Perhaps I should start giving names to some of my rides? I called my ride today the "Escape from Bureaucracy".
Background: Before coming to Italy, if you are a citizen from a non-EU country, you must obtain a visa. Upon arrival in Italy you then must obtain a "permesso di soggiorno" (permit to stay). The latter is the defining document for permission to remain in Italy. Mine has been expired from August, 2006; nine months now. Due to one bureaucratic bungling after another it still has not been renewed. Today I learned it might not be for yet another 30 days before "they" even know where the renewal application is.
I just had to blow out of town on a long ride. And what a great ride it turned out to be. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera!
After taking the Pissarotta (see other blog entry) to Rovere, making a detour to Rovere 1000, taking a road that deadended in Porcara, I found my way to south on the parallel road to Montorio. I took the cutoff for Magrano which took me onto a wonderful road past Magrano, Moruri, Castagne before finally returning to Montorio. From Montorio it's a few KMs to Verona.
It had rained yesterday, everything looked so incredibly green today. And these small villages in the hills are beautiful. Stopped two times for espresso and brioche (the days of Gatorade, Powerbars, and all that stuff are OVER), and at mountainside spigots for cold water.
It was a very enjoyable 5 hour ride.
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Dear Expat Dad,
ReplyDeleteThank goodness you have cycling as an outlet to release frustration over the Italian administration! Escape the bureaucracy and see the sites.
To anyone reading this comment, I must commend my father (and my mother) for uprouting themselves in their early retirement years and moving to Italy. A beautiful country it is, however, living there has proven to have some stressors for my tolerant and adventurous parents. When I visit them, I too begin thinking of moving to Verona, or somewhere close by. I wonder if I could deal with the bureaucracy, or if it would make me take up cycling ;-)
Dad, next time remember your camera, always cycle with it! I need more pictures.
Your loving and devoted daughter.