Day 80 - Paravati to Messina, Sat 9th Oct, Phil

72km covered in 3hrs26min
Avg 21kmph, Max 46kmph, Odo 6107km

We boldly throw our two binbags of discarded items in the dumpsters outside the hotel, and enjoy a quick breakfast before setting off considerably lighter down the hill! After a 10km descent, we hit the flat, lined by beautiful ancient olive groves (which somehow only I seem to notice) and after 15km or so begin to climb again. Having grown used to this, we settle in and enjoy the climb, despite the incessant heat and the incredible amount of sweat we all seem to be generating. On reaching the summit of todays climb, some 500m back up again, we find the charming Barbara's breadshop/cafe where we devour half a loaf of delicious olive bread and quench our thirst before setting off down the mountain.

Down, down, down the winding roads....we meet a German speaking couple who have also stopped to check out the view at our first glimpse of Sicilia, Ali is delighted to engage in conversation with them and obligingly takes a couple of happy snaps for them in front of the island. We carry on, and the road becomes a twisting mess of alleys, doubling back on itself, as it snakes its way down the side of the cliff to sea level.... Thank goodness for new brakepads in San Salvo, but nonetheless, my hands are in agony by the time we reach the bottom.

Back around sea level, we wend our way along the coast, when a couple of lycra clad, Cervelo-riding cyclists overtake us up a hill (fine) then slow to a snail's pace to have a chat in front of us (not fine!!). Incensed (it takes a while to get up momentum when fully loaded, and one is never impressed when forced to slow the pace through no fault of their own or the terrain), we all begin to mutter curses under our breath (or me, in my head as I don't really have any breath at the top of a hill), when one of the two drops back and offers to buy us a coffee. We stop a a small bar, and the boys, Dennis and Beppe (so named as none of us are particularly good a remembering names unfortunately), not only buy us coffee but offer to escort us to the ferry crossing in Villa San Giovanni to Messina. This turns out to be a blessing in disguise (or just our usual spirit guides) as the wind has picked up as we round the coast, and I gratefully sit on Dennis' tail, as Hazel races Beppe. I would like to point out at this stage, that Hazel is carrying a much reduced load, in view of her ruined rear rim. Our morning has been interspersed with regular stops to ensure the cracks aren't becoming any bigger, and it seems, on the advice of the man in the Piaggi shop, that our luck and Hazel's wheel are holding out.

We arrive at the ferry terminal, flushed and exuberent from our cycle with the road bikes (always a pleasurable challenge!), to see the ferry about to depart! The boys usher us onto the ferry, assuring us that they'll take care of the tickets. We roll on board with big smiles, and a slight sense of disappointment that we haven't exchanged details with them. On the short crossing, Ali decides this is easily remedied- we'll send a postcard to all the Cervelo stockists in the Reggio region! (As it turns out there's only one, which makes our life considerably easier!).

Following the flow of cars out into Messina, the menacing clouds hold true to their promise and a light rain begins to fall. Our usual penchant for stumbling upon hotels seems not to be in action today, and iPhone is deployed, with a wonderful outcome - we find ourselves in a rooftop terraced apartment, with plenty of rooms for bikes, bags and bodies! A stroll around town leads us (eventually) to a supermarket, Hazel and Ali cook up a lovely Italian style-meal (primo e secondo), and we enjoy both free internet and a small selection of books in English -perfetto!!!