Operation Cycle Tuscany - Day 12: Arrivederci Roma!

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” 
                                                                                                                                                        ― Pat Conroy

Mimi & I set off this morning, after a very full day yesterday, for a more relaxed exploration of the rest of the city.  We had seen most of the most important sites, and wanted to take it a little easy today (didn't happen!).  We set off first for the church of San Pietro in Vicoli (St. Peter in Chains).  This church contains Michelangelo's Moses sculpture, as well as the relic of the chains that bound St. Peter.  When Mom and I were here more than 20 years ago, we climbed the steep staircase to the top of the hill, only to find the church closed.  When Mimi and I went today, we climbed the steep staircase to the top of the hill, only to find the church closed until 3 p.m.!  We decided to wander some more, get a bite to eat, and head back!

We went by the Trevi Fountain, which was a river of humanity despite the fact that the entire monument is being renovated, has no water, and is surrounded by fencing, and covered by scaffolding.  Short visit!  

Now we headed to Santa Maria Maggiore, a beautiful Basilica on the top of the Esquiline Hill. It was a relief to be able to take our time and see all we wanted to see without the enormous (and often rude) crowds.  This basilica houses the Crypt of the Nativity under the altar, which is said to hold a piece of wood from the crib of the Nativity.  It is also interesting and unusual for some of the gruesome artwork on the tombs of Popes buried there.

After a bite to eat, we went back to San Pietro in Vicoli.  Again, we were able to wander without large crowds, and really spend some time seeing the things we wanted to see.  This is much less ornate church, but beautiful as well, and it is wonderful to see the Michelangelo close up, without the crowds (and free).  

The chains that bound St. Peter

This city is crazy expensive! I wish the government officials would invest some of the outrageous money spent here to hire some of the Disneyland sweepers.  One good day of sweepers could do a lot to clean up the trash all over the streets.  When you look up, it's spectacular; when you look down, it's filthy.

We headed back to the hotel to unpack, rearrange, and repack, trying to figure out how to get our purchases home without going over the weight limit!  Then off to dinner at Malafemmena ("Bad Women") -- a recommendation of our bartender.  It is known for its fresh fish and its owner, Angelo.  They brought us Prosecco to start, and then showed us the fresh fish (practically still wriggling).  Jeanne and I had wonderful pasta, and Chris and Mimi split a sea bass dish, again set to beautiful music at an outdoor table.  After dinner, Angelo brought us Limoncello and biscotti.  

Limoncello.  Yummy!

Great food (expensive), and Angelo sent us on our way with kisses and roses!  A beautiful ending to this trip.

Salute!

"Farewell Italy, with your lakes, and your mountains, and your wonderful people.     Goodbye, dear Italy.  No I'm not going to say 'Goodbye,' I'm going to say 'Arrivederci'!"  Lucy.  "Bicycle Trip"

Operation Cycle Tuscany: Day 11 -- Veni, Vidi, Vici

“I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” ― Mary Anne Radmacher

We've had a very full day in Roma!  Jeanne told us as we began the trip that she had booked a private Segway tour of Rome for this morning!  With some trepidation, we went to the Segway office, met Marcello, our tour leader, and did some "training."  If you've ever been in Rome, by car, cab, or on foot, you know that you're taking your life in your hands each time you venture out. ( In addition, you might be aware of the fact that the billionaire owner of Segway drove his vehicle off a cliff, to his death).  But we are four travelers who just spent a week riding up and down the hills of Tuscany! I'm here on the other side of the adventure, telling you we did it!

The experience was really fun, and the Segways surprisingly intuitive and easy to use.  We were able to (despite our aching backs, sore knees, and ruined feet) go up and down hills with ease, and go all over Rome.  Marcello kept us away from sites with more car traffic (e.g. the Vatican, the Spanish Steps), and took us to many other fascinating places (the Colosseum, a view into the Forum from the hill, Michelangelo's Piazza del Campidoglio -- pictured above).  He was very informative and interesting, and we had a really great time.  I highly recommend this mode of travel.

