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.