Our final push north motorcycle touring and camping in Italy, sees us arrive at a very unique campsite in Bibbiena.
Bibbiena – Genoa
Bibbiena (distance from previous location – 165km)
Azienda Agricola La Campana d’Oro
After a pretty good hotel breakfast, we set off on our way to the destination we should have arrived at the previous day. Up in the heart of Tuscany we had opted to spend another night camping but we were also aware that the further north we go, the colder it was going to be on the night time. It was also getting harder to find camp sites that were open to tents but as luck would have it, I came across a great website called pitchup.com where I could filter on sites that were open all year round. Sure enough I found a site in Bibbiena called Azienda Agricola La Campana d’Oro and this would be our first time that we turned up unannounced.
On arriving at the campsite, we couldn’t help but notice that we were the only people there. Zsofi went off to do the usual booking in while I kept an eye on the dogs and gear, this had been our usual routine since we set off on our trip. A short time later, Zsofi returned with a big smile on her face and proclaimed “they have a brewery!” we could also pitch wherever we wanted and there was electric hook up on most of the pitches. ‘Brewery you say, well that’s my evening sorted’, cried my inner demon. A Swedish couple arrived just after we got set up and parked their campervan next to us, maybe they thought there was safety in numbers. Along with the Swedes and their 1-year-old daughter, we hit the brewery to sample the local produce. I should clarify at this point that the 1-year-old child did not drink any alcohol and when I say sample, I mean I had a pint of everything, including the chestnut beer, which if I’m being honest, is an acquired taste.
After sampling everything the brewery had to offer, it was time for a stumble back to the tent for what turned out to be, a restless chilly night. The problem with drinking a lot of beer is that you don’t feel the cold, although, if you drink enough, you don’t really feel anything. 4 hours later and the beer along with my suit of invincibility had worn off and I found myself cold, not remembering where I threw my hoody and fighting Molly for my pillow…sleeping bag and generally my legs.
A few hours later, we had breakfast, coffee, packed up camp and were off on our travels again towards Florence. All I can say about Florence is that the narrow streets are fun to drive through but parking is impossible. We stopped for brief moment but were advised to keep moving or we would be fined for not having a permit. If you want to visit Florence, don’t come in your own vehicle! We decided to try and find a café outside the city to decide where were heading next. We found something very simple but the sandwich I had was so good. A tuna and silver skin pickled onion sandwich on dough that was like a cross between garlic bread and Langos. I can’t explain why but it was delicious.
Looking at the map, we realised that we were only a couple of hours away from Genoa and that it was going to rain for the next 4 days. We decided to push on and find some accommodation for a few days to wait the rain out. As we were riding through the beautiful landscape of northern Italy surrounded by towns that were perched on high peaks, Zsofi noticed that our bikes were due a service now. The plan had always been to get this done in Zaragoza in Spain but we hadn’t accounted for the extra miles we had been doing between locations when we off exploring. The next day would be spent trying to find a Triumph Motorcycle Service in Genoa that could fit us in before we headed off in to Monaco.
Genova (distance from previous location – 296km)
Yet another classic Ken find on top of another bloody hill! I literally found this place by absolute fluke, due to the owner standing at the gate waving at me. I was convinced I had missed it and was in the process of turning my bike around to go back down the hill. After retrieving Zsofi from what we later found out was the back gate, we were shown to our apartment. There were quite a few stairs to carry our gear up but what an apartment it was. Spacious, full kitchen, big dining area and secure parking, this was exactly what we needed. Cristina, the owner, was lovely and luckily, she is also a dog person, bonus!
The following day, Zsofi had originally found a Triumph dealer that was 54 km away and we weren’t sure how to commute back and forth for the dogs. Then, at 7 o’clock in the evening, we got a call back from Biemme Moto a Triumph dealer in Genoa who was only 6 mins away. what a stroke of luck, we could leave the bikes and explore the city before going back to check on the dogs. Amazingly, the good luck didn’t stop there, just as we put our waterproofs on for the ride, the rain stopped and the roads were not that busy on the way either. We were there in no time at all and after leaving our bikes, headed down the road to formulate a plan for the day while we waited for the guys at Triumph to do their thing.
We decided to see if we could catch the bus in to the centre but we didn’t know where to buy the tickets. As a bus approached, Zsofi decided to jump on and ask the driver where we could buy bus tickets. The driver didn’t really know but a lady standing on the bus offered us 2 tickets, what a lovely gesture! On the way to Genoa centre, we chatted with the kind lady and showed her pictures of our bikes and dogs who also gave us tips on where to get off and what to see. 10 mins later, we said our goodbyes and found ourselves at the main fountain in the Genoa town square. We wondered around the narrow alleyways and took a few pictures before finding a café near the port. This is where I was introduced to something that sounded so wrong but tasted so right!
We were looking for something simple to munch on, nothing too filling and we spotted panini sandwiches with ham and mozzarella in the window of a cafe. As well as the sandwiches, there was also Focaccia, a kind of flat bread that is sometimes flavoured with things like cheese and onion. Zsofi asked if it was flavoured and then came my favourite quote of the day, the girl responded “yes it’s flavour is bread”! We asked how do the Italians eat it and she told us they eat it like a snack or dip it in their cappuccino. Bread dunked in coffee! That is just not right but I thought, ‘well when in ….. etc’. We started with one focaccia, which somehow turned into two and I was hooked. It’s hard to describe, it doesn’t feel like wet bread, more a cross between cookies and pizza base (I know that description doesn’t sell it well either, just go with it).
Not long after leaving the café, around 11:30am, we get a call from Triumph to tell us our bikes are ready. The day just kept getting better because now we didn’t have to leave the dogs on their own all day. As soon as we got on the bus, the heavens opened and the rain poured down. Luckily, as an Englishman, I was armed with my umbrella and it was only a short walk from the bus stop to the Triumph dealership.
The guys had done a great job, not only did they give us a bit of discount, they also took photos for us during the service for us to use later on our blog, something we never even asked them to do. Such a great team of guys, super friendly and very professional work. The bikes have held up well during our trip, especially Zsofi’s, who didn’t need anything doing to hers except a bit of air in the tires and oil on the chain. Mine on the other hand, needed new back brake pads and one of my spokes had broken, which luckily enough, they had a spare one of in the garage. Now sporting a couple of new Triumph stickers on our front mud guards, we put our waterproofs on, jumped on our bikes and the rain stopped.
Considering we were facing 3 days of torrential rain and thunderstorms; we have been lucky enough to escape the bad weather for now and even managed to get our bikes serviced at short notice, just in time for our ride towards France and Spain. I hope our luck continues to hold out as we continue on our life adventure with our weird furry family on bikes.
