An Epic Day

There are days that u'll never forget. This is one of them to me.

There is a mountain, not far from Ancona: Monte San Vicino. It is not hard to get on its peak, but while the fist part of the path is within the forest, the upper part is just a big open field where there is no path.

The first time I met Monte San Vicino I was with Virginia. However she was already ill, and obviously I didn't force her, even if she was very determined.

The second time we went with some friends. However the friends were lazy, and instead of walking trough the top we ended up going horsing and eating in a neighbouring restaurant.

Some months ago I tried for the third time. However, almost on the top, I entered inside the level of the clouds and was very foggy. It was also late in the day, so it was really too dangerous of getting lost. Nothing also that time.

Today I tried for the fourth time. However also today there was a problem: unexpectedly there was snow (and ice!) on the top. It is several weeks that it's not snowing, but the cold temperatures of the area transformed the snow in very slippery sheets of ice. However with great difficult I managed to climb to the top, with the help of the branches of the last trees: I was feeling little bit like Tarzan

However coming down was an issue: there was no way I could go back form the way I went up. As the path is in the north mountainside, I kept the left in order to stay more toward the east mountainside that was more clear of snow/ice. However at a certain point I had to cross a field of ice slice. And I fell. I started going down at a crazy speed. I was really thinking to die, as I didn't know how I could stop and what there was at the bottom, a tree or a cliff. I saw the bottles of water and coke I had bounded to my backpack jumping over the ice and going down at a very high speed.

However I was lucky. I think what saved me from splashing over the trees below was the effect of the trees themselves that repairing the snow from the cold air preserved the snow of the last few meters of my rush of becoming full ice. Snow has somehow a little bit of friction, and this helped me to slow down to a speed that when I reached the trees I didn't break anything.

I was very scared. Also because now I was way out the path, and basically lost. However I started going east along the last trees that was bordering between the below forest and the above grass field, walking on something that was in the middle between snow and ice.

Finally after a while I reached the original path. I was very, very happy. I also kissed the dog (I never did it before haha). In a short I was down to the car, very happy to have done it. However I got the surprise: the outer pocket of my backpack was open: I put a hand: the keys were gonna! I had my car key, scooter key, Ancona's house key, Padova's house key.. all in one big bunch of keys. They must have went away when I felt.

I had no option that leave the car there. A gently couple helped me taking me (and the dog) to Jesi, a city in the valley where, after waiting one hour on the cold (I was very wet) I border a coach that let me in Ancona. From there the next bus to Montesicuro was after 3 hours, so I did the other thing that I never did it before today: I walked all the way from Ancona city center to Montesicuro, 11 km (6.8 miles), where the neighbours left a key they have under the mat.

At the end of the day I'm happy. I still don't know how I'll get back my car, if there is a bus station that go at least somewhere close to where it is or I need to wait next weekend to go “countryside” with my friends and pick it back.

However I did two things that for me were quite important, and showed to me that I still “can do it”

Any how, I am sure I'll have a deep sleep tonight!