If you would like to see details about our journey, check out our itinerary and our bike route.
So, yes, we are in Italy during a heat wave. We started this morning in the mid-80s, really pretty comfortable, on an easy, slow climb along a country road with little traffic. About an hour later, it was in the mid-90s and we stopped for cold drinks at a roadside bar (bars are more like little cafes, usually with caffe, cold drinks, snacks, and pastries). Then we started climbing, covering about 1000 feet in the next 4 miles. Normally that would be challenging, but in the heat it was really tough. The last mile was steep, with little shade, and I walked a few stretches.Finally over the top, we were catching a little bit of a breeze and coasting the last 3 miles before a short climb into Orte, when we glimpsed a view of the city below us and a little picnic area with shade and tables. I stopped to get a picture, and immediately sat down on the ground--dizzy and wobbly. We recognized the symptoms of heat exhaustion. I drank all the water we had left (not much), and felt a little better but not well enough to get back on the bike. The bar across the road was closed, but a woman was setting up for opening, and she filled my bottle with cold water. After sharing the entire 20 ounces, we loaded back up and continued on to Orte.
Orte was a little larger than Sacrofano, but a similar medieval town built on a hilltop of rough limestone called tufa. We arrived around 14:00 and found a little trattoria where we ordered cold drinks, fresh peas with bacon, and a large salad. Perfetto.
Our host, Barbara, met us at the door to our B&B, helped us store our bikes in a ground-floor room, and then led us up four floors to our room--a very basic but spacious camera with a lovely bathroom and a fan. We soon discovered that there was no hot water in the shower, but we really didn't care because the water felt so good. Lying on the bed with a fan pointed at us also felt good.
Eventually, we were hungry, and we got up and headed out to find dinner. A Google search pointed us to Ristorante Roberteschi, which was supposed to open at 19:00 and was off the main piazza on a quieter street. A sign on the door said they would open at 19:30, so we explored the piazza and checked out a few other trattorie--all of which opened at 19:30 or 20:00. Back at Roberteschi about 19:30, the owner welcomed us inside the courtyard. Starving, we ordered an antipasto tray for two, plus a primo (first course) of pasta and langostinos. The food was incredible. We were not able to finish the antipasto, and ate only a few bites of the pasta.
Very happily fed, very tired, we slept well.
 |
| Entering Orte alongside the old Roman aqueduct. |
 |
| Our B&B was on a quite little lane inside the walled town. |
 |
| Just a little antipasto tray. |
