What day is it? What time is it?

I love Italy. Did I mention that already? This is just the coolest place...and now I've been to quite a few other towns from Fano and they are all so quaint in their own, very unique way. Each I love for its own reason. Time has a totally different meaning here. I suppose it's appropriate that my attempt to keep time on my wrist keeps being somehow messed up. Two watches have been water logged in one way or another and I go timeless now. It's okay, though there are times we have to keep to since we're on the schedule of the tour.

Ciclismo Classico is doing a VERY amazing job of taking us from town to town (we get ride directions every morning and one guide rides with us and the other drives a nice van full of our bags, food, etc). Both of the guides are awesome and very accomplished cyclists (one is a former bike racer/trackie and the other is a triathlete).

From Fano, we rode to Urbino, where we spent last night. It's an amazing place. It's brick. Literally, the whole darn place is brick! And it has a very steep road that probably is around a 25% grade. The ride from Fano to Urbino was really fun--it was the first real day of riding (Sunday we went for a short spin to make sure the bikes fit correctly and give the group an idea as to how to read the route notes, but it was only 10k so very short). The Italian countryside is so picturesque...it's what you see in pictures, but it's real to me now. It never had been before.

There was a decent amount of climbing and I'm okay with admitting that I really enjoyed having a triple chain ring. Yep, you heard correctly. With these grades and constant rollers or climbing (all fairly steep), standard gearing would have my knees screaming at me. Also, I felt like I was climbing much faster than usual. Sure, there's oxygen here, that's nice, too.

After arriving in Urbino, it was an absolutely perfect summer evening so I didn't waste any time and picked up some gelatto, and did a bunch of other shopping. The highlight was a journal and some water. I found a natural food store (it was small). It was fun dealing with all of the shop owners who pretty much didn't speak any English at all. I was debating whether or not to buy some kamut croissants (croissants are big here...aren't those French?) A guy walked up and started commenting on them in Italian. I quickly let him know I didn't understand and he didn't speak English, yet he was still able to relay to me that he's a professor (Urbino has a lot of colleges in it), and he told me to immerse myself in the Italian language (like watching tv, etc in Italian) and I'll learn it. It was fun to understand so much just from hand gestures and both of us speaking the languages we know. I ended the day with a 1/2 hr massage (a little different there since there isn't as much privacy) but the girl was good and I haven't had a massagio for many months.

Dinner was yummy and I was a little late due to the massage. Again, yummy (not quite as fabulous as dinner had been the previous night in Fano), but still very good. Rabbit and boar were the highlights, but for me it was the very thin pasta noodles with raddichio cooked in and the dessert which was flan-like with different fruit/chocolate toppings. Pics later, it's hard to describe.

Now I'm in the middle of nowhere (still gorgeous, still wonderful). Town is called Pontebovescco. The ride here was awesome and I picked the extra loop to do which meant (since the other guests didn't do it except for two who went off on their own) that there was insane climbing, insane descending and I got to ride as hard as I could with our guide. It turned into a bigger/harder effort than anything I've done in months. Thank goodness there was a cool pool with jets (like a hot tub, but cold) where I spent significant time this evening. Time for a shower and a movie about Umbria (Gubbio, I believe that's where we're headed tomorrow).

Btw, I had some questions about safety--it's absolutely safe here (I'm not being stupid, the guides told us this), there's nothing to be concerned about and I'm being smart/wouldn't put myself in any sort of iffy situations.

Ciao! Buona notte!

Bikes, finally

Yesterday was great--Gina and I met a nice older Italian gentleman at lunch (Gianni) who took us to a gelateria for award-winning gelato--he knows the owner so it was a large glass full of chocolate, banana, cantalope & chocolate cookie gelato w/whipped cream and a wafer cookie. Molto buono!!!! He asked that we tell all our American friends of the wonders of their gelatto.

We went on a long walk, Gianni's English was pretty good so he told us a lot. We got a tour of his pride and joy--his boat. I felt a tickle in my throat and freaked out. All of the stress leading up to this trip set me up nicely to get sick. So I OD'd on vitamins and herbs, drank tons and went to bed before 8pm. I'm a little nasally today, but not sick.

This morning I attended mass after breakfast (love it that all Catholic masses are the same so I knew what was going on). After, wandered through Fano taking in the (closed) cute shops and narrow cobblestone streets.

We met with the tour group today to all meet each other over lunch and get familiar with trip protocol. Our leaders are Marcello and Frank--both Italians but Frank lived in Colorado for many years. The group is 10 big--everyone is from the Bay area (Cali) or Colorado except for 2 people, I think.

We did a quick ride to make sure the bikes are set right so the real mileage will be tomorrow. Tour of Fano tonight a piede (walking) and then dinner.

So far I haven't seen anyone fit the stereotypical Italian male (in attitude), everyone is warm, gracious--beautiful inside and out (with being very natural).

Buona notte!

Made it

Yesterday I arrived w/o any problem in Rome and it was super easy for my roommate, Gina, and me to meet up at the airport. Three train rides and a little over 5-6 hours later, we were in Fano, a beautiful beach town full of Italians and almost no Americans. Italians are still on holiday so the beach is packed, the water is warm and a gorgeous blue color. We were good about not sleeping yesterday as that would have been bad for jet lag. We went to the beach, swam, chatted with the locals on our limited Italian and their limited English. Recommendation for dinner was a place called Florida.

