Day 27: Alia to Misilmeri

70 km (44 miles) – Total so far: 1,775 km (1,103 miles)

“The way it is long but the end is near, Already the fiesta has begun.” *

It’s not the first time I’ve noticed how much returning to sea level affects me. And I’m not even there yet.

Logically, the increase of humidity, traffic, density of population, stress of population, affect, but it is deeper than that and hence – supera, superiora, sequi. After my experience along the beaches of the boot I changed my Sicilian plans; originally they had been to travel down the east coast and along the south coast for 5 days before hearing to Palermo. I needed the hills though, and everything they brought.

One improvement I can make with plans for future courses is to finish in the mountains. Palermo though is a big improvement on Calais, Malaga, Bastia, Wick and Invercargill.

The day was much longer than I had expected it to be, although I am left with very little for the final day tomorrow. The roads were quiet in the morning, perhaps because yesterday was a big holiday party day in Sicily and many people went on all night. Twice there were big descents to 300 metres asl, and twice up to 600 asl again. For the first time I had the wind in my face, and a reasonable strength. That dropped approaching the final valley into Palermo, which I am now in, and the heat and humidity grew. It was 37 C when I arrived at a rather forlorn one star Hotel that has certainly seen better days. The landlady is very welcoming though (in the appropriate sense) and encouragingly the air-conditioning is making a noise, although I doubt it’s doing any cooling.

Distance 70.1 km, Max Speed 57.0 km/hr, Moving average 15.8 km/hr, Moving time 4hrs 28 mins, Elevation gained 693 metres, Elevation at Misilmeri 194 metres. Left Alia at 10:00 hrs, arrived Misilmeri at 15:30 hrs.

* is from “Romance in Durango” by Bob Dylan.