We went directly from our Segway tour to our private Vatican tour (the 4 of us, plus Abby and her dad, Ken, who were on the bike trip with us).  The tour was arranged by VBT (the cycling company), and had its high points and its low points.  The high points involved the fact that our tour leader, Frank, is one of 15 official Vatican tour leaders so he knows the ins and outs, the best times and worst, the things to see and the things we could skip.  We jumped lines, went through secret passages to private entrances, and skipped a lot of the crowds.  We went through the museum first, and then on to the Sistine Chapel.  Finally, Frank dropped us off at St. Peter's Basilica, to look around on our own.    We could never have gotten through as quickly and efficiently without Frank, and could not have seen all that we did.  However, the low point was also Frank.  As a tour leader, he left a lot to be desired.  Rather than caring what we wanted to see, or giving us actual information about the Vatican, the pieces we were seeing, or the history of the place, he gave us a political/philosophical lecture about the history of Rome (with very little about the Vatican itself), U.S. politics, and other irrelevant subjects (Monica Lewinsky?).  He also seemed to take some pride in proving that he is brilliant and we are stupid.  The entire tour consisted of exchanges like: "Was da Vinci an artist or a scientist?"  "Both."  "No.  You're wrong.  Even though he developed the first bicycle, no one could figure out how to use it for 300 years."  or, "Is this piece Aristotelian or Platonion?"  Answer: (it doesn't matter.  Whichever we answered we were wrong).  Or, "Who is the center of focus in this painting?"  "Jesus."  "No.  You're wrong. The center of focus is really Mary."  This went on and on for 3 hours.  After about an hour, his voice just sounded like, "Wah, wah, wah, wah."  None of us answered his questions, and he never had time for any of ours.  Pretty long 3 hours.

Tour leader Frank, aka Dr. Bore-ass

I have to add one more (negative) bit of commentary about the tour.  Call me old fashioned, but it seems to me that when one enters the Sistene Chapel (which clearly states the dress code restrictions - no shorts or sleeveless tops--, the "no photo" requirement, and the Silence required instructions), one might expect people respectfully dressed, quiet, and not taking pictures.  It's very aggravating to see people dressed unbelievably inappropriately, talking in full voice (and then hearing the shushing), and taking flash pictures!  It was very disturbing and frustrating, but one more good thing about Frank and his influence was that he instructed us to sit in the back and wait until they closed the doors for the evening (we went in, deliberately, in the last group of the night, through a secret passage!), and until most of the regular tours left.  Then, when the Chapel was practically empty, we were able to sit quietly at the back and really take in the beauty.  It should be that way always.

We walked back from the Vatican -- a nice walk because the evening was cooler, and the streets were much less crowded -- and had another delicious meal.  We all ordered different pastas, and split and switched.  Yummy.

Back to the hotel for some much needed rest!

Operation Cycle Tuscany: Day 10 -- Bound for Rome

All Roads lead to Rome.

                                                   -Milliarium Aureum

This morning we left Agriturismo Montebelli and boarded the bus for the nearly 3 hour ride to Rome.  We were all beat, and most of us slept most of the way. 

Chris & Jeanne, ready to roll

Jacob and Harry, sad to be leaving

 When we checked into the Visconti Palace Hotel, we were ready to crash, but decided we'd better keep moving!  Some of us walked around the city (pretty hot and dirty), to the Spanish Steps and to lunch.  Then, back to the hotel for a nap!

On the Spanish Steps

Chris, Jeanne, and David with their Grande Birras.  When we got the check, we saw they were 13 Euros each!!

After naps, we headed to Piazza Navona to meet most of our fellow travelers for a last dinner.  The food was wonderful, the weather was perfect, and the company was fabulous.  We've really bonded with these people, and have established relationships that I'm sure will continue long after this trip.  The dinner was almost magical as we talked and laughed and ate, all to the background music of the street musicians.  A perfect way to end our time together!

Operation Cycle Tuscany: Day 9 -- The Last Ride

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”                                                                                                                           ― Ernest Hemingway

The whole gang getting ready for the final ride

Hard to believe this day is here.  We've been dreaming and planning and training and anticipating this for months, and it's almost over.  Today was our last cycling day.  It was an "easy" day (amazing how relative that has become over the course of the week!): only 16.4 miles.  We rode over rolling hills through more beautiful country today -- farms, and olive trees, and more sunflowers -- to a pretty seaside town, Castiglione della Pescaia.  We strolled through the town, ate fantastic pizza at a beachfront restaurant, and enjoyed one another's company for one more day.

















Then we went back to the Agriturisma for a nap (the first of the trip!  I'm a napper from way back, and can't believe how full each day has been) and then some relaxing time by the pool with our fellow travelers.  The belly flop contest below will give you an idea of the fun times we've experienced and the wonderful people we've met this week!

