Day 8 in Sardinia - highs and lows

For my 8th day on the Island, I wanted to reprise a ride that I attempted last year from Bosa to Alghero and back. I couldn't actually complete the ride I had mapped out due to a car race which closed most of the key roads.

But to start the day, I wanted to eat at a different place for breakfast, upon walking by I realized they only open on the weekends for breakfast, so I will be back in a few days. 

The ride began with the climb up the descent that I had taken the previous day, and it was a marvelous way to see different vantage points of the Bosa unfold. And of course, because it is Sardinia, there were very few cars on the road. However, during yesterday’s ride I actually saw quite a few cyclists of all stripes from serious looking racer-types to full on e-bike German tourists in their 70s. I love the latter and the spirit with which they are still getting out there! I forgot to mention that on my descent into town yesterday, I saw someone in a full on UAE kit together with the latest Colnago YRS, so maybe it was someone who isn’t racing at World’s and was just on Sardinia on “holiday”? 

Anyway, the next part of the ride was kind of boring through arid grazing land. There wasn’t much livestock to look at, and though sheep are always cutr, the inner voice in my head said, “What am I doing here by myself on this trip?” which was influenced by “I’m not really having that much fun battling the wind right now and just grinding away these miles. Maybe I should take up motorcycling instead, because what I really like are the twisties.”

But after a few hours, I was towards the end of a very long climb, and as it kicked sharply up, the town of Villanova Monteleone came into view with its pastel painted houses. I wasn’t in much of a state to admire their beauty as I crawled past them on the super steep grades into the town, but I was rewarded with the most amazing view of Alghero from the top. And then the descent to Alghero (unfortunately punctuated with a few gritty but short climbs) began, and it was such an exhilarating joy to watch the city get closer, admire the ocean and navigate the super tight 180 degree switchbacks. This was what I had come to Sardinia for!

Once I pulled into Alghero, I headed into the old walled part  of the city to have lunch at a pizza place called Lu Furat right along the medieval wall. I was seated pointed slightly uphill on cobblestones, but it was a great place to watch people walk by and although I have been meaning to order pizza over the last few days, various things get in the way; this time it was a special with pacherri pasta and fresh shrimp. It was so simple, yet cooked perfectly. I have not been finding a lot of non-alcoholic beer at my lunch stops, but fortunately this place had it, so it was a great lunch.

The road back hugged the coastline, and I was again reminded about why I am on the island. The views were magnificent and they just got better and better as I approached Bosa. Overall, it was simply an outstanding day to be out on the bike, smell the sea air, and do some killer descending with a great but simple meal in between.

And after doing my daily video edit, it was time for dinner at a highly rated place very close to my apartment. I don’t want to give their name, but will rather leave a lukewarm review on their site. No need to vent about them by name to my audience of six! And it felt a little like a hoodwink, because the first dish of sea bass ceviche and little balls of mango was just outstanding. But it took a quite some time to arrive.

And while I watched the staff turn away diner after diner who did not have a reservation, I eventually got my pasta plate, which was Malloredus,  a traditional Sardinian shell pasta, with Bottarga, which are the salted, cured eggs of a local bluefin tuna or grey mullet, in a light tomato sauce. The pasta was overcooked, there was far too much of it - I don’t know how I would even finish the dish unless I had ridden nearly 80 miles - and did I mention it took such a long time to arrive?

I finished off dinner with a nice local tuna steak, which was of great quality and cooked very nicely. But the vegetables were so messy, as the tasty mushrooms were mixed in with the julienne vegetables and then smothered in a sauce far too sweet. And of course, it took a similar eternity for this dish to come out. After the appetizer, I was planning on making a reservation for Saturday, but after the last two dishes, I am headed out somewhere else for dinner!