20 May 2019: Orbetello to Civitavecchia: Mileage: (60/348)

Christopher booked an 8:00 am train to Sienna, so we set alarms for 6:45, packed, and rode together the 2.5 miles to the train station. He’s been an excellent touring companion and will be missed as I cycle south towards Rome’s Termini Airport.

I targeted Civitavecchia, about 55 miles south according to maps.me. The maps.me routing has generally been excellent, over good but less traveled roads and lanes, but I got a surprise today. The Italians have located a number of major industrial facilities along the sea coast. As I was riding into a headwind or side wind most of the day, the lanes with wind breaks were welcome. Then I was routed suspiciously into a large farm yard. A single-lane gravel track exited, at first adjacent to the rail line. Rather than taking a major highway with a great surface, and lots of traffic heading for the Autostrada, it devolved into about 5 miles of single-track gravel and dirt road, generally the portion between the edge of a field and the fence where tractors and pick-ups drive. As I was about to enter, an old farmer drove up, I asked if it went through, and he nodded yes. I forded one stream, about 5 inches deep, numerous mud puddles, and muddy sections. Again, it’s been a wet Spring in Italy. I used one water bottle to wash out my brake calipers and rims, encountered more miles of dirt, then stopped at a roadside service station where a kind attendant took pity and hosed off my front and back wheels with a pressure washer.

I selected a Bed & Breakfast in Civitavecchia, cycled to it using maps.me, thinking the availability of lodging on a Monday following a rain-filled weekend should be good. Fully booked at the first stop, but the owner found another B & B, available at 5 pm. So, with 2.5 hours to kill, I visited the port, historic fort, ferry terminal, waterfront. And downtown Civitavecchia. The Thyrrean Sea is a beautiful blue color.

Civitavecchia’s a bit grimy in places. The entry from the north passes huge industrial facilities, power station, refineries, tank farms, warehouses, and industrial docks. It remined me of entering Salt Lake City from the north on Beck Street. Civitavecchia is supposed to be a major Etruscan site, so I need to do some web research.

I’ve checked into my B & B before 5 pm, found that I have only 25 miles to go to my 22 May lodging, so I will stay in Civitavecchia for two nights. I washed more clothes since I have a longer time to get them dry. I’ll try to sleep in and then explore the area without the trailer tomorrow.

Oddly, none of my standard 2-prong European converter plugs work in this recently remodeled apartment. I subsequently found that I have two different 2-prong plugs, but the posts on one are slightly larger than the other. My B & B has two units, mine with a double bed, the other a family unit with regular and bunk beds, and a shared bath and large kitchen & living room. No breakfast, (the owner works 8-5 and lives in a nearby building, so no breakfast but at only 35 euros/night, it's a good find. Generally, a cappuccino and pastry are easy to find and about 3 euros. Try to find that at Starbucks or your local coffee shop.

Our Orbetello B & B

Dog of the Day. Large and calm, as I watched a dog fight near the harbor fort.

The excellent maps.me route leaving Orbetello, generally paralleling the rail line south towards Rome.

Looking at the Thyrrean Sea from the heights south of Orbetello.

Generally, this type of road was 85% of my route, except the paved surface was seldom this uniform.

Wheat and Hot-house Veggies. The typical crops here are wheat, occasionally barley, olive trees, grape orchards, and numerous plantings covered with white plastic.

Thinking of My SLO Friends and their Wildflower Century Bike Ride. Similar to California's super bloom this Spring.

Fording by Bike Friday. About 5 inches or more deep, I could see gravel on the bottom and chose to ride through. Only one foot got soaked on the down stroke—I had to keep peddaling. I checked my trailer for water. With 12-inch tires, the bottom is perhaps 3 inches above the surface, but the contents seemed to be dry.

As good as it got in the 5-mile gravel/dirt/mud stretch.

I tried to pass on the right of the photo, but it was a bit too narrow for the trailer.

I passed crates of picked asparagus on my dirt ride through the fields. Upon arrival in Montalto di Castro, workmen were dismantling tents and barricades, and picking up the scarecrow displays from the Friday-Sunday festival.

Montalto di Castro Hilltop Castle/Manor House, keep, gate house and living quarters for the help of various classes.

Opposite the Manor House.

Gate House

Castle Basilica. They also had a smaller chapel.

Nice way to mark one's door.

Four More Dogs of the Day.

Asparagus Festival Princess.

One Lunch Option

My Choice. I thought I'd try something different, including the brand of beer.

Cruise ships docked in Civitavecchiai's harbor.

Civitavecchia's Fort Michelangelo is actually one of the most important military architectonical structures of the coastline of Lazio. The massive Forte Michelangelo was first commissioned from Donato Bramante by Pope Julius II, to defend the port of Rome. The upper part of the "maschio" tower, however, was designed by Michelangelo, whose name is generally applied to the fortress.

FORT MICHELANGELO - THE STRUCTURE
The complex of Fort Michelangelo expands over a vast Roman building from Imperial age. The plant is quadrilater shaped plant, protected in the corners by four cylindrical towers and by the octagonal maschio that looks out to the port. On the East tower you can admire the symbol belonging to the coat of arms of Pope Julius II: an oak tree. The coat of arms indicates where the Pope blessed and cast the first stone on 14th December 1508.

The four towers, called St. Paul (South-East), St. Peter (South-West), St. Romolus (North-West) and St. Julius (North-East) are respectively also known as San Colombano, Santa Ferma, San Sebastiano and San Giovanni. Close to the old entry, between the Maschio and the West Tower, you can still see the bronze pulley that was used to pull down and up the bridge and you can also read the inscription over the jambs: "drop the arms".