Some musings on the week of riding and traveling:

• It's pretty hard to have a bad meal in Italy
• I don't know if we've had a fair representation, but these are the hardest beds and flattest pillows I've ever laid my weary body on
• Every day of riding went something like this:  Look at the beautiful countryside; This is NOT a rolling hill;  Oh my God, I am not having fun; I think I might die right here beside the road; Is that the top of the hill?; (Upon reaching the top) I made it; Look at the beautiful countryside; I love this ride; I'm having so much fun; (Back up) This is NOT a rolling hill; Oh my God, I am not having fun; I think I might die right here beside the road; Is that the top of the hill?...
• When in doubt, if you're a picky eater, choose the vegetarian meal (I avoided venison and boar by this smart move)
• I can do a lot of things I never thought I'd be able to do
• The only difference between Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and a cab ride in Italy is that the obstacles on the cab ride are real people and vehicles, not cardboard
• Despite my aches and pains, I'm proud of what my body did this week
• Having a little boy shout, "Buongiorno" as I ride by makes almost all the pain go away
• I really enjoy gelato
• The cycling is of minimal importance, the traveling and seeing the country is of moderate importance, the interactions with people and the relationships formed is of utmost importance.

Operation Cycle Tuscany: Day 8 -- Downhill at Last!

“One of those flash epiphanies of travel, the realization that worlds you'd love vibrantly exist outside your ignorance of them. The vitality of many lives you know nothing about. The breeze lifting a blue curtain in a doorway billows just the same whether you are lucky enough to observe it or not. Travel gives such jolts. I could live in this town, so how is it that I've never been here before today?”                            ― Frances Mayes, A Year in the World: Journeys of a Passionate Traveller

We spent our last night at the beautiful seaside resort and a group of us caught a ride to the top of the hill, rather than starting the day with a long climb.  We traded the burning quads on the uphill ride for the sheer terror of the fast, winding ride up the hill, driven by Michele.  Michele is the same man who owns and runs one of the most celebrated olive mills in Tuscany, where we ate lunch and tasted oils.  (Incidentally - before he bought and renovated his acres of olive trees, he apparently was the hairdresser to the stars in Milan!).  We white-knuckled it around bends, barely passing cyclists and large trucks.  Many of us second-guessed our decision to take the ride!  At the end, the gregarious Michele asked us, "Good ride, huh?"  When he saw our faces he said, "I drive slow for you, yes?"  Mimi told him, "Yes.  Slow like Mario Andretti!"

Our friend, Michele, aka Mario Andretti!

The ride down the hill was absolutely spectacular.  The views around every turn were postcard perfect, and the long downhill was exhilarating.  We went into a beautiful little town, Sureveto, for a little sightseeing and shopping.  We watched some local children kicking a soccer ball, and when Mimi started videotaping them, they were shouting and waving, "Hello, America!"  Beautiful.

We continued down the hill, and through the valley toward lunch in Montioni when Mimi realized she no longer had her phone in her back jersey pocket.  After mentally retracing our steps, we remembered she had made a stop "behind the green door," a cycling term for a nature pit-stop, some 10 km back!  We continued toward the lunch stop when Paolo came by with the van.  Mimi sheepishly told him what had happened, and he loaded her and her bike into the van to go back to find the "green door."  I continued on to lunch, and was so happy when they returned a short time later, phone in hand!

Our leaders, Paolo and Timothy, are funny, patient, informative, and positive people, and are adding so much to this trip.  They work tirelessly from dawn 'til dark, and are wonderful people.  We are very lucky to have this pair.

Timothy and Paolo -- our fearless leaders!

After lunch, we shuttled to our next "home," Agriturismo Montebelli.  It is a beautiful property, nestled in a canyon.  We checked in, and Mimi and I went horseback riding.  I rode Louis, and Mimi rode Aspen -- both retired racehorses.  We rode through the beautiful valley, and to the top of the hill above the property.  Very fun, and beautiful views.  On the way up a steep hill, our guide, Carlotta, told me to hold a short rein, and keep my hands low because this is the part of the ride where Louis sometimes forgets he is no longer a race horse and takes off running with clients!  Do you think she might have mentioned this little fact earlier?  In any case, Louis was a perfect gentleman and we had a really fun ride!

Back to the agriturisma for another wine tasting, and then a giant seafood barbecue buffet.  It was quite a spread, and despite the fact I don't eat the seafood, there was plenty of delicious food to eat.

Off to bed where we slept, maybe, 3 hours due to the fact that there were 2 swallows' nests in the hall outside our room, and apparently there were screeching bird wars all night long.  When I did sleep, I dreamt I was Tippi Hedren.  A very long, dreadful night!  Off in the morning for our last day of cycling.

