Saturday, April 14, 2007
Italy 2007
This September Bill (Bubba) Marengo will once again head to Italy to the Italian Cycling Center for this annual cycling retreat. Imagine... one month of cycling in one of the most beautiful terrains in the world, sampling fresh, authentic cusuine, and sipping (or gulping as the case may be) Italian Reds. Well, no need to dream... join Bill and a number of other cycling enthusiasts on the trek to Italy. Email Bubba for details at bill@BicycleEmporium.com
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This trip is the one for the true roadie. You just can't explain how much fun it is in Italy... Just go.
If you have ever wanted to ride the pro's route's this is the chance. You can join us in the Veneto region of Italy this September. We will tiur factories, stop by the best bakery/coffe place you have ever been to and have a blast seeing this great place. Call Bubba or Mark at the shop and get your ticket if you dare...
Arrevaderchi....... Gianluca
This twas the Shizzzneaka trip. Surreal! Pictures to prove it....
http://web.mac.com/kirenosredna/Site/Italian_Vacation/Italian_Vacation.html
This twas the Shizzzneaka trip. Surreal! Pictures to prove it....
http://web.mac.com/kirenosredna
After years of seeing the photos and hearing of how great it is to ride in Italy I finally told Bubba "sign me up". I packed the Colnago and with expectations of cycling heaven off we went. After 450 miles and 34000 ft of climbing, countless bottles of red, 700+ photographs,great food, friendly people, I only can say...why did I wait so long to make this trip? I expected to enjoy the trip but it was even better. Some days the rides left me wishing I had trained harder leading up to our little "Giro de Italia", but a little wine with lunch, a great dinner and a good nights sleep and it was time to ride again. The trip was hard on my legs, but it was so mentally relaxing. Hours of climbing switchbacks rewarded at each turn with a new breathtaking views, screaming descents that test your nerve...these things made one thing very difficult...coming home.
We've been back from Italy for a while now. A day after returning, giving myself the excuse of fighting lag I went riding in the Auburn area, but I really went out trying to find Italia. I rode down to the most European-style cafe I could think of and ordered an espresso dopio. The woman looked at me cross-eyed and said "you mean double?' After I nodded, instead of answering "si, per favore," I stood at the counter near the barrista and began savoring my coffee. Just as I held up the paper cup to take a sip (it seems so crude to drink coffee from paper now instead of a ceramic cup with a saucer), the helpful woman behind the counter said "is there anything else you need?" I realized I was violating a cultural rule by standing at the counter to drink my coffee-- that's done in Italy not here. I was home.
I went from feeling like Dave in Breaking Away that comes home blowing kisses and greeting everyone with Buon Giorno! to the sad realization that even if I paid seven dollars for pint of "designer" gelato here in California it could never taste the same as when it was enjoyed in the surreal beauty of Veneto, the region a few miles northwest of Venice where we visited courtesy of Your Cycling Italia and it's owners Bill and Anna Speckman.
Bill Speckman led us on so many different rides in this amazingly varied terrain decorated with vineyards, mountains, and Italian hill town architecture, that it seemed like I was dreaming. Our groupo rode through towns that looked like you were watching the Giro on video, we rode through wine regions that made Napa Valley look like Wal Mart, we rode up classic climbs where cycling legends were born, the Dolomiti Range, Monte Grappa, and the spectacular hill towns of Marostica and Asolo.
After riding, and an excellent full meal for lunch, every afternoon we did some amazing excursion. Thanks to Bubba's mojo with Ernesto Colnago, we even got a royal tour of the Colnago factory and more importantly, the museum. Whoa, that museum. Every excursion we went on included cultural appreciation for the Italian Woman. Whoa, those women.
Me being me, I could go on describing our Veneto adventure endlessly. Instead of me boring you, come to Italy night at Bicycle Emporium and see for yourself what this trip is all about. If you travel to Veneto to experience Your Cycling Italia in the future, you will join me in dreaming of the moment your wheels are consecrated by the soil of cycling's homeland, and begin planning your return before you leave the country.
Arrivederci e Grazie. . . Marco Solo
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