Day 6 - Finish. Bari to Taranto.

As today was the last day, I decided to wear my Innocenti overalls, as they used to do. It was also a lot cooler than wearing the leathers. However, I must admit I felt very vulnerable. It was a short day and started at 11am, but we had to ride to the start again, so we left the hotel at 10am. Today, just a short ride from Bari to Taranto.

As I came up to the start line, I felt the same sense of buzz as I did when we started back in Milan. Even though I didn't do 200km, I had a grin from ear to ear. I was going to complete the Milan to Taranto on my scoot. I felt sorry for Howard as he wasn't able to complete the ride, but he was looking better than yesterday.

We started, and were on our way. Each section was very short. We kept riding past these circular stone houses called Trullo, collective known of Trulli. Apparently very sought after as they are cool in the summer, and warm in the winter.

One town we pulled into, we rode through a Roman arch into the town square, which was paved with extremely slippering limestone pavers. There was a wedding on, and the bride, in a vintage style dress, was getting her photo taken with all the bikes and scoots. She seemed to be lappin it up.

The last stop of the day, we rode down a street and the whole town was out in the heat welcoming us in. When I got to the end, I looked back, and it was a fantastic sight, with an amazing church at the end.

They took our cards for the day, and we had to wait for everyone to come in before we could eat. This is because everyone left together to ride the last 20km's to Taranto. So, a few of us took the opportunity to go for a beer (Had I mentioned how cheap Beer and Wine is in Southern Italy? Beer is the price of Coke, about €2, and wine is about €5 for a reasonable bottle).

Finally, nearly everyone was there and we were allowed to eat. Then suddenly, with no announcement, it was everyone on their bikes, and we were off for the last 20km. There they stopped us. We were to cross the finish line in number order. However, my scoot had decided to throw one more wobbly.... literally.... at me. During the event, I had noticed the handling was not that good, and now it was diabolical when I went around a corner. I looked at the front wheel and it was leaning over. It was just about rideable, and I was determined I was going to finish. I also took this break to introduce Donato to a great British food tradition, the icecream soda!

I had one more, good surprise, for me. The last 500m was a straight line sprint to the finish. Ron and I were on the line, and the flag went and we belted down the sea front in Taranto, going through the chequered flag. Then time to pose for some pictures, and be interviewed by the event for video. Then off to the final night... fortunately in our hotel.

Unfortunately Ron and I didn't place, but we got trophies for competing,as well as distance travelled with Hide-san, from Japan, and the Kiwi, who actually got furthest travelled.

Day 5 - Bugger, Caserta to Bari

Day 5 was Caserta to Bari. It started well. We actually started from right outside the hotel, and had more scarey riding throuh the traffic of Caserta, but once we got into the countryside, things started to calm down. I wasn't happy riding without a spare spark plug, but Adolfo in the support van couldn't find the new ones.

The next checkpoint was Montesarchio, another hill top town. This time one that surrounded what looked like a fantastically well preserved Normal Castle. I got a fairly good Spark Plug from Donato. This was a welcome stop, as it was damn hot again. Drank plenty of water, and stayed in the shade.

We left the check point. Everything was going well, but then the scooter cut out... right infront of a couple of guys standing by the road watching. I Changed the plug and whilst I did that, one of the guys produced 3 more plugs for me. She started up again, but within about 3 km, she stopped once more. I then put in one of the very clean used plugs provided to me by the spectator and that enabled me to get going again. I went long enough that I actually began to think I was going to make it, but fate had a different idea. 2 more plugs later and my scoot wasn't going anywhere. It was either the CDI or the pickup on the stator plate. I had about 60kms to go to the next checkpoint.

Malcolm and Colin, in the LDV picked me up. Just outside just outside Montemilleto we spotted a scooter shop with a whole bunch of, what I thought were Vespas outside, . As the CDI is actually a Vespa unit, we pulled in. They were about to shutdown for Siesta, but I persuaded them to stay open. We unloaded the scoot to try and get another CDI. As it turned out, they were LML's, not Vespas, but the unit is nearly the same. However, they only had some used ones, but no new ones. I decided to risk it.

We actually got the scoot sparking again, and was just re-assembling it when the news came in the Howard Chambers had written off his machine and nearly himself, so they had to leave me....knowing that the main support van was behind us. Later, I had the news that Howard was OK, badly bruised, with a cut above his eye, but still mobile. Apparently a car pulled out in front of him and just crossed the road so he ended up hitting it. My woes, unfortunately were not over. I got the scoot up the road, but it cut out again. It was almost definitely the pickup.

