Day - 14, Riccione to Maranello

Best laid plans and all that. 

We only had about 130 miles to our next hotel today. I asked about early check-in but got no reply so built in a stop at Imola, to eat up some time. Check-in was 2pm and I calculated we'd arrive around 2:15. Plenty time to freshen up and walk the 3 minutes around the corner to the Ferrari Museum, where we'd already booked tickets. 

Imola went OK. I had been to the Ayrton Senna memorial before but hadn't realised just within another 500 metres there were Giles Villeneuve and  Roland Ratzenberger memorials too. So today we did all 3.

Next up was a coffee stop at McDs. Phil had his usual lunch but it was a bit early for lunch for me, after scrambled eggs and bacon on toast, a vanilla filled croisant and strawberry youghurt for brekkie, so I just had a drink. We just arrived in time as moments later, the place was swarming with kids!

When it came time to leave, the 'fun' started. Phil's bike wouldn't start. It seemed the battery had just died. A bit like my phone!. We fiddled about but ended up calling Phil's recovery people. Probably no more than an hour after calling, a little old chap turned up with his battery booster. The bike fired up first time. Phil decided he would get a new battery, so we made our way, about 20 miles, into Bologna, to the Motorrad dealer there, where they fitted a new battery. Then we were back on the road to Maranello.

Obviously some confusion took place. I was heading to the hotel, Phil the Ferrari Museum. So, within 200m of the hotel Phil turned left, when I had gone straight on! I got to the hotel, checked in, got changed and there was still no sign of Phil, so I presumed he'd gone to the museum. The whole point of booking this hotel was because we could get changed out of our riding gear and then walk around the corner. Phil forgot to read the memo! 😁 

I walked the 3 minutes to the museum, saw Phil's bike parked up and found him sitting outside the cafe. Although we'd lost over 3 hours over my anticipated arrival, we were still early enough to not be after last entry time and in we went.

It was 11 years since I last visited the museum, so it had changed, there were newer vehicles on show for sure but I felt it was bigger last time, as I was surprised when we were suddenly at the exit. Maybe it's a false memory, who know's?

I walked back to the hotel and guided Phil to the car park, then after he'd had time to freshen up, we went to a restaurant just up the road. It was deserted, apart from 2 blokes and an elderly lady, who apparently was running the place on her own. she didn't speak any English but the menu had English translation, so we knew what we were getting and could point it out, though we think she had forgotten her glasses, as she peered at the menu. Food was OK and we both had a large well earned beer. By the time we finished, we were the only customers and the place was not due to close for another 90 minutes. Felt a bit sorry for the old girl.

Tomorrow we have a long day ahead of us and will finish the day in Austria. It may be longer for one than the other. We shall see.

Ciao for the last time.