We came all this way to eat at Florida. Ha! I had a Guinness in a bottle (chocolatey and wonderful), and a thin-crust vegiteriana pizza--it had a lot of arugula on top and the sauce was wonderful. I'm guessing that is American style pizza, but lovely still. It was a nice outdoor setting, it is very much like paradise here. Bikes & Vespas line the streets, we're missing our bikes. My computer is having issues connecting to the internet, not sure why yet (using Gina's iPhone).

Today so far we're both being beach bums and are a little tired, but no sign of jet lag. Off to lunch now!

Ciao ciao.

The Trip has Begun!

I'm hanging out for a few hours in the Washington, Dulles airport awaiting an 8-hr flight to Italy. Thank goodness there's wifi here, I don't have my trusty iPhone so have felt all morning like I forgot something (like an arm or something of equal importance). I bought 2 hours and it's taken all of that time to finish up loose ends that I didn't have time to take care of in Denver. Skype calling has saved me. I was freaking out at the idea of using a pay phone. Oooh, did people use those once upon a time? $1/4 min talk within the US. Sounds not as cool as Skype calling on the cute Netbook. So far, it's connecting to the internet great (better than Linux systems used to).

Packing last night was dizzying with being excessively tired and probably a little more stressed than necessary considering that I was trying to pack so few things, but I still hardly had room for those basics. The bike stuff takes up a lot of room, and the helmet is outside of the bags (it'll be tossed promptly after the bike portion of the trip is over).

Everyone sitting around me is wearing nice shoes. Must be Italians. I'm feeling a bit too casually dressed. One has to wear pants, however, if one is wearing compression stockings (those that are used for patients). This is a test run for these. If they work here, I trust they'll work great after races, too. I digress.

Off to walking laps in the airport and shifting into sardine mode. Thank you to everyone who's emailed in the past day or so! More from Rome, maybe in Italiano!!!

The excitement has hit

I've been so looking forward to this trip; but it was only this morning when I literally flew out of bed that I realized the true excitement and adrenaline rush of what it means to actually be traveling to Europe oh so soon.

I'm almost packed and my place is nearly perfectly clean (can you believe it? I certainly can't!)

Still checking items off the list, there is a lot more yet to accomplish!

Packing Day #2

Yikes, it's nearly time to depart. There have been a few days since the last post & those have been completely non-packing days. Today a little happened, but there's been so much else with which I've needed to concern myself. At least now I can report having gone on a 4-hour climbing road ride yesterday (solo) and 2-hour today (with friends, thank goodness), so I have a little more confidence that my legs will be suited to the riding ahead. (It's more a confidence thing than anything else--it's too late now to gain any more fitness or strength.) And now my pedals and saddle are in the "Italy" pile growing on the floor. The next pedal stroke will be on Italian soil!

Tonight I went to a BBQ for my company and it was a really nice time to get to meet the significant others of my co-workers (those I haven't met before) and some co-workers are in from out-of-town. I finally was able to place much of the stress that's been building up continually out of my mind and relax a little. But still, I could use so much more time.

The more I talk about the trip, the more real it becomes, but yet I still cannot fathom what this new (old) world will be like. I'm excited, but in a different kind of way: without being able to imagine something, it will only become real when I'm actually there. The most exciting part, by a long shot, is (hopefully) meeting some cousins who live in/near the same old town where my Grandma spent a good deal of time when she was young. I've learned more about my Great Grandfather in the past week than I had ever known before--the trip has already shown its incredible value and I haven't gone anywhere yet.

Tonight I was debating out loud with my manager whether or not I should buy into the wine kitty. He feels very strongly that I should. I'm still luke-warm on it since it won't include any beer...they do have good beer in Europe, yes? It's not that far from Ireland, I should hope the Guinness is fresh. Hmmmmmmm...

Packing Day #1

Much of the fun of traveling is thinking about it and preparing for it. Since I have absolutely no idea what to expect, what things will look like, who I will see and interact with, etc., I haven't been spending much time thinking about the trip.

I'd love to report that in the past few months since I decided to go on this trip, that I've learned Italian. No, I've come up short (really short) in that area. I have accumulated a stack of books on Italy and its various regions, its cuisine, history and novels that are love letters to it. Most of the reading I've done dealing with Italy are books finished well before I decided to go there. My main excuse (if that's what it can be considered) is that I've keep incredibly busy with a variety of extracurricular activities of all kinds and work has been full-on as well.

I have accumulated an interesting set of information on this place through jumping around in these books and talking to others who all report they absolutely love it there. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the List, the restaurants of where to eat, landmarks to visit, people to see. I will do my best to see and do everything (as my nature makes me inclined to try) and I'll do my best to blog back as often as possible.

Hopefully the Italian CDs that I've been listening to (yes, I even practice aloud so long as no one is anywhere near to hear me) have leaked into my brain. My iPhone is set to the Italian language. Every standard label on the phone is not translated...I'm beginning to understand. Thank goodness the "Call" button is green and "End Call" is red.

Tonight was the first real prep in the way of trying to pack. REI can hire another employee now that I got through there. The first cut of important things includes wipes that work in