I was collected Adolfo in the team support van, which I found out later, took quite a few phone calls. We were now on the way to the last time point of the day, at Cerignola, via the Autostrada when it came in that Donato had also broken down. We collected him as well and then continued to Cerignola, where it was blisteringly hot and the only relief was the bar which had air conditioning on full blast. Not wanting to completely give up, when I spotted Howard, I checked to see if he was OK. He offered me his spare CDI and we checked to see if it worked. The answer, unfortunately, was no. So it was definitely the pickup.

We drove to the finish about 100km away. To be honest, it was so hot and the roads were awful, and lots of suburban driving through Bari and its outskirts... I'm almost glad I wasn't riding it.

When we got to the hotel, all I wanted to do was unload the scoot. Howard had a spare pickup, and there was a gas powered soldering iron available, but nothing in Italy is easy... especially in southern Italy. We were in a different hotel from the main one, and some people didnt want to go to the main event, Akiko was at the wrong hotel, and I wanted my scoot. Poor Donato was doing all the translating for about 4 simultaneous conversations. How he kept his sanity, I don't know. Eventually, I lost Donato and I asked where he was.... the van was being unloaded. I got my scoot. Took out the tools, lay on the ground and started to dismantle my machine when Donato walked up with Paulo and said "You want the variatronic?", I replied that I did. "OK, Paulo will do it for you". "OK, I'll just dismantle this". "No Paulo will do it for you. You get a shower". "Really?" "Yes, really. He's done 50. Go get a shower"

After the shower, about 8:15pm, I walked down to the carpark. There were 3 scoots being worked on. Donato's was having open heart surgery, and the crank, bearings, seals, barrel and piston were being replaced. Mine was in the process of being reassembled already. I was told to leave them alone and go to dinner.

When I came back at about 11:30pm, the boys were sat outside the hotel with a pile of pizza boxes and beers. Everything was finished. My scooter started wonderfully, better than when it was good before. Donato's was done too, as well as the 3rd one.

Because I started that day, and because I handed in my time card at the end, all I lost was points. I am allowed to start again the next day and, assuming I finish, I will have completed the Milan to Taranto. Unfortunately, in my mind, there is still that missing 200km.

Day 4 - Ferentino to Caserta

"Easy day" today. Only 187km. Ferentino to Caserta. Started with the 20km back to the finish the day before, so it's really 207km. A climb to 570m, down to 200m, and backup to 450m and down to Casino. First, the Ferentino Moto Club saw us off again. We were all packed in this little square back up in the mountain village. The sun was already blazing, so everyone was trying to stand in the shade.

A fantastic view up at Monte Casino, and I was the first family member to be there since my Uncle in WWII. The driving got noticeably worse. There was just no concept of lane control, and this now seems to be the general theme, as well as ignoring he concept of priority from the left on roundabouts. It certainly gets the adrenalin going, as it feels like everyone is out to kill you with their car.

Just outside Casino I broke down. No spark. I changed the plug and still no spark. Our breakdown van arrived and he cleaned the old plug, changed the gap and the machine started again! My replacement plug was useless! I then stepped on it, and tried to make up the lost time, but stuck behind some Germans who took up the whole road and wouldn't get out of the way. T make it worse, they even stopped for a photo, as they entered the control. Consequently, I was 1 minute late leaving the checkpoint. The first penalty point I've gained (It's bad to gain points).

Still, it was the last stop for the day, so as soon as I crossed the line, I turned around and went back for a drink and food. I got a laugh, though. There was an enormous Italy shaped cake, with a line across it, roughly equivalent to the Monte Casino line in WWII and it said "No Germans beyond this point".

Had some great food, and then back on the scoot to Caserta and the hotel.

The Local driving just got worse and worse, as did the roads. Damn glad to get to the hotel. Dinner was in our hotel tonight, and I got us a prime seat right in front of the projector, showing pics from the event.

Dreading rush hour tomorrow morning.

Day 3, Torgiano to Ferentino

The day is posted as Torgiano to Ferentino, getting up to 1000m above sea level, starting from 210m. However, the start was really at San Andrea d'Agliano, a good 10km away, when I hardly had any fuel. Fortunately, I made it!

Amazingly, Howard had sorted his fuel starvation problem, and Mike was riding... all be it with an extremely sore shoulder.

The day started in Mist. Actually very nice, cool inside the leathers. However, it burnt off, but by then we were seriously up in the mountains. The first few stops of the day were in quick succession, with one, Parco Acquarossa, greeting us with two planes just sticking out of the ground.

We travelled through a quite a number of places including Bastardo (Bastard). We climbed to 670m, and the had a gentle trip down to about 400m.

We then rode passed a dam, and then along the edge of a reservoir created by the dam, to be finally confronted by this mountain top village, Castel Di Tora, overlooking the reservoir. Absolutely stunning... and that's where we stopped for lunch, and a nice rest. By this time it was blazingly hot. The leathers were doing OK though, as long as I kept moving.

