Tuesday, 20 June 2023
Alex writes: After three days packed with hard climbing, today was relatively flat, giving us some time to recover in preparation for challenges ahead. We left the hotel early, continuing along the shore of Lake Maggiore, pausing for breakfast on the road.
The route today was all about avoiding Milan, and after the Lake we cut inland towards Malpensa airport and then started taking advantage of a network of canal-side cycle paths. These were wide and smooth and afforded plenty to see, from elderly gents in immaculate white lycra, to young pros being berated by a trainer waving his stop watch, to a young couple canoodling.
The good progress meant we arrived in Pavia with plenty of time to relax before supper. We are now back on the official Via Francigena route and Glyn got our pilgrim passports stamped before heading out to find an Italian barber; he now looks like one of the scarier monks from The name of the rose.
Word of the day: nipple
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