Day 4

Day 4

After a magnificent breakfast and yet another chat with about bikes, the gent on the desk having a Harley Fat Bob, we really are everywhere, I set off again.

At this point I had decided that due to the higher than anticipated costs I would cut out my visit to Switzerland until the return journey and cut across Italy, I should have checked the weather report.

 As I set out there was a bit of a breeze and it was a little overcast.

 Hettie on my way out, note how shiny she is

The day began with a gentle cruise along the coast through some lovely little sea side towns, I then headed north on to the motorway and toward the Italian border.

Looking at my notes for the trip from here all I have put in was “hell ride”, a total of 4 hours 33 minutes moving, and 197 miles recorded on TomTom. The rain began as I reached the picturesque border town of Beausoleil, above Monaco.

 Rain and road dirt, Beausoleil

Pulling into the last petrol station before crossing into Italy I had a coffee and waited for a break in the weather to head on.

Beausoleils, view from the petrol station.

Setting off I was soon engulfed in torrential rain and howling gusts. The route through the mountains became a nightmare series of tunnels followed by unprotected bridges, where the wind would grab at Hettie trying to throw us sideways. Added to this were the actions homicidal truckers barrelling up so close behind me that at one point I had to swerve into the outside lane to let an articulated nutter  scream past in the supposed slow lane!

Italian toll roads hold none of the qualities of their French cousins, nowhere near as well maintained and very expensive. Tired, terrified and water logged by early afternoon I had had enough and ordered TomTom to find us a hotel, I now discovered what a treacherous brute he could be. Taking me through 2 toll gates in rapid succession I was lead to what appeared to be an abandoned church at the top of a cliff with a town built down it.

Borgio Verezzi (as I later discovered it was called) could have been the set to a 50’s film, following the incredibly twisty, narrow lane down the hill into the town I discovered a stunning little sea side town.

 The top of the cliff, Borgio Verezzi.

And the view from below

Orange trees in the town centre, Borgio Verezzi.

Hotel Ville Delle Rose, where I was loaned a hosepipe to clean Hettie.

After a wander around town as the rain cleared I returned to the Hotel Ville delle Rose and my wet gear festooned room for an early night, before I turned in though the very kind reception staff allowed me to use a hosepipe to give Hettie a much needed rinse.

 This was only day I was glad my wonderful partner hadn’t come with me, frankly I was scared out of my mind most of the day.