Totally OT - Tuscanny Cycling Trip
#1
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Thread Starter
Totally OT - Tuscanny Cycling Trip
First of all my apologies for posting this totally OT thread. If doing this makes you mentally erect I am sorry, but my only Porsche pals are here in 993 land....
So, for my road and MB friends cycling here....
Some of you know I was heading to Italy for a Trek Travel 'Performance Ride' from May 22nd through the 27th. I got back a few days ago and thought I'd post a note and a link to the photos.
First of all, if you ride road bikes, riding in Tuscanny is like going to cycling heaven. The climbs are tough, the downhills thrilling, the weather perfect, the roads are narrow but smooth as a pool table, the drivers courteous, the scenery breath-taking and the food and wine not to be believed.
Trek Travel put on an absolute 'Five Star' trip, with great guides, accomodations, bikes (New Madone CF 5.2's) and planning. There were twenty cyclist from the US, Canada, France, Saudi and Spain - man could some of these guys and gals ride! Some of the climbs were as long as 22 km (about 13 miles) of continuous climbing of probably 7 to 8 degrees. The engineering that went into these roads was perfect - they never vary in pitch from the top to the bottom. Gotta love those Italian road egineers.
It turned out to be nicest and friendliest group of people you could imagine and I made many new friends from the different countries. The only 'bad' part of the whole trip was saying goodbye to everyone. I think everyone would have preferred to have kept on riding. Reality sucks sometimes.
For any of you cyclists, I would give a major endorsement to Trek Travel if you have an interest in a Performance or Luxury cycling tour. They are a class act.
Photos follow. Scroll through them fast as a lot are just the faces of the other riders. Sea-side photos at the end are family south of Rome that I went to visit in Gaeta.
BTW, the handsome chap in the red jersey is yours truly.
http://community.webshots.com/album/357252012tQaGjw
So, for my road and MB friends cycling here....
Some of you know I was heading to Italy for a Trek Travel 'Performance Ride' from May 22nd through the 27th. I got back a few days ago and thought I'd post a note and a link to the photos.
First of all, if you ride road bikes, riding in Tuscanny is like going to cycling heaven. The climbs are tough, the downhills thrilling, the weather perfect, the roads are narrow but smooth as a pool table, the drivers courteous, the scenery breath-taking and the food and wine not to be believed.
Trek Travel put on an absolute 'Five Star' trip, with great guides, accomodations, bikes (New Madone CF 5.2's) and planning. There were twenty cyclist from the US, Canada, France, Saudi and Spain - man could some of these guys and gals ride! Some of the climbs were as long as 22 km (about 13 miles) of continuous climbing of probably 7 to 8 degrees. The engineering that went into these roads was perfect - they never vary in pitch from the top to the bottom. Gotta love those Italian road egineers.
It turned out to be nicest and friendliest group of people you could imagine and I made many new friends from the different countries. The only 'bad' part of the whole trip was saying goodbye to everyone. I think everyone would have preferred to have kept on riding. Reality sucks sometimes.
For any of you cyclists, I would give a major endorsement to Trek Travel if you have an interest in a Performance or Luxury cycling tour. They are a class act.
Photos follow. Scroll through them fast as a lot are just the faces of the other riders. Sea-side photos at the end are family south of Rome that I went to visit in Gaeta.
BTW, the handsome chap in the red jersey is yours truly.
http://community.webshots.com/album/357252012tQaGjw
#5
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Alex,
Thanks for the note. No I didn't see any of the Giro, but everyone was following it like the World Series. I think one of the reasons the Italians are SO courteous to cyclists is that they see it as their national sport.
Thanks for the note. No I didn't see any of the Giro, but everyone was following it like the World Series. I think one of the reasons the Italians are SO courteous to cyclists is that they see it as their national sport.
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#8
Mike, as all have said, thank you much for sharing! This is something I will do someday....when I stop spending money on the car, and start traveling more. The riding looks fantastic!! Thanks again!
#9
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Wow, didn't know Tuscany had climbs like that. After watching the Giro, I'm not too psyched to hit the Dolomites (at least on a bike). The Stelvio pass looked like one badass road, especially the gravel section at the top. I see your point about the pitch, though. The climbs on the Giro looked pretty constant in grade.
Cool, you've got one of the new Descente jerseys! I've got the blue one.
Cool, you've got one of the new Descente jerseys! I've got the blue one.
#12
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Thread Starter
Thanks guys. Trek has a California Wine Country 'Performance Ride' in October, which I am going to sign up for in a week or so.
Arrwin: Trek provided th Madone 5.2. Sweet road bike - very nice ride, especially if the road got rough at all. Same bike as my 2300 except for the CF center section. I brought all my measurements, pedals, Cateye, etc. Had the bike set-up and ready to ride in 20 minutes.
Arrwin: Trek provided th Madone 5.2. Sweet road bike - very nice ride, especially if the road got rough at all. Same bike as my 2300 except for the CF center section. I brought all my measurements, pedals, Cateye, etc. Had the bike set-up and ready to ride in 20 minutes.
#15
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Thread Starter
Originally Posted by ibdavid
Mike, could you send me details on that ride, I just may join ya!
The link is: http://www.trektravel.com/Trips/05_S...y/Overview.php
It is the 'Specialty Performance' ride in October. It would be a blast to go with someone you know and a fellow Porsche owner.