Rest Day and Biking We Can Handle June 20 & 21

June 20 the itinerary called for a loop trip from Alba, about 31 miles with 850 meters of climb, and none of that gradual!

Mary and I opted out, Lou and Denise went out about 5 miles and returned. Mary went shopping and I stayed by the pool, getting my blog up to date and starting to read "The Other Einstein", a Yakima library Big Read. Dinner was at a restaurant 2 blocks away Pignatta's. How did we choose it? It got a rave review on Travelosity from a Yakimanian.

June 21

Another up and at 'em early day to beat the heat. 

Only 21 miles with only 250 meters of climb, mostly all at once. We wended our way out of Alba with Denise and Lou's good directions as this is where they went yesterday.  The city traffic was a bit harrowing. But then the countryside took over.

 Lots of agriculture, wheat, hazelnuts (Alba is where Nutella was first created), and corn on the flat lands,  grapes on the hillsides.

 Under the "flyover" for the freeway.

 And along an irrigation ditch where Lou spotted this otter. He was quite calm despite our intrusion during his breakfast.

 Another gentle bike path, but the hills loom ahead.

 We turned a corner and our major climb of the day took over.  The pitch of the climb reminded me of the top of Madera Canyon, just waaaaay longer.

 And the pay-off:

 We wound through a few hilltop villages

 and in Govone stopped to see the  17th century Castle of Govone. Many marble reliefs adorn this building,  which is now used for municiple offices.

 There are also statuary:

The view from the castle: 

Back on the road:

In Asti there was a square full of booths offering Italian made clothes at rock bottom prices. One even had a table to paw through of various clothing items. Ruth, does this remind you of the Portland Goodwill reject store?