I never normally take the same trip twice unless I'm visiting family. Giro d'Italia winner Andy Hampsten (he's still the only American to have ever won this grand tour) and his wife Elaine practically feel like family now, after my second participation in their Cinghiale "Cooking & Cycling Tour." It's a 2-piggy tour (on a 4-piggy difficulty scale), so I can still keep up with the group rides through Tuscany.
UPDATE: Here are photos from the trip on flickr... https://flic.kr/s/aHsm4KjqKJ
With moderate mileage and mountains of food, I actually gained weight on this trip. It was SO worth it. The food & wine were incredible. The riding was dreamy. There's this one stretch of road that's maybe a 2% grade but it's so scenic that I feel like I'm going downhill in both directions.
I'm writing this blog two weeks after my return. Just as I did last time I took this tour (2014), I'm going through withdrawal, wishing I was there again. This time around I also rode my bike around Lake Como. Lake Como has always been on my bucket list, so getting the opportunity to enjoy a guided tour around the lake made my bucket "runneth over."
Thanks to Andy & Elaine at www.cinghiale.com and Pietro & Maryann at www.bicyclinginitaly.com for showing me a really good time in such beautiful parts of a beautiful country. I'll never forget such blissful road bike riding.
UPDATE: Here are photos from the trip on flickr... https://flic.kr/s/aHsm4KjqKJ
With moderate mileage and mountains of food, I actually gained weight on this trip. It was SO worth it. The food & wine were incredible. The riding was dreamy. There's this one stretch of road that's maybe a 2% grade but it's so scenic that I feel like I'm going downhill in both directions.
I'm writing this blog two weeks after my return. Just as I did last time I took this tour (2014), I'm going through withdrawal, wishing I was there again. This time around I also rode my bike around Lake Como. Lake Como has always been on my bucket list, so getting the opportunity to enjoy a guided tour around the lake made my bucket "runneth over."
Thanks to Andy & Elaine at www.cinghiale.com and Pietro & Maryann at www.bicyclinginitaly.com for showing me a really good time in such beautiful parts of a beautiful country. I'll never forget such blissful road bike riding.