Then it was back in the saddle again climbing to 1000m above sea level and then finally finishing in another mountain town called Ferentino. Arriving at this town was quite incredible. You rod eup through a modern town, on a big hill, then you went through a medieval gate, and suddenly you were riding through streets that were just wide enough to get a cart through. We then came into a square, where we were met by the Ferentino culture preservation society, and the Ferentino motor club, and a good proportion of the old town. There we got beers, hung around... and hung around... and hung around, to then find we were to be escorted by a local person to our hotels. We elected to use the GPS.

Do you think, after 292km we were finished riding? Absolutely not! We had a 20 minute ride up another mountain to the hotels. Not particular nice one, but it did have a bath, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then dinner, which didn't go on too long like the night before. We got to find out placings, and Ron and I were in equal 3rd place with a few others. Then bed, and easy day the next day... we even potentially got a lie in.

Day 2 - oops, Zola Predosa to Torgiano

Day 2 is Zola Predosa to Torgiano. It started well. I was really lookng forwards to it. 322km of twisties. This is real twisties, getting up to 900m above sea level. Having to use gears, as well as brakes, and getting the line correct. Something we don't have much of in Australia. Fanastic time.

At one point, going up a mountain, we passed Howard Chambers and Mike Webster stopped beside the road. I looked back to see if they needed help. Fidele stopped right in front of me, to help them. I happened to look forwards just in time, as I was about to hit him. Some very quick thinking meant that I swerved, but my legshields caught his rear panel handel and lifted the metal on the side, which then scraped across his panel and then his foot board. My leg also hit his rear rack,causing quite a nasty bruise. All I can say is that Fidele is amazing. I seriously damaged his beautiful scooter, and all he said was "don't worry, you didn't do it on purpose".

Later that day, I was to notice that Mike's scooter had a broken headlamp, that was a bit mangled. Turns out so was the mudguard, and Mike. Seems Mike was overtaking a car on a corner when another car came in the opposite direction... so he slide the scooter. At this point, he was a bit sore, but carried on riding.

We saw many amazing sights. Mountains with villages plonked on the top of them. We even rode through some, and stopped in a few. One of my favourites was this one. You were riding up a mountain, cam around a corner and there was the stop and this tiny village. Whilst it wasn't particularly picturesque, as a village, I loved "Bar Pit Stop", the guy was a real motoring enthusiast.

We got to the last time stop of the day, Brufa. Whilst we were under the tent feeding ourselves, as usual, the heavens opened. This was good as we were, as I said, under the tent. Unfortunately, it didn't stop raining until about 15 minutes after we left. Machines were dropping like flies as old Italian electronics and water do not seem to mix well.

The day finished with us hanging around at the town centre of Torgiano. Very confusing. We had to place our machines near a hotel sign, and I found out that it meant the hotel owner was going to escort us. Suddenly we were off, and following a Fiat Bambini... back where we had come. I had hardly any petrol left at all, so was getting a little concerned about if I'd make it. Finally we pulled into the fantastic Borgo Brufa Spa Hotel.

At 8pm, we were collected by coach and taken to a mountain top castle near by. We got there in time to see a wonderful sunset, and were met by cocktails, we were then escorted into the castle where, once again, the food was wonderful. However, they only stopped feeding us at midnight and we got back to the hotel at 1am... with an 8am start, some distance away, which meant rising at 6am to get breakfast, fuel up and ride to the start. Not enough sleep!

Much discussion went on that night as to what to do about Akiko and Suzanne as they were riding in the LDV, which was the support van for Mike and Howard. There looked like a good chance that Mike would not start the next day, and if Howard broke down there would not be enough room for everyone. Howard had been having Fuel starvation problems during the day, so this eventuality was looking likely, however Howard was back at the hotel trying to fix his machine. Fortunately, during the previous day I had met the Japanese rider, and had introduced Akiko. They were now on our table, and so it was decided that Akiko and Suzanne would now ride in their backup car,this was a great sacrifice for them, as it could travel more than 90kph, and had air conditioning.... both being something the LDV could not do.

Day 1 Idroscalo,Milan to Zola Predosa

The start is at Idroscalo in Milan. Built by Mussolini for Flying boats to land, now just a recreational artificial lake. Ron and I rode there, from Vittorio's, with Mike Webster and Howard Chambers, and met the rest of the team there.

Everything appeared to be very disorganised. The officials seem to expect you to know everything by osmosis, and that is a problem. It's not disorganisation... it's lack of communication. You are very reliant on people who have done this event before, but even they don't seem to know exactly what is going on. E.g., we arrived, we go to scrutineering. Can't get that done because we had no pass, which you get from Registration. We can't ride the sccots to registration, so we park them up along the water front and walk to registration pay the €1090 we owed, which is all inclusive... which it isn't, because we then have to pay another €10 to join the club to cover us on insurance.

