This day was sacrificed in the name of our bikes with a reconnaisance trip to the airport and getting bike boxes from a bike shop.

Bryan was not feeling well this afternoon when I set out to try to find bicycle boxes and decided to have a nap. I had a listing of three stores that were recommended in Rome. The first one was closeby but apparenly no longer in business. Or at least I couldn’t find it after wandering the street and checking the phone book. The second one was about an half-hour walk further but they did have boxes including one that looks large enough to fit Bryan’s bike. However, I was by myself and over a half-hour walk from the hotel with two large boxes to carry back. The buses did not look like an option being crowded, so I just put on box upright in the other and started walking. They weren’t particularly heavy but very cumbersome especially as carrying to my side always blocked the view of traffic from one side, so I was constantly shifting and needed to take frequent breaks. Rome traffic is crazy so I didn’t feel very comfortable with this and it was difficult to maneuvre through the tiny spaces left between parked cars. Eventually I just hoisted the boxe on top of my head but given my 150 by 175 cm width now, I couldn’t fit on he sidewalk with all the posts and building. So walked down the bus lane instead. Luckily only one bus passed me. I did get several horrified and or humourous looks from passerbys but no offers of help. A busload of soldiers did all turn and wave at me though.