September 23rd, Urbino to Frontone, 47k

Our intention this a.m. was to wake up at 6 a.m. But we were so cozy in our sleeping bags that we did not leave until 9, instead of 8 a.m. We boiled 4 eggs for breakfast on our alcohol stove and had it with bread and anchovy spread and of course, with hot tea. Today we are trying to get to Gubbio, 45k to the south. We set our goals on the town of Cagli. The weather started off cloudy and cool and we were cold in our long descents. The road flattened and narrowed as we entered Furlo, a national forest area with steep gorges and an ancient Roman tunnel to go through. We stop for coffee past the tunnel in an area where Mussolini used to do the same (La Golena at Gola di Furlo=, for its beauty. Elaine gets her phone card stuck in the phone booth and has to call on the baristas to bail her out to no avail. Mauny and tools to the rescue! After Cagli, we stop at the side of the road to eat p&j sandwiches and press on after that. When we reached Frontone, a town before we are to make a major ascent into the national forest (with no towns en route), the weatherman, Mauny notices a huge thunderhead and believes it would not be best to press on. We stop in a lovely little 2-star hotel in Frontone for the night. After checking in, we go for a little walk in the town and then return to the room. Mauny is an accurate weatherman as we do have showers that would have been treacherous conditions for us had we pressed on. Our room opens onto the roof and we handwash clothes and cook in the bathroom. We do have coffee in the restaurant as well as apertifs of limoncello after dinner. Hey you have to have some class. 55Euros for the hotel is a bargain in these parts. That is about 75 dollars. Elaine makes many calls to Servas to continue cutting our expenses while experiencing Italy with the locals.