Rose Pedals . . .: A Lakeside Ride

Sunday, May 1, 2016
Assisi to Piegaro, with loop to Lago Trasimeno
52 miles, 2,710 feet of climbing

Well, we got lucky with the weather again. By all reports, it was supposed to rain this morning, but it was clear and dry when we headed off for our ride to Piegaro. We had two routes to choose from today; one was more of a direct route to Piegaro, and the other added a loop to a lake - Lago Trasimeno - which added about 10 miles to the short route (not including the two wrong turns we took). It turned out to be a beautiful sunny and cool day, so we decided to do the longer route. The route was made up of mainly rolling terrain with a couple of long, steep climbs that really challenged the legs. The loop to the lake was definitely worth it. Riding along the lake was spectacular, and the traffic was light. We actually saw a horse-drawn buggy coming down the road. We arrived in Piegro just after 2 p.m. Our hotel in Piegaro was quite exquisite and unique. It reminded me of an old castle - beautiful stone and brick archways and ceilings. There may have been a dungeon somewhere. The furnishings had a Renaissance theme. And very much like the Renaissance times, the hotel had no internet access, which is why my blog posts are behind. At 5:30, we gathered for a cooking demonstration by the hotel's chef, Salvatore. Chef Salvatore showed us how to make several different types of pasta - tagliatelle, ravioli, gnocchi and tortilini. He was amazing. We had dinner as a group at the hotel's restaurant, cooked by Salvatore, and it was delicious. With there being no internet access, we made it an early night for sleep. Tomorrow we head to Sorano. We'll be checking the weather the old fashioned way - by looking outside. 😊