Hi Conrad.
Slightly surprised to hear from you - I clearly misread your last post as a polite Italian way of saying "thanks but no
thanks - sod off and let me sort stuff myself", which I should stress I didn't take umbrage at.
### edit - see my post pps below - maybe you deleted something.
Also, when I said north or south towards Cagliari, I meant immediately north or south of the main road west to east.
Anyway, some quick notes/thoughts on your chosen route (am not trying to change it) and stuff close by which may be of interest/use.
@ Just before Buggerru in a place possibly called San Nicolao (which hardly exists) there is a nice small cemetery - you can't miss it as it is on the road you will be cycling on. I can't be certain but I have a memory that it might have one or two pieces by the aforementioned master. If not, there is some stuff of interest. Like many cemeteries in Sardinia though it does have somewhat odd/infrequent opening hours so may be shut. I was once gently mocked by an elderly Sard for expecting a cemetery to be open in the afternoon - but then I think that was the old Sard habit of generalising from very restricted local even family experience. They have longer hours in the north of the island I think. I am of course assuming that you share my interest in Italian cemeteries
@ Buggerru - by the way donkey's years ago I once slept in a tent pitched on the cindered football pitch you will see from above the town. Probably wouldn't do it now - the place is much "improved".
You will of course have to drop down to see the place and then climb back out but it is worth doing - a nice little place with a harbour and some history - there is a memorial to some miners killed in a strike. For, hard to believe now, this was an industrial area.
@ Cala Domestica - further south. I am pretty sure there will be a sign to this. A bit of a detour to the coast but well worth seeing. Nice place to pause. This was apparently the location for "Sebastiane", a film by the arty Brit director
Derek Jarman - lots of men in roman dress but more often I think out of it. The first British film ever to be filmed in Latin. And the last.
As you travel further south on the main coast road there is a pretty horrendous long climb at some point - just grin and bear it but be aware of it when timing the ride.
@ Masua - reachable from here is the pretty incredible Porto Flavia (google image it) but it will probably be shut and not convenient for you to visit anyway.
@ Nebida - From memory there is a bit of a descent to this and you may be tempted to sing to the sky and whizz on by but do stop. Pull into the carpark on the right/coast-side of the road. From close to there there is a panoramic walkway (you could ride if in a hurry and polite) which goes round the headland with a beautiful view. On the furthest extreme of it there is a even a bar. But may be shut of course. After the bar as you walk round there is, from memory, a small memorial to, I think, a carabinieri officer possibly from the 1940s. If you can find out from a local I would be very interested to know the story behind this.
@ Gonnesa - much improved - one or two Sards have scoffed about this place to me in that Sard/possibly Italian way about the next place along the road but I visited a few years ago and it has clearly been improved. Quite nice. Worth popping in to.
@ Portoscuso - a pretty long time since I have been that way but I remember it being rather industrial.
But near there is a nuraghe, Seruci, worth popping to if you haven't had your fill of them in the rest of the island.
@ Cortoghiana - could I think be reached by a back road from the nuraghe but it would be a bit of a detour from your route. It's a Fascist era town/dormitory town - pretty uncompromising architecturally but I find it interesting. Pretty much all complete though the church has gone - it must surely have been used for films? I can never remember whether it was built just before or just after nearby Carbonia, which is also a Fascist creation.
As I say if you have any questions ask away and I will help if I can.
Yes, I know Sardinia pretty well - sometimes it seems as if I have been up all the roads, but since a lot of them were in car I have forgotten a lot. I have also though cycled a fair bit and have cyled the route described above.
I will tap down more thoughts on the rest of your planned route to Cagliari when I have a bit more time.
Happy cycling
