Rome: we made it...and in one piece!

First, I'm pleased to tell you the brakes were much better today. No howls of protest from the front end, which is just as well because there was a fair bit of moderately steep descending in the wet.

All good things come to an end as they say and it’s especially satisfying to make it to the finish in one piece, given my past history!! Of course, after such a good run of weather, we had to have some more rain for the last day. At least it wasn’t too cold. Everybody rugged up with layers and rain gear and headed out for the last 48km from Spoleto to Narni on the outskirts of Rome. Ride and Seek had decided it would be safer to transport everybody for the last little bit and it was a wise choice. Traffic and narrow wet roads are not a good mix for cyclists.

Narni is an interesting little town situated on an old Roman road, the via Flaminia. It still has quite a lot of Roman buildings and antiquities including a grand Roman era entrance gate to the city where I stopped for the symbolic end of ride photo with Richie. Then it was straight to the designated restaurant for a hot chocolate (two actually) and a cafe corretto samba whilst we waited for the others to come arrive. Suitably warmed up on the inside it was time to venture outside to look around. Sadly, the poor weather and cold were not conducive to more than a few minutes wandering around, in cycling shoes on slippery, uneven cobbles, trying to get some photos.

On arrival at the gates of Narni

More evidence that the Romans were here once

Guglielmo Marconi too!

Not so secret front entrance to the Italian Socialist Party

Made it!

So did Dave and Linda from Sydney

Bikes ready for loading on the van at the end of the ride

Eventually we all regrouped and packe up the van, got on the bus and headed for the Donna Camilla Savelli Hotel in Trastevere, just a stones throw from the Tiber. Cheers and beers all around before packing the bike back into its case ready for the trip home.

A fantastic trip which ticked a couple of high profile items off the bucket list namely, the Col du Tourmalet and the Mont Ventoux, which I had long dreamed of being able to ride one day with Robbie. Those big name climbs do not diminish in any way the satisfaction of all those other magnificent mountains in the Pyrenees and French Alps. We battled rain and strong winds during a memorable day on the Col d’angel as we made our way into Italy. I’m very satisfied to have done those whilst carrying my camera and backpack all the way from Barcelona. A bit of extra weight but, hey, the pictures are worth it. No flat tyres, no injuries. Gotta be happy with that!

So now that it will all come to an end tomorrow morning I would just like to add that it has been a wonderful event: something I would encourage every keen cyclist to consider. Ride and Seek is a very well organised cycle touring company. Their guides were all amazing people, hard working, never complaining and always ready to do anything to solve a problem. They each deserve a special thanks. Mark, Jess, Fede and Bepe thanks to each of you for all your help along the way. In each stage of the Hannibal tour Dylan and his colleagues have put together a great event: spectacular and challenging cycling, beautiful accommodation and fabulous food and, of course you get to share it with some wonderful like-minded people. I loved every minute of it.