11/11: Elba

I've done a poor job of journaling but today was far too great to not write about. We cruised all around the island in our rented vespas. It was a thrilling ride that I never thought I'd get to experience when I came to Europe.
We woke up around 8:30 and got some breakfast. I was feeling pretty stuffed up (I think I'm getting sick) but it felt better when I ate and drank. Then I met up with John and Matt from the other hotel and got ready to hit the road. Our Vespa gang consisted of myself and Danny, John and Berns, Matt and Crouchet, and Conor and Rachel. Our planned route was to explore the west coast of the Island, finding good beaches and cliffs until we reached Marina Campo and met up with the rest of the group.
I figured it would be hot the whole time so I wore only a t-shirt and shorts. However, once we hit the open road it got pretty cold at times. We ripped through green valleys and cruised steep coasts with breathtaking views. Some turns were nerve-wracking, especially with oncoming traffic. I found that riding solo was way easier than riding with someone on the back. But once I got the hang of it, it was so thrilling. Danny was a little nervous at first but I think his faith in my driving skills grew quickly. I'll never own a scooter because of the danger, but they're perfect for getting around an island like Elba.
We finally reached an empty beach that looked perfect. It had white sand and clear teal water. The sun was out and the water wasn't that cold. We swam for awhile and snacked. I saw some fish with my goggles and got stung by a jellyfish. It still stings a little as I'm writing this. The beach reminded me a lot of those I had been to in Mexico.
After that we made our way to Marina Campo. It was a huge beach with a narrow wooden pier. A lot of the group was already there swimming and lounging. There were some waves crashing on the surf so we body surfed for a long time. It was a lot of fun to get to catch waves again. Especially in mid-November.
As it started to get late and some threatening clouds began to move in, we decided to move on to a good spot to watch the sunset. Any beach facing west would do. Little did we know that we'd find the spot of absolute perfection. Danny was driving ow. He was a master at the wheel even with little experience. It seemed early in the afternoon, but at this time of the year the sun sets way sooner. We first came to a beach Jen had recommended, but we felt we could find a better vista farther down the road. Looking at the map, it looked like Inammorita, the beach located at the very end of the road, would be our best bet. So we followed the signs all the way there, catching some great views and hitting some windy hills. We finally reached Inammorita, a coastal ghost town inhabited by more cats than people. There was almost no one there. We explored a little and then hit the beach. We posted up on some rocks above the sand. Even though it was only about 4:30, the sky was already turning pink. We watched the entire thing (or so we thought) for an hour and left after the sun fell below the hazy mountains in the distance.
We got on the bikes and planned on getting back to Porto Azzuro ASAP because we were cold. As we climbed the hil above Inammorita, however, we pulled over and looked out over the sea. Both the water and sky were a deep bright magenta. It was the type of sunset you only see in photos or paintings but you never actually believed existed. We continued on, ripping along the winding coast on cliffs that overlooked the burning horizon. It was the ultimate high. When we finally came to a stop at Porto Azzuro, I asked John and Miller, "How alive do you feel right now?"
The next day, John, Matt, and I woke up before dawn and rolled out on our vespas to catch the sunrise. We sat on some rocks overlooking the sea and watched the sun appear from below the sea and light up the sky. Then we took a scenic route back to Porto Ferraio and then returned our vespas. I already miss the feeling of cruising along the coast at 60 km/hr with the salty wind on my face.

Notes from Elba

• Once again this is another place that I would like to return to in the spring. It will join the list of Capri and Croatia.
• Although last year only one person crashed their vespa (my older knight brother Matt Langedyke), this year I'm guessing about eight damaged theirs. In fact, the majority of people who rented vespas crashed them. Some had to pay fines as high as 400 euro. Mine was returned unscathed, even though three different people were driving it: myself, Danny, and Jen. Way to go guys.