Then we can get scrutineered... Do you have a headlight, rear light and a horn? Yes? OK!

Next drop off the bags. Ron and I both have two, as we are both in couples. We can't have two because we are only allowed one as we only have our ID badge. We had been told that the team had the packages for Akiko and Suzanne, to then find out that they didn't, someone else did. So, we got the ID badges, and were then told that it was competitors only that got bags moved for free, so we then had to pay another €25 to have the bags transported. It may seem like a whinge, but the litany goes on.

We went to the Innocenti factory. Not much left now. I couldn't get a pic in front of the main gates, as it was inhabited by Gypsies. We rode around the entire site. The area where Lambrettas were made is now a housing complex. We rode around to the back, and went past the famous water tower and pulled up behind one of the main factory building shells. Only one still has a roof on it. We took some photos, and as we were about to leave Dinato broke down. Meanwhile, a security guard shows up in a car and just watches us continually trying to get the scooter going... which finally turned out to be a plastic bag he had under the seat being sucked in the the intake manifold.

The start was amazing. The build up, not much, but then people started to go. Whilst I'm waiting I discover that the traditional method is bump start... which I practice. This is in the last 15 minutes. People start going. Eventually we are next in line. Howard Chambers and Mike Webster are announced as being Australian and get a huge cheer. Then it's Ron and I, and the announcer corrects what he said before, but the cheer is not as big... but we run, we bump, we start... we go around the corner......... and stop to meet the rest of the Lambretta team. You see.... it's night time. It's best if we all travel together, which we mostly do. One of the amazing things is that locals are out a 3am or 4am, on the side of the road, cheering us on.

We are on our way to Zola Predosa, 347km the way a very drunk crow flys.

Eventually, after the first stop, at Crema, we start to split into smaller groups. There's Howard and Mike on their D's. There is the "fast boys" who run very fast, but have to fill up every 70km, and there's the plodders, such as myself and Ron, who keep going at 70kph, but only fill up every 160km, or so. As it turned out, plodding seems to be quicker than being fast.

There were some amazing sights over the trip. Towns which I wish I had seen in the daylight which had obviously changed little in centuries. However, my favourite was crossing a bridge as daylight was just showing on the horizon, with it reflecting on the water and being behind an ancient arched bridge, which was also reflected. Unfortunately, the light was too poor to take a photo, but it is instilled in my memory. Also driving doing a fantastic boulevard in Parma. Just incredible.

We had a number of stops during the night and morning. Fiorenzuola d'Arda serving Champagne... Ah, Champagne at 3am whilst in a race! Exactly what you need.

It was hard going though. Not because of distance, but because we travel a bit, and then stop and wait for a while before we can go again. This adds so many hours to the trip... it is really that that exhausts you.

Finally, the last section starting at Spilamberto was a twisty bit in the mountains. Pure bliss as it loosened you up after riding in a straight line for so long. So much fun! The scenary was amazing, with fantastic sights, and amazing roads. glad to say that I overtook quite a few motorcycles... who really didn't want to be overtaken by a scooter.

Finally, into our host town for tonight, Zola Predosa, which is just outside Bologna. I was so happy to see the chequered flag. We stopped, we talked, we ate, we drank. Then we got back to the hotel, and THEN I felt tired. I hit the bed about 1pm, after being awake for about 30 hrs, and I crashed. I didn't wake up again until just before 6pm. We then had to get ready for dinner. We got collected by bus and taken to the other hotel, where Dinner was held in a large tent. There maybe 280 competitors, but including organisers, support vans, ambulance, etc, there are about 500 people to cater for.

Dinner finished at about 11pm, and back to the hotel. It may be bed time for me, but I returned to find the fast boys in the middle of rebuilding a very nice Golden Special with a Mugello, variatronic and Ancilotti. Not because there was anything wrong with it, just the owner wanted to go faster. We had to be up again at 6am, for breakfast, 8:24am start and then 322km of twisties! These guys finished, apparently, at 1:30am.

just an update

No real post today, just a quick update.

Woke up at 6:30am and read my book, and promptly fell asleep at 7am, to wake up again at 9am. Something I'm very pleased about as I'm worried about lack of sleep.

Did last minute odds and ends, such as packing up scoot, pairing electronic devices, etc.

Cases get collected at noon.
3pm is scrutineering
Then to the Innocenti factory for photos
Back to Bricks, the local eating establishment for 7:30pm dinner
Then off to the race start to wait for midnight, and then we start in pairs, or threes, so I'll be going about 00:30am.