Day 2: 86km – An early start
I have breakfast in the garden with homemade cakes and a splendid view of Bobbio. Mina is waiting for me; it’s time to leave. I go down to the village and ask the petrol station attendant for a full tank and if he can help me check the oil level. He tells me he doesn’t sell motorcycle oil, then he points to the petrol station across the street. I reach the other distributor and the manager listens to my request and nods. He seems to me to be of few words and I try to make conversation. I tell him that I come from Parma and that I’m headed to Piedmont to meet people who have bikes like mine. He replies that years before he raced with the Sertum team, he knew Franzoni, Ventura and Fornasari. “Wow!” I exclaim. I bombard him with questions. I discover that I am in front of Giovanni Perere, nicknamed Mr. Zundapp, one of the most important deal-ers in Italy since the 1960s, a rider and collector of motocross vehicles of the German motorcycle manufacturer. He introduces me to his splendid motorcycles in the back room of the bike rental shop he runs in Bobbio with his daughter and shows me the articles that talk about him in the trade magazines. I feel humbled in front of this man. Giovanni Perere is a smiling and serene man, who does not need to rave about his fame and his glories to feel he is somebody. After saying goodbye, I head to the Abbey in San Colombano to thank the Saint for donating me Giovanni Perere’s blessing. San Colombano is the protector of motorcyclists, of rear ups, turns and skids. In the crypt, there is a stained glass window with his portrait. Beside him is St. Benedict: I see it as a personal sign and pray that my Mina will be more condescending in starting up.
After the photo ritual, I leave to drive towards the Penice Pass. This is my K2. Powerful motorcycles whizzing by
