over 1.5 miles. Killer when dragging 40#.

One Todi Entrance. Ideally, we should have just gone in this gate, but we followed the maps.me route, observing the one-way street pattern. I think the 1.5 miles weaving through the city would have been easier if we had just entered here.

Todi. Part of the original city wall.

Todi

 Todi Funicular. Would have been much easier than riding up.

past.

Dog of the Day. This one barked at anyone who walked 

Odd mix of Roman and Gothic elements, Clearly they ran out of funds and architects changed over time.

Purchased in Spello, I tossed this in my trailer and hauled it up to Todi. Really good.

I accidentally ordered a vegetarian pizza. Really good. None of the items are pre-cooked so they still have a bit of bite to them. Mushroom, eggplant, onion, zucchini, light on the tomato sauce and some cheese.

This American artist is behind the steel columns in Todi. From Wikipedia: 

Beverly Pepper (born December 20, 1922) is an American sculptor known for her monumental works, site specific and land art. She remains independent from any particular art movement.^[1] She was married to the writer Curtis Bill Pepper for 65 years and has lived in Italy, primarily in Todi, since the 1950s.