Via Alpina Stage 14/13

The farmers were up early this morning and since we tented next to the road, we were too.  10 miles to the next town and we had planned to be there before lunch.  As we crossed the last mountain  pass and started our 28% grade down we both started feeling bad.  How do I know it was 28% down?  Well, there's a sign.  The sign said 28% for 3km and at the end of the 3km, there was another sign that said 28% for 3km.  It was Sunday and we were on a road, walking.  A few motorcycles passed us going up.  We both commented on how it would suck to have to stop and restart.  Shadow said he would hate to drive down this road.  One car went by and his tires were squealing from slipping on the pavement.  Yikes!  

Now my shin is starting to hurt for all the steep downhills.  Why don't I feel good?  Shadow took his miracle Goody's powder and is feeling better.  Me, not so much.  I swear his stomach is iron clad.  Maybe we didn't boil that farm runoff water long enough.  Maybe that sausage I opened last week didn't stay as fresh and I thought wrapped in a plastic bag.  It must have been the sausage.  Shadow thinks he saw a slight discoloration on the edges.  All the water we drink gets boiled or ran through our filters.  I wasn't that hungry for breakfast and Shadow said the same about dinner last night.  

All I wanted to do was crawl into a bed by the time we hit town.  The information center sent us to a neighboring village a mile in the opposite direction for a place to stay the night.  This is the first time I haven't minded missing lunch and having to wait for dinner at 7pm.  Shadow reminded me it was dinner time and I dragged myself out of bed.  It's a shame and felt bad because the room we ate in was beautiful.  Stone walls lined an open beamed ceiling.  The tables were set straight out of a Sunset magazine.  I asked the waiter about a salad I saw on the menu.  He said it was very light and had veggies and steak.  Perfect, I thought.  Then it came to the table.  Thinly sliced raw beef with pickled veggies...  Shadow split it with me.  It was good, just not what I needed at the moment.  Everything was good.  The ravioli with local ricotta, and the polenta with slow roasted beef cheek.  The second best meal we had eaten in Italy.