Monday September 10

Today we made our way to the mainland via island roads and two ferries. One was a regularly scheduled public ferry with motor vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. The other was a chartered boat that took our entire group of 18 riders along with our bicycle to the small community of Chioggia, also known as "Little Venice."  (It is actually part of the metropolitan City of Venice.)  We had time to explore and eat while the guides set out ahead of us to mark the route to our destination for the evening. Our total ride was about 45 miles.

Bikes stacked up on the ferry 

From Chioggia, we rode along the Po River Delta through very flat farm country. It was an easy ride, very flat, but also quite warm. There was not much to remark about in the way of scenery or landmarks. The farms were quite small and there was not much visible activity on any of them.

Our destination for the evening is an agroturismo (essentially a small farm which has been converted to a setting where guest can experience the farm experience) which is quite nice. They have a pool that I did not take advantage of, and tonight's dinner should feature some of the produce from the farm. We will also have a tour of the vineyard before eating. My room has a downstairs bath and living area and a loft where my bed is located. Lets hope I remember the stairs if I get up in the middle of the night. 

This is definitely the largest group of riders that I have ridden with in my nine trips with Experience Plus. We have several Canadian riders and a good mix of experience levels.