20km, a few small hills, lots of fields, and plenty of mud in the latter part of the trail. 5.5 hours, with breaks, and sticky mud.
12-16deg, mild breeze.
Highlights – the big sky, and the colours of Ordona.
After dropping by the supermarket we head out of town. Initially on bitumen along a very quiet road, the town disappears from sight quickly. Past fields and more ruins, after our first rest, the road changes from bitumen to gravel, with a few puddles.
The trees and weeds by the roadside have fine filaments of spider webs, and many other filaments flutter in the breeze across the road. We see some as the light shines on them – we see most trailing off each other.
There is a long section along a road by the freeway, with the occasional car or truck, but plenty of room to move off the road. It is after we turn off that road, and onto some agricultural roads/paths that we hit the mud. It is sticky, clinging to our boots, and slows us down. When you step back onto gravel, the sticky mud picks up the loose stones – our boots are weighed down by mud and stones. We try cleaning them off in puddles, but each time there is more mud ahead, especially when we reach the newly planted fields of spinach.
During the last stretch towards the town we think we are free of it, but more awaits us.
While not as scenic as the previous day out of Troia, and there are some sections with traffic noise, it is overall very peaceful. Most of the day we are accompanied by the sound of the birds (starlings) over the fields. The familiar sound of olive harvesting is present before we arrive at the freeway; in another field the olive trees look in decline.
Stay in Ordona. Winter has arrived.
The forecast for the following day is very cold, persistent rain and strong winds, with a thunderstorm.
We settle for another day in the very cosy BnB. We have layers for cold, but cold and wet with strong cold winds is another matter.
In the end, the day-long rain doesn’t eventuate but the cold and severe wind keeps us hunkered down for most of the day, and the thunderstorm appears in the early evening.
We do venture out a few times for a wander around the small town. We even briefly thought about a visit to the archeological zone (a couple of kms outside the town) but a few minutes outside put that foolhardy idea to rest.
When I head to the supermarket for some cornflakes, it is 8deg; a couple of hours later, when we go for a walk around the town, it is 7deg – one of those days when it starts cold and just keeps getting colder.
There are a few people in their cars, but, apart from school pick-up, very few out on the streets. A couple of dog walkers, and a few people on their way to the butchers, or supermarket.
There is a man with his truck, circling the town and calling out the products he has to sell.
Through the middle of the town there is a pedestrian area, that to me feels like I am on the set of a western. While the wind blows a couple of pieces of rubbish, and someone’s doormat, down the deserted street, I almost expect to see tumbleweed.
Stay – La casa di nonna Lina – a beautiful little apartment, with a washing machine, and an official stamp. Recommended in the guidebook.
Eat – We had dinner at the very large, seafood restaurant, Sapori di Sicilia. Otherwise, snacks, fruit and panini made up from the supermarket.
It remains cold the next couple of days, but dry.
The knee issue that stopped us, and then has kept us going slowly, now appears to have resolved – hoping we can really push forward through Puglia. Let’s see what the weather has in store.
A domani.
Richo and DC 