Operation Cycle Tuscany: Day 7

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”

                                                                                    Albert Einstein

I must begin by saying that, in this cycling venture, we have become quite comfortable in bringing up the rear in our group.  After Day 2, when I felt pushed and angry and insufficient because I was struggling with the hills (only to find later that many other people had struggled too, and walked their bikes at least part way), I decided to honor the training we had done rather than feel I was somehow "less than" those that were superior cyclists and seemed to be handling all this with aplomb.  I decided that this is my vacation, and even if others wanted to see us move faster or take the longer, harder, routes, that wasn't going to happen if I was uncomfortable with it.  I decided that I would stop and look around and take pictures and rest when my face turned purple, and listen to the birds and the trees, and understand my limitations while appreciating the beauty around us.  This was not supposed to be a competition, and although I am by nature competitive (with myself, if not others), I became content to be at the back of the pack every time.

We have some very experienced cyclists, and some twenty-somethings, and some competitive spirits, and that's great for them.  That's not me.  I'm determined to soak in this beautiful countryside while pushing myself to a reasonable limit.

With that background, I'll tell you that we (Mimi, Jeanne, and I) started out this day an hour and a half later than the others, because we chose to take the shorter route, and cut out the long, uphill loop that everyone else was riding this morning.  Paolo told us to leave at 11, since it was a short 10 km ride to our lunch spot, and everyone would be arriving from the longer ride around 11:30 or 11:45.  My first reaction was, "Have you seen us ride?"  We are not averaging 20 km/hr. on these hilly roads.  We decided to leave earlier than 11 (thank God), so we would have time to get to the town for lunch with the others.

We took off (everyone else, including the guides, was long gone), following the often-confusing written directions on our own.  The directions go something like this "Ride 2.1 km, until you come to the inverted Y with the panel on the left, and the yellow house on the right."  First of all, it's a little difficult to gauge 2.1 km.  Second of all, what's a panel?  Third, every house in Tuscany is some shade of yellow.  Anyway, off we went, and within 15 minutes we found ourselves threading our way through a construction site and forcing a backhoe to drop its load to let us through.  We decided we might, just might, be lost.  Mimi became a seasoned CSI investigator, trying to determine whether other bikes had recently traversed this gravel, messy road.  We retraced our steps (we thought) and found no familiar landmarks.  We rode around (in good humor, and having quite a good time I might add) until we found an older man on his bicycle.  "Parle Inglese?" "Non."  We showed him our directions, and he began explaining to Mimi (in Italian) which way to go.  She was having no luck, but I discerned "No primo.  No secondo.  Si terzo."  Okay.  Take the third street to the roundabout.  Got it!  Grazie!

Mimi & Jeanne on the beautiful road to nowhere

We rode back 3 streets, turned right, and headed toward the nonexistent roundabout.  Uh, oh.  After meandering through the streets for awhile longer (very interesting town!), we ran into the same gentleman!  We showed him our directions again, again he tried to explain where to go.  He gestured, "Wait here a minute," and rode down the street (to his house?) where he went in and rode back with a map.  When we still didn't get it, he finally said, "seguimi," pointing to himself.  Non capisco.  Then he said, "Apres moi."  Finally, a language I could understand.  "Follow me."  And off he pedaled.  He took us back to the right road (and wanted to take us back to our hotel, insisting we should be going to the beach), and we were back on track.  

A kind stranger who tried to give us directions in Italian, and finally hopped on his bike and led us back to the right route!

So, our "quick 10 km ride" became a 17.5 km adventure!  We got to lunch after everyone else, but acted quite nonchalant about it all.  Unless some of our touring friends are reading this, no one is the wiser!  The best part of the morning is that the 3 of us had a fun, relaxing, enjoyable time, and we met people and saw sights we would have missed had we been on the fast track.

Mimi's idea regarding where the directions belonged!

After our adventure, we ate lunch at an olive farm and olive oil mill, and learned about the process from the owner before tasting oils and eating another fantastic meal.  On the ride back to the hotel, we went to a bike shop in a small town and bought authentic, Italian cycling jerseys.  Very fun.

Back to the hotel for a relaxing couple of hours on the beach, and then dinner on our own in the little resort town.  A really fun and rewarding day.

See the sign in the ditch?  Is it any wonder we got a little lost????

