Day 26 - Rovigo to Polesella

Something new today. We departed, on the bike path from Rovigo, under cloudy skies. I could see a brush of rain coming down from the clouds to the north. After several days of heat, the cloudy skies were a distinct pleasure.

About thirty minutes into the morning it began to rain. Fortunately it was only a light shower that passed quickly.

We walked beside a series of canals heading toward the first town of the day, Sant’ Apollinare. The Via had taken us away from the main roads, but, unfortunately, we were on asphalt all day. This is very hard on the feet.

Church, Sant'Apollinare

There was some kind of school party happening outside the church when we hiked through Sant’ Apollinare, but not much else. What a dead little town. The streets were deserted and the shops closed up.

Sant'Apollinare

We continued on through farmland, crossed the Bianco Canale (White Canal), and then entered the town of Pontecchio Polesine. I don’t know if the clouds were dampening the spirits of the locals, but, once again, there really were no signs of life around.

Pontecchio Polesine

The road connecting Pontecchio Polesine and Guarda Veneto runs in a perfectly straight line. We strolled along the bike path beside it, past a couple of small chapels and not much else.

The Path to Guarda Veneza

For a portion of this segment, the path had been marked at 100 meter intervals. I diverted myself by counting the number of steps I took every 100 meters (116). I then performed some additional calculations: 116 steps per 100 meters translates into 1160 steps per kilometer. We are walking 1,000 kilometers (although I suspect we will actually be going farther than this), which means, by the time the trip is over, I will have taken more than 1,160,000 steps.

No wonder my feet are sore.

Chapel, Near Guarda Veneza

We reached Guarda Veneta, turned right, and hiked down a road that paralleled the River Po. You couldn’t really see the river, as a cottonwood forest blocked the view. The last segment also brought the return of automobile traffic, although most motorists were considerate enough to swerve to the opposite side of the tarmac when they saw us walking along the shoulder.

We reached Polesella at 1:00. It didn't seem much livelier than the other towns we passed today. After showers and a rest we went out to tour the city. Again, not much there, although a carnival filled in the empty spaces between the buildings in the main square.

We continue to find Mondays a terrible day, as most of the restaurants are closed. It makes it difficult to find food. Credit Polesella with a pizzeria that was open, down on the dock that lined the River Po. We sauntered down there. A French river cruise boat was tied up to the dock. I am still trying to work out why this town would be a stop on any sort of cruise. Nevertheless, there it was. The passengers all seemed to be hunkered below deck, drinking cocktails in the lounge. We were happy to find a pizzeria doing business, although I suspect it had something to do with the river cruise boat.

In any case, well-fed, we headed home to rest our fet for the next day’s asphalt.

Today's Distance: 20.5

Total Distance: 448.5