July 23, 2024 - Daily Distance: 23 km - Total Distance: 23 km

The alarm rings at 5:30 AM. We try to leave as early as possible to avoid the hottest hours of the day. A quick breakfast with the items prepared by the B&B owner, and then we are off. Too bad there’s no hot coffee...

The cool morning air encourages us to leave our "nest" as quickly as possible. The city is already bustling. We know it will take a while to get out, but we consider it a warm-up for the day's stage.

Just before reaching the outskirts, we spot an open café: the day is saved! We take our time, knowing that today's 20-kilometer stage will be covered in no time.

We enter the industrial area, which is unavoidable, and then finally... the SS17! Indeed, the final stretch of what used to be the Celano-Foggia cattle track has been turned into a four-lane highway. To avoid it, we first follow a dirt road running parallel to the highway, then take some country roads, extending the route a bit.

We're feeling fresh, so we continue walking at a steady pace, through tomato fields, chatting along the way. We're starting to forget that we’re in the Tavoliere delle Puglie, and despite the light breeze, the temperature will soon rise significantly. By the time we take our first break, halfway through, we're desperately hunting for some shade: there are no trees around, and the heat is relentless.

The closer we get to Lucera, the more frequent our breaks become. We underestimated the problem posed by the heat and are paying the price. In the coming days, we’ll be more careful!

Some olive groves signal our approach to Lucera... though it seems like we’ll never get there. Finally, the amphitheater on the city’s outskirts confirms that we've made it. We literally storm the first bar we find, putting its beer supply to the test. We take advantage of the moment of rest to reflect on the day: if it hadn’t been for the heat, the stage would have been easy, even suitable for cycling.

I always enjoy returning to Lucera. The afternoon stroll through the town brings back memories of other walks along the cattle tracks that allowed me to discover it. It feels strange to cross it this time at the beginning of a journey that will end more than two weeks from now in Abruzzo.

Track of the day