Operation: Cycling through Tuscany -- Day 6

The trouble with eating Italian food is that five or six days later you're hungry again.
                                                                                               George Miller

This morning, we packed up and cycled away from the lovely Agriturisma Elisabetta.  We pedaled along the coast on the Cecina Mare promenade on another perfect day. You've got to love the "accommodations" at the beach at the Mediterranean resorts. 

We followed the Strada del Vino, and drove down the Cypress Avenue, and through the Pine Forest.  In the pine forest, I got conked on the head by a large pine cone (thank God I had the helmet!).  It sounded & felt like a giant boulder, but apparently was good luck (although later, our group leader, Paolo, told the story of a famous Italian singer who was hit on the head by a pine cone and could no longer sing.  Good news.  I can still sing!).  We had been hunting for pine cones in order to harvest the pine nuts, but couldn't find a good one.  More good news!  The pine cone that conked me was perfect for pine nuts.

We next rode to the little town of Bolgheri in the Castagneto Carducci region, famous for its vineyards and world renowned wines.  We ate lunch there and explored the town, buying wines and drinking espresso.

Sharing a delicious panini lunch with Paul, the oldest member of our group, and the most hardcore biker.  He has kicked everybody's butt, doing every extra loop and climb!

Mimi sharing a laugh and an espresso with Richard and Debbie.  We've really enjoyed our conversations and laughs with them and with their wonderful sons.

After lunch, some more beautiful riding to our next "home," the Tombolo Talasso Resort in Marina Di Castagneto (26.2 miles later).  This is a beautiful, oceanfront resort with a private beach, which we immediately enjoyed!  Despite dire warnings, Jeanne took some pictures of Mimi & me frolicking in the sea, but I will spare you the pain and just include my feet, which are not much prettier (note the inflamed bunion from the uphill pushes!).

The highlight of the day was the trip to the home of Chicca, who has written books on Tuscan cooking.  The whole gang got a brief course in Tuscan cooking, and the various dishes we were creating, and then we got to work.  It was so much fun, and by this time in the trip we had gotten to know most of our fellow travelers pretty well.  This experience "bonded" us even more.  They're a fun, friendly, engaging group, and everyone pitched in (except, strangely, looking at the pictures, Jeanne is nowhere to be found!). We made and ate a feast of gnocchi, puttanesca sauce, risotto, vegetables, panzanella, bruschetta, and more.  This may have been the best meal I've ever eaten!

Steve and Susan.  Susan stuck with us
 (at the back of the pack) for many of the rides!

Chicca, above, is demonstrating how to get pine nuts from a pine cone (not as easy as it sounds!).  She is using the very same cone that conked me on the head in the pine forest :).

Susan, Debbie, and Harry, hard at work

Mimi, teaching Jacob how to "causally stir" the sauce

The final products.  Hungry?

If we thought we'd lose weight on this trip, we were crazy!

Operation Cycle Tuscany: Day 5 -- This is "Moderate" riding?

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and can coast down them. ... Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motorcar only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.

                                                                                                            Ernest Hemingway

We started off early this morning, on a beautiful route, on a beautiful day (we'd had rain predicted, heavy at times, for most of this week and have had nothing but sunshine and temps in the 70's).  The countryside around here is indescribably lovely, and we have to stop and gape, and take some photos every few kilometers.  

 We rode for many kilometers, through beautiful country, over rolling hills.  We rode to the sea, and dipped our feet in the Mediterranean!

Then we got to the part on the map that cautioned, "Uphill.  Switch to low gear."  And we climbed.  And climbed.  And climbed.  Then I started swearing and pouting.  Eventually, Mimi told our guide (for me) to get off our f*?!ing tails and let us ride at our own pace (Okay, that's what I heard her say, but she actually was a lot nicer).  I pointed out that this was supposed to be vacation, and I WAS NOT HAVING FUN!  We climbed some more, and I bitched some more, and we rested some more, and still we climbed, never giving up, and SURE we'd reach the top (and the picnic lunch) around the next bend.

 This looks like the last photo people take before they go missing.  Note the color of my face.  This is near the end (not near enough) of a 7.5 mile uphill push to the top of a mountain.  Also note the bike on the ground.  Mimi is lying somewhere nearby, but I was hallucinating and taking a really bad selfie, so I didn't really care!

Later in the day, Mimi convinced our fellow tour members that her name, Mimi, in Italian means, "When tired, lie down and rest in the shade of a tree."

We did finally make it (me, in very poor humor.  My habit of cheerily shouting "Buongiorno!" to passing cyclists had long passed) to the top of the mountain, to a beautiful, medieval town overlooking the fields and the sea, where our tour leaders had provided a wonderful picnic lunch! 

In the town, we went into a tiny leather shop where this young man was making beautiful things.  He made a belt for Mimi!

The trip back down the hill was significantly easier, and I was having fun again.  We rode 3 km through a pine forest near the sea.  Incredible.  We rode a total of 28.44 miles today.

Then back to the hotel for a rest by the pool and another fantastic 3 hour dinner.  We've been getting to know our fellow travelers, and we got so lucky.  They're a fun, interesting group of people including a wonderful couple from New Hampshire (we already got an invite to stay with them or in their cabin the next time we're in NH), a couple and their 2 sons-- 3 from California (he's a television and film writer) and one son from New York.  Bright, funny, interesting people.  Also, a principal and her husband from Massachusetts via Atlanta.  She's been our riding pal, because she's more concerned with the sights and the safety than the speed (which is another way of saying, we have secured the place of "last ones in")!  A bright, spunky young woman from Northern California and her dad.  They're so cute riding/hanging out together.  The trip photographer, who is a really sweet, interesting guy.  He has expressed his appreciation for the welcoming nature of our group of 4, and said he's never felt less like the odd man out on a trip.  Of course, Chris and Jeanne have been the social butterflies, bringing the whole group together.  Everyone knew Chris' name by the end of the first evening!

Tomorrow we ride along the beach promenade, through a pine forest, and through a cypress forest.  The guides promise the hills will be shorter, rolling hills.  I'm beginning to doubt them, but looking forward to tomorrow, and our move to a resort hotel on the Mediterranean.

Operation Cycle Tuscany: Day 4 - Florence to Cecina

We had a long, full, day today.  We started our last day in Florence by walking to the Duomo.  Then Mimi & I caught a cab to the NYU Florence "campus."  My niece, Gabriella, will be spending her first year of college there, beginning in August, so we decided to check out her digs.  I was expecting to arrive at a single, nondescript building on the outskirts of town, but was amazed to find the campus is more than 50 acres, with 5 beautiful, large villas, formal gardens, statuary, and art pieces.  After a little problem with language and security (apparently, guests are not allowed on campus, and are only admitted with an appointment.  The gate we drove through was supposed to be locked, and as soon as our cab drove away, an Italian security guard came out yelling!), we toured the grounds and met the Head of Student Affairs.  Lovely woman, lovely school.  I'm so excited for Gabriella to get started.  She'll love it!

Gabriella's new school

View through the gardens to Florence below

Then we began packing up for our farewell to Florence.  The VBT (Vermont Bike Tours) motor coach picked us up at noon, and we were off to the next phase of our adventure!

We drove about 2 hours to Cecina, near the coast of the Mediterranean.  We checked into AgriHotel Elisabetta, a beautiful inn with a view of the sea in the distance, surrounded by acres and acres of vineyards and olive orchards.  After a briefing and bike fitting with our tour guides, Paolo and Timothy, we were off!  Today was just a "brief warm-up ride" to get used to our bikes (easy, because we bought the same ones at home) and the terrain.  The ride was beautiful, and I channeled my inner Lucy, riding through the Italian countryside!  I even greeted a farmer with, "Buona Sera!" but did not stop to hear about his molti bambini, or milk a cow (If you're not a Lucy fan, don't worry about this, but her bicycle ride in Italy and France is priceless -- "Show me your pass-a-port!").  

Cycling the back roads of Italy

A perfect day for a bike ride!

The warm-up ride was 8.68 miles, with a 280 foot elevation change.  The real riding begins tomorrow.

After the ride, we returned to the hotel to change and have a briefing, wine tasting, and dinner.  All of the people in our group (18) seem really nice, and the leaders are funny and warm and very helpful.  We went downstairs to meet the wacky, entertaining, and hilarious Luigi, the owner of the agraturisma, chief wine maker, and hotelier.  He told us a complete history of wine-making in Italy (using our guide Timothy as a translator) while he poured wines.  Very entertaining!

Finally, we had a 3 hour long dining experience with more food than I've ever seen (salads, appetizers, pasta, fish, veal parmesan, desserts, wines, ...).  It was delicious, and I don't think I'll ever be hungry again!

Tomorrow, we're off on a "real" ride.  It's kind of crazy that we're actually riding after all the anticipation, preparation, and shopping we've done!  Trying to take in every minute.