Due to limited sailing dates during lie season, the ferry companies still only one weekly between Sardinia and Sicily. This has the consequence that I will be cycling from the very top of Sardinia to the very south in 4.5 days. I had planned all this, as I wanted to spend more days in Corsica where I was told there were fewer inhabitants and more nature. This ride of approximately 400km would usually be the proverbial walk in the park type affair, but there be hills on Sardinia and this means more strenuous days lie ahead.
After an early bike ride down to Bonifacio port, I catch the morning ferry to Santa Lucia Di Galuria; a journey of only one hour, but suffers often from cancelled sailings due to the high winds funneled between the tips of both Islands.
Finding hosts on CouchSurfing or WarmShowers proved practically impossible, meaning that I will be stealth camping my way down the east coast. This also accords with my plan to maximise the number of kilometres I travel each day, as I automatically will be starting my day with the sunrise and don't need to be anywhere at any specific time.
And so it is, that I spend my first night in Sardinia in small field next to a village 100km from the port, having put in a reasonable first day's ride of 130km. It's not that hilly compared to Corsica, and it must be said, not as spectacular or beautiful too, especially with the tendancy of rubbish to be fly-tipped on the roadsides. As forewarned, there are more people here and less nature, with a distinct lack of forests. It does also have less of a touristy vibe, with fewer hotels and a more rural, country feeling.
The next day I ride on towards Nuoro, which is a detour of about 50km. Cristina, practically the only person to even reply to my requests on CouchSurfing, has offered me accommodation in her house for the night. The hills start to kick in, but so do the panoramic views. Cristina has two children and she prepares a meal in the evening for us, completed with wine, cheese and traditional Sardinian bread - is a thin wafer of toasted bread about as large as a pizza. It's the access to a shower that one misses the most when stealth camping for any length of time, especially when its too cold to throw yourself into the nearest river. Other welcome amenities are a chance to wash sweaty clothes, warm meals and social interaction.
Following the SS125 down the coast it's a magical ride. There is very little traffic as the main highway snakes towards the west coast after Nuoro. Yes, its hilly but with stunning vistas that make today's ride one of the most epic yet encountered. Here there is natural forest and practically no villages. With the sun reigning high above, I feel no need to stop and take my time pushing up hills at an elegant pace. I sleep in a field next to a stream close to the town of Cardedu.
The next day promises rain from the get go, so I spend most of the morning in a cafe bar enjoying the coffee and ambiance. The locals while away the morning hours in this cafe and the photos on the walls depict their hunting prowess; foxes, wild pigs other animals displayed before them. The rain abates only toward midday, at which time I make my way further south. Having completed more distance than expected over the past three days, I can take it easy and decide to spend some time at the beach near Muravera. I get talking to a curious Swiss couple as I wait for some of my clothes to dry. Seeing that there are few people around and heeding not the no camping signs, I tuck myself away in my tent on the dunes at sunset. Its gonna be a rainy evening but the sounds of nearby waves lullaby me to sleep.
My ferry leaves from Cagliari (why do people pronounce it "Calgari"?) in the evening but it's only a 65km ride so no rush, especially with a morning start. In spite of rain persisting through the day, the snaking SS125 road once again is magnificent.
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