So my selfish part of the blog is to say that, sadly, I do need surgery. Currently have flight booked for Monday but need Covid tests tomorrow, Tuesday and Friday if it is going to work. Found a concierge service in Rome that gave a prescription for 50 Euros (so American!) and headed back to Rome for test tomorrow!
Ass is much better, thank you for being concerned!
The cycle blog is down to Paul today ( I might have added a few edits!) …Paul has a very dramatic tone!:
With a late start after a long evening, our route out of Rome started along the pretty cycle path next to the meandering Tiber, but we were soon enveloped in traffic along one of the capital’s arterial exits. Thundering trucks were quite terrifying as they passed, forcing us to ride along narrow pavements. More drama followed when we were hit by a lightning storm, finding shelter from the downpour in nearby factory premises (it was a super rainstorm with thunderclaps and everything!). Lunch wasn’t up to the usual standards of Italian cuisine, with stale croissants at what seemed like a working men’s club. We later rerouted to the coast to avoid traffic, and followed a peaceful seafront route alongside dark, volcanic, sandy beaches. Our spirits were quickly deflated when Richard S presented us with the first puncture of our trip. After an embarrassingly long time to fix it, and a misfiring cylinder of CO2 (Paul effed up!), we were eventually on our way. After arriving at our destination near Terracina, Richard W and Paul had a blissful sea swim at dusk – flat calm and a perfect water temperature. Tony prepared a stunning chicken Tetrazzini for dinner, which we washed down with a 2014 Brunello di Montalcino, truly remarkable given he produced it a mano sinistra!
They are way too kind as I had major sous-chef support! The Brunello was excellent and confirms my delight at having found it.
So currently looking like my return will be Monday….Covid has innumerable repercussions but I should be able to have surgery in Stamford on Friday. Italy is great, but when it comes to key joints, no risks is probably a good mantra…and it’s the weekend already, so finding a local surgeon is a huge challenge ….! Jeff Brooks, over to you …..!