14- Grand bicycle tour in Italy from 2011 (Appennino Tosco Emiliano)

The weather remains unstable but the views are quite attractive.

I am going down to Busana and the rain will annoy me a bit. I Busana I wait a few hours for the rain to stop.

Then a cycle for a while on SS63 and then I turn right on SP15, a secondary road that will keep me climbing a lot, again. I will spend the night at Vairo, a little village.

Day 12) Vairo - La Spezia - Pontevenere Today the weather is still nasty and I will climb another BIG on SP68, I am in Appennino Tosco Emiliano range.

The rain sets in and I am cycling in the rain climbing passo di Lagastrello and then passo del Cirone, 2 BIGs, I will take no photos for a few hours because of the nasty weather. After Cirone I descend on SP42 and the rain will stop soon.

It's time to descend on SS62 going to La Spezia towards the Mediteraneean Sea. Near Aulla I encounter a lavish castle.

Finally I reach La Spezia, an important town.

Here I can notice a statue of Garibaldi.

In the harbour I discover plenty of palm trees.

Now I am heading for Portovenere, taking in marvelous vistas.

All my life I have been dreaming to reach Cinque Terre.

Porto Venere; until 1991 is a town and comune (municipality) located on the Ligurian coast of Italy in the province of La Spezia. It comprises the three villages of Fezzano, Le Grazie and Porto Venere, and the three islands of Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto. In 1997 Porto Venere and the villages of Cinque Terre were designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The ancient Portus Veneris is believed to date back to at least the middle of the 1st century BC. It has been said that the name refers to a temple to the goddess Venus which was sited on the promontory where the church of Peter the Apostle now stands. The name has also been linked to that of the hermit Saint Venerius. In Roman times the city was essentially a fishing community.

13- Grand bicycle tour in Italy from 2011 (Appennino Pistoiese)

Day 10) Cutigliano - Abetone - San Pelegrino - Castelnuovo di Garfagnana Today I will have a nice climb towards Abetone which is a BIG climb. I enjoy nice scenery.

After one hour of cycling I get to Abetone which is a nice resort.

I carry on cycling on SS12 till Passo delle Radici where I turn left towards a new BIG.

The weather breaks, it will start raining soon and I will be descending towards Castelnuovo di Garfagnana on SP71 road.

In the distance I can see some villages.

Finally I reach Castelnuovo all soaked and I go to visit it. It looks like a forteress.

It seems to be a small medieval town with strong fortifications.

It will rain all the day and night and so I will take refuge, sleeping in a small tunnel where the rain can not touch me.

Day 11) Castelnuovo - Busana - Vairo In the morning I have to wait a few hours beacause it's still raining. Finally I leave this walled interesting town.

I will take a secondary road towards a new BIG. In the distance I can see nice villages.

All of a sudden I see a bird and I will catch it to play with it a little then I will set it free.

On my way I meet a nice lake with some wild ducks.

After climbing a bit on SP12 road I finally get to a new BIG, passo de Pradarena

12- Grand bicycle tour in Italy from 2011 (Appennino Pistoiese)

I have to cope with a health problem. My back is all sore because a few days before I cycled without t-shirt.

After Borgo a Mozzano I come across Ponte del Diavolo.

This ancient bridge dates back to 12th century and I climb it on foot because it's too steep.

From this bridge I can behold some nice views.

Throughout Italy even in the small villages the heroes and the preeminent persons are well commemorated.

Soon I will leave behind Serchio River and the SS12 road will follow a small stream called Lima which is a feeder of Serchio.

The scenery is quite wild.

I am cycling in the Appennino Pistoiese range.

I will spend the night near Bagni di Lucca. Day 9) Bagni di Lucca - Cutigliano I pass through interesting villages.

At village La Lima I can admire a great church.

Here I have to turn left and I will start climbing till Cutigliano.

This quite a tourist village. I am impressed by its houses and streets.

The townhall is amazing featuring plenty of stunning bas-reliefs.

Here I will linger a few minutes to admire this building.

Today I decide to remain in the area and enjoy this rustic village and have a nice hiking in the forest.

I encounter plenty of interesting monuments. I will spend the night in this village.