Viverone to Vercelli

[Bob from L.A. !]

Last night, after a hot day yesterday, it poured rain for several hours over Viverone.
I was out the door at 6 A.M. and began walking in the humid, sticky weather for my long day to Vercelli.
Leaving so early is a double edged sword; you can beat the heat, but you can't find a cup of coffee.
Today's walk was long, but was predictably uneventful until I reached the lowlands where I encountered flooded rice fields, standing water and yes....Mosquitoes!
As I sit here tapping this out on my cellphone I am periodically scratching three new mosquitoe bites on my calves that were not present yesterday.

 

[Corned Beef]

Stayed at the Vercelli Palace on the outskirts of the town along with about 50 Carabinieri who must of been there for some sort of conference.

Breakfast was interesting with me and 50 police who were armed by then as they were about to leave. Was very, very careful not to make any sudden moves over the croissants.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

That's where I am staying as well.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

What about snakes Bob? Any encounters? Alert & wariness regarding this subject is part of Aussie DNA by the way...
My tip; if a lizard darts across your path, hesitate just for a split second to ensure nothing is in hot pursuit! I don't know who got the bigger fright ...me or the snake...but thanks to my presence, the lizard got away.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Bob, I have always heard the town of Vercelli and mosquitos used in the same sentence. You are validating that they definitely go together; at least this time of year.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

@CaminoChrissy - I can confirm your statement.
I just woke up and have more bites this morning than I had last night when I went to bed.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

@TassieKaz - Great point about the lizards. I have seen hundreds of them.
The only snake encounter thus far is a dead one.

 

[Corned Beef]

You're on the flat bit now for a while and you'll be crossing a number of streams. If you keep your eyes open there are beaver-like animals (or very large rats) that pop in and out of the streams. Tried to get a pic of one close to this bridge but failed as they bury themselves in the undergrowth.

A diversion from counting the mosquito bites.

Edit: Apparently they are called nutria or coypu. Better pic here

Nutria: Rome's giant river rodent

Ever noticed the large rodents swimming across Rome's river Tiber? Don't be alarmed - they are not giant rats.

www.wantedinrome.com

 

[Tassie Kaz]

@TassieKaz - Great point about the lizards. I have seen hundreds of them.
The only snake encounter thus far is a dead one.

Ahhh....the best kind!

 

[Bradypus]

What about snakes Bob? Any encounters? Alert & wariness regarding this subject is part of Aussie DNA by the way...
My tip; if a lizard darts across your path, hesitate just for a split second to ensure nothing is in hot pursuit! I don't know who got the bigger fright ...me or the snake...but thanks to my presence, the lizard got away.

I walked in July and August 2015. Saw a lot of lizards. An astonishing number on the lake shore paths between Lausanne and Montreux where one seemed to dive out of the way at almost every step. I saw three live snakes in total between Canterbury and Rome and none were venomous. I did see quite a few more as roadkill. There are four very similar viper species in Italy - all closely related to the north European adder. You certainly do not want to be bitten by one but their venom is very modest by Aussie standards. Still important to find medical help in the very rare event of a bite but a treated bite is most unlikely to cause long-term permanent damage.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

I walked in July and August 2015. Saw a lot of lizards. An astonishing number on the lake shore paths between Lausanne and Montreux where one seemed to dive out of the way at almost every step. I saw three live snakes in total between Canterbury and Rome and none were venomous. I did see quite a few more as roadkill. There are four very similar viper species in Italy - all closely related to the north European adder. You certainly do not want to be bitten by one but their venom is very modest by Aussie standards. Still important to find medical help in the very rare event of a bite but a treated bite is most unlikely to cause long-term permanent damage.

And don't forget our old mates the mamushi pit vipers in Japan.... ⛩

 

[Bradypus]

And don't forget our old mates the mamushi pit vipers in Japan.... ⛩

Not likely to forget meeting one of those! Or the cute little death adder in Queensland less than a week after being told by friends in Sydney that I wouldn't see any snakes at that time of year...

 

[Annette london]

Last night, after a hot day yesterday, it poured rain for several hours over Viverone.
I was out the door at 6 A.M. and began walking in the humid, sticky weather for my long day to Vercelli.
Leaving so early is a double edged sword; you can beat the heat, but you can't find a cup of coffee.
Today's walk was long, but was predictably uneventful until I reached the lowlands where I encountered flooded rice fields, standing water and yes....Mosquitoes!
As I sit here tapping this out on my cellphone I am periodically scratching three new mosquitoe bites on my calves that were not present yesterday.

I think you’ll be scratching for a few more days!!
Those rice fields seemed to go on and on
will never forget those little critters

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Yeah, unfortunately I think you're right.

 

[Bradypus]

Those rice fields seemed to go on and on
will never forget those little critters

The main reason I am fairly sure I will not walk the whole VF again. Parts of it perhaps but not the Po valley.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I think you’ll be scratching for a few more days!!
Those rice fields seemed to go on and on
will never forget those little critters

Yikes...the mosquito infested rice fields going on and on? I don't think I will ever decide to do "the whole nine yards" of the Via F., but possibly a repeat of Lucca to Rome; loved it all!

 

[Bradypus]

Yikes...the mosquito infested rice fields going on and on? I don't think I will ever decide to do "the whole nine yards" of the Via F., but possibly a repeat of Lucca to Rome; loved it all!

Just looked up what I wrote one day in the Po Valley: "Day 39 - Gropello Cairoli to Santa Cristina
It rained several times during the night and the ground was wet when I left the ostello. It soon turned out to be a warm morning and the two elements combined to produce a rich crop of biting insects. Despite dousing myself with repellent I seem to be irresistible. The problem only became worse as the route left the rice fields and instead ran through woodland next to the Ticino river for the final 7km or so into Pavia. There were moments of irritation so intense I think I lost all sense of proportion. If it was in my power I
would have drained the entire north Italian plain from Genoa to the Adriatic and covered the entire countryside in concrete. Perhaps an overreaction."