Here are a few photos from our first week!
Dom and his boxed bike in Bristol Airport
Phil, Maria & Miriam in Vincenzo & Stefania's house
Dom, Phil, Maria & Miriam in St. Peter's Square
Nice view
Cave where St. Francis prayed
Dom
Giuseppe and Phil
Campsite in Francavilla
Leaving Pescara on the train
Tan lines
Hello Kitty icecream!
Also worth mentioning are Davida and Mike. Davida we met just after a massive hill climb on the way to Francavilla-al-Mare. While we weren’t sure quite what he was talking about, we followed him after he beckoned us and it turned out he wanted to buy us lunch – a pizza and Coke each – before leading us out of the town in the direction of Francavilla! What a nice man he turned out to be. Mike, a German we met here in the port of Ancona, has been travelling from the north of Germany for 13 months. His travels included getting beaten up and stabbed as some Albanians tried to steal his German working papers, and then two weeks ago his bicycle was crushed by a forklift truck, so now he finds himself living in a homeless shelter in Ancona, eastern Italy, but amazingly, he seems in good spirits! Sadly, the most we could do for him was share our food. I think he could definitely do with prayers.
So far on the trip, we’ve cycled 191.4 miles since leaving St. Peter’s Square, Vatican, and achieved a top speed of 30.6mph. (That was the speed at which Phil’s trailer started swinging violently from side to side, at least a ruler – 30cm – each way.) And finally, top mileage for one day so far was 69.83mi on Sat 11th July. All three records I’m sure we’ll beat in future!
Next update – who knows, hopefully fairly soon!
God bless, Dom
sounds like you’s are having a very interesting time – you are going to come back even more stick like having cycled up all those hills!!
Hope everything continues to go well
Guys – it’s SO GREAT to hear from you!!! We are thinking of you a lot and really miss you Dom! It’s great to hear about all the crazy people you’re meeting along the way
) Lots and lots of love and God bless from Balham!!
)
you missed a fun day out at Bright Lights yesterday
Great to hear you guys are alive and well one week in and having such adventures! With prayers as you continue your travels,
Now that’s what I call a tidy boxed bike!
Phil, Lizzie was wondering why you didn’t give her any of your ice cream !
WOW guys, just wow. that sounds pretty epic, keep up the good cycling, the two of you will be so damn fit when you get to Walsingham. hope you are eating well and drinking lots of Water : ) dont let your trailers get the better of you, poor old Mike, well with good spirits and a few prayers he’ll be fine im sure.
Im eagerly awaiting the next entry.
well all the best till then
lots of love
The other Dom
(Steve the pirate)
Guys, its so great to hear news of your adventure! It sounds tough, all those hills… but as you say, God has been good to you in giving you friendly faces along the way. Keep up the beards and tans – we can compare (tans – not beards) when I see you both next.
Sending you prayers from Rome.
Miriam xx
Dom & Phil
Great work so far – all incredibly impressive, especially the 69miles in a day.
You are both in my prayers
James