23rd June 2017

23rd June 2017

Pontenure to Fiorenzuola -21kms

Today we set off knowing we had some 26kms. However the heat was so bad we decided to try and cut it short and took a slightly different route which took us through parts of the "old" Via Francígena instead of the newer route planned in recent times. The temperature reached 37C and became almost unbearable. Tomorrow there is a red heat warning for all this region so we are thinking of leaving at around 5:30am. At least we can get a few kms in during the morning before the heat becomes overpowering.

At first we took the SS9 highway and later took to the fields where they were harvesting wheat and watering corn. For the latter we raced to be able to stand underneath the water hoses as they came round the length and breath of the fields. We must have looked a pretty sight! But boy, was it cooling!

We knew we had to ford a couple of streams but these had so little water in them that it was more wading through mud! All in all a pretty uncomfortable day, mainly due to the unrelenting heat.

Tomorrow we are heading for Fidenza some 22kms away. If the temperature is ok we will try to go another nine or ten, but this looks unlikely.