"On the Trail"

The Journals from the Road

Monday July 9, 2001: Onto the Mainland - Catania to San Giovanni then to Nicotera, Italy by bike - 78km

Frank here...

Gabriel came over at 7:00am to drive me up the rest of the east coast to the port city of Messina. My 90 year old uncle Vitale could not understand how we could go in his car with my bicycle until he finally saw us take off the front wheel and all the panniers. My stay in Catania will never be forgotten. It was so nice to meet so many of my relatives. There are a few that were not around so I will have to return some day to meet the rest.

On our drive we stopped at Taormina, which is known for its beautiful cliffs, landscape, sea views and beaches (one of which is accessible by cable car). This town resides on a terrace of Mount Taura and offers views of the Ionian sea to the east and Mount Etna to the west.

When we got to Massina, also known as the Gateway to Silicy, Gabriel helped me reassemble my bike and bought my ticket for the next ferry to Villa San Giovanni, Calabria on the mainland. It was sad to say good-bye to Gabriel. We made a good connection. He feels that there are not many people like me around that understand his attitude about freedom in life. Thanks for your company, conversation and generosity Gabriel. Some day I will reciprocate.

I said goodbye to my roots of Sicilia as the ferry floated past the statue "Madonna di Massina" that guarded the coast and crossed the Strait of Messina to Villa San Giovanni. In very short order I found myself on superstratta 18 (hwy 18) looking over the Golfo di Gioia on the beautiful west coast of the Region of Calabria on the mainland of Italy. From there I was able to see the Peloritan Mountains of Sicily and my journey ahead up the west coast of Calabria. I felt that I was in a new country.

Fortunately and unfortunately, I made an incorrect decision in the town of Bagnarlo. When I got there, I started to climb. I then stopped and asked directions and followed them as best as I could and then I continued to and climb and climb. When it appeared to me that I was heading too far inland, I stopped again. When I looked back and down towards the sea, I saw a good road hugging the coast. I thought, “Darn”, and headed back and found the road along the coast. When I got there I discovered that it was not going to take me up the coast.

As I again asked directions a man noticed my accent and began to talk to me in English. He returned to Italy after living 17 years in New York, so he and his family were fluent in English. They invited me in for lunch and I graciously accepted. I had pannini with salami and tomato and cucumber salad and they gave me a two liter bottle of cold water to go. And, they told me that I was on earlier was the correct road in the first place. Goodness! So, I adjusted my mindset and again started to climb...

And climb and climb – more than 10 km with some parts of grades over 15%. It was quite tough but the people along the way made it more pleasurable. They were very encouraging and friendly. In one discussion they thought that I was a little crazy when I said, "Oh great, only 4 kilometers left to climb!" I also met a couple of racers (Roberto and Antonio) who were very cordial to me and stayed with me until we reached a fountain that supplied fresh water. They strongly encouraged me to take some, so I filled whatever empty room I had in my bottles. They were so nice that after I said to one of them, "I’m sorry that I cannot speak Italian very well", Antonio responded with "No, it is we who should apologize because we should have realized that and adjusted our manner of speaking."

Fortunately, the last 25 km of the ride was flat and fast. I found a campsite at Nicotera where, again, everyone was very courteous and encouraging. I immediately set up my tent, had a shower and then a pizza in their small restaurant. Later I went to watch the children’s body/face painting contest at their disco.

My first day in mainland Italy was a great one.

-Smile and the whole world smiles with you. (author unknown - and if there isn’t one, then I will gladly take the credit)

-Frank Pollari

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