Day 5 - The Riviera - French and Italian

As the sun rose and Cannes and the air became warmer - we knew we were in for an awesome day. The sky was blue and there was not a cloud in the sky - we made out way to breakfast on the fifth floor which gave us a beautiful view of Cannes. We were impressed by the aritechture of the building along with the efficient space utilization - the run off from the plants on the top flor dripped on the plants two floors below - very little wasted effort. The bay were the beach was looked calm and a few boats were moving - the city was slowly waking up. Below is a view from our room and the breakfast area.

We packed the bikes and headed for Nice and the Harley Dealership - it was already 28C. We entered unto the 8A, which would prove to be one of the best highways I have ever traveled. The road went up into the mountains and we rode a long a ridge with the city left below and small knooks of houses dotted the countryside. Repeadly, I was struck with how well the houses complimented the countryside and were one with the landscape and in harmony with it. It was obvious these structures had been around a long time and had withstood the test of time. We arrived in Nice and headed for the Harley Dealership which we had little difficulty in finding - it was small by US standards and the bikes lined the street. Folks rode up to visit and chat or pick up their bikes from service. I bought the T-shirt and we looked for a cup of coffee and water.

We found a square and made ourselves at home - ordering coffee and two large bottles of water - we are finding that hydration is important better said it is essential. We sat and relaxed, taking in the scenery and planning our next trip :-). The square was busy and people were heading to lunch or work - the pace was measured. We had one more stop - exchanging dollars - before heading out of town. As we drove through Nice, we encountered several interesting sites.

The square were we sat, had an old building serving as an anchor and we saw many of these buildings in the towns we traveled through - not all as ornate and stately nonetheless. When we were leaving Nice, the water was crystal blue and inviting - I will be back without a doubt. When and if I ever retire - I believe I have found my spot - I understand now what attracts people to the region.

Having completed our tasks we head back to the A8 and our journey for the day to Torino, Italy. The A8 winds itself along the Riviera both French and Italian - it is an awesome road, which invites viewing the scenery at the risk of becoming the scenery. We climbed further and the countryside was dotted with houses and small clusters of houses. The scenery drew your eyes and it required concentration to stay focused on the road which was a real pleasure to ride - we cruised at 110 km.

The road turned into a series of tunnels and bridges which connected the various ridges and allowed for the road to be a part of the landscape rather than defining it or beinging an eye sore. As we rode along, the landscape was spectacular and we rode through Monaco before stopping for gas, which turned into an adventure as the awning over the pumps triggered Stuart's security system on the bike and disabled his bike. The high pitch sound attracked the attention of several people and we attempted to help - all to no avail - while the staff was getting frantic as we had not all paid and it slowed the flow of cars through the pumps. We contacted Eagle Rider who contatced Harley and we learned the code to reset the system and it did not work, at which point the attendant came out and informed us that the awning had an electric current and we needed to move the bikes at least 100 meters away. We followed his advice and prolem solved - bike started; Jim's bike was next to get hit with the electric charge and he had to reset his bike before we could leave. In celebration Stuart bought himself a pair of shades - we were off.

The gas station had a spectacular view of Monaco and we enjoyed it.

As we rode along the A8, I came to appreciate it ever more, as the tunnels and bridges became more intricate and longer. We entered Italy, our fifth country on this trip, and while the view did not change much it did remind me of the beauty of nature well taken care of by its inhabitants.

As we rode along, Stuart and I fell back from the others to take in the scenery - not sure when we'd be back. Along the ride we had Bentley's, Maserati's and Ferrari's pass us - we were happy to yield the rode space. We rode along and met many smiling faces in the cars that passed us and that we passed.

The longests tunnel we went through was 1669m while the longest bridge was 2674m. As we rode along the Italia Riviera, the traffic became a tad heavier and I was sure to pay attention to the roads as the Italian drivers liked to squeeze into and through small spaces. The tunnels proved to be a welcome relief from the heat as they were cool and the breeze going through cooled one off nicely. The countryside became a collection of red roofs as we rolled along preparing to head north to Torino.

As we turned unto the 6A to Torino the water was left behind and the mountains appeared, while the series of tunnels continued, the vegetation became greener along with a few trees appearing. We noticed a long trolley of coal carts on a suspension cable moving though the countryside. As we stopped for gas, Libyan by some accounts - expensive - Jim's bike problems continued as he had to reset the security system everytime he shut his bike off. We would need to address this in Torino, a fellow rider at the gas station had indicated it might be the battery - we will get a new one. The observation was made that the Italian rodes paled in comparison to Dutch, German and French rodes. We rode into Torino and began looing for the hotel - Robert is a master at finding places and we were once again reminded how enjoyable he had made this trip.

If the French city drivers were rude - as Stuart can attest toas we left Nice and he had a close encounter of a drive wanting to go through him, the Italians were worse. Turn signals were optional and he who got to a spot first got to keep it - it made for interesting riding. We encountered roundabouts which were more like oblong abouts and much wider given the Italians desire to drive two, three or four abreast. We found the hotel - another steal from the accomodation guru - atfter a quick clean up it was off to dinner. After a short walk, we found the recommended restaurant and prepared for a wonderful meal.

Dinner was truly delightful and all Italian - our waiter spoke almost no english and Jim corralled the pizza cook to get his recommendation which we got the house pizza. Dinner consisted of antipasta, salad and pizza along with tons of water - we needed doggie bags. It was good! The waiter even told us where to get batteries for the Harley security system - around the corner from the restaurant - plans were made for the am. While having dinner, Jim raised the hopes of a street vendor only to send him away empty handed - the fan almost got him.

On the walk back to the hotel we stopped for some gelatto - perfect way to end a perfect day! Tomorrow we ride for the Alps and Switzerland!

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