Meanwhile in Switzerland Robin and Barbara Cooper are a mountain or two ahead of the group….

Now in Airoli at the bottom of St Gotthards Pass in the Alps. Resting here after short ride from Bellinzona today almost all uphill. We’re remortgaging the house. A meal for 2 – 100 pounds. A bottle of mineral water 6 pounds. Crazy prices but everywhere you go, unlike Greece, roads being built, railways repaired, new tunnels and offices being built a very affluent economy.

Tomorrow the big choices over the Alps (7000 feet).

1. a train to Lucerne
2. the autostrada  tunnel ( 8 miles long) through the Alps
3. the modern mountain road with 3 hairpins
4. The old mule track – still cobbled with 38 hairpins
5. Stay in bed.

Time will tell.

Barbara points the way up.

Tomorrow’s challenge

Today’s motivational tune: She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes

Tomorrow is the longest day. It seems it will be 127 miles in the heat. Gasp. Several people are beating their own personal bests in longest distance for the day. Tina is doing really well on this her first long ride, shepherded by John all the way.

We are now in a small village just outside Bologna. So we are on the lookout for the ultimate pasta rush spaghetti bolognese of course. 120 miles with heat climbing and climbing. Day 1 of 4 very tough days. A little marred by Ed falling off and breaking his helmet again but nothing worse than lumps bumps bruises and scrapes. Tomorrow to Cremona! A mere 112 miles. After that we turn north towards the Alps, with Saturday beung the biggest challenge.

43 degrees but only 15 miles left. And at last we have got away from concrete warehouses selling tacky furniture and tractors. Towns with old gates and houses with closed coloured shutters. Large main squares with shady cloisters and grand churches with the doors open.

Italy is such a beautiful country but the east coast road and the N9 were long ago forgotten. Endless tarmac with factories and show rooms. It’s like cycling through 100 mile long retail park with lorries going past you at 70. Even the roadside Oleanders look weary and defeated.

Temperature a paltry 35 degrees so Cliff has his thermals on.

Tanya and Andrew are now with us on their Harley (Tanya being the world’s greatest magician with body pains and aches). She’s dealing with hamstrings and sore knees already.

70 miles done and just 51 to go.

Even the birds haven’t started singing. 5.00am and we’re off for 120 miles. Last night we ate pasta in profusion or pizza in slabs depending on preference. We need all the fuel we can get. Target: near Bologna. Thunderstorms forecast for this afternoon.