Arborea - Sa Perda Marcada

The real trek begins today! Yesterday was a warm-up for today. After breakfast we were all loaded into 2 vans, along with lure bikes and luggage for the trip to Arborea, where we were going to begin today's cycling at. Our first stop was the supermarket to get food for lunch, as we didn't know what would be available on the way. The first 10 kms were very easy and flat. We passed lots of corn fields, vegetable and dairy farms. We stopped at little fishing village called Marceddi for a cappuccino. This little village had a very strong resemblance to many of the Greek Islands 30 years ago. Little, old fishing boats in the tiny harbor, with the locals bringing in their daily catch. A magical, peaceful spot, unspoiled by tourists. We then began climbing up through the mountains with views of the ocean before us. Lots of rugged coastline, beaches and scattered houses about. There were a few cafe/bars open, which was a real surprise to us. We stopped at a beach for lunch, before another climb. These were quite manageable, but we were always wondering how we were going to do on the last 8 kms.  We followed a sandy road, past some very large sand dunes, actually the tallest in Europe. Many deserted mining towns were also on the way. Once we hit the 44 km mark there was no turning back as we couldn't get a drive back in the van. One of our riding buddies stayed at the checkpoint, waiting for the van while we ventured on. As soon as we hit pavement again the steady climb of 8 kms began, with our goal being 400 meters above sea level ( we started at 35 meters). Lots of switchbacks, but we plugged along, passing churches, crosses on the hillside and abandoned mines. What an accomplishment to reach the top, but we did it. We didn't have to walk. On to an old farmhouse for the night before we continue tomorrow. Today we did a total of 52 kms with lots of hills. Supper was a a fascinating experience, with one long table which about twenty people shared. We enjoyed several courses and ended with a special liqour. Good end to a great day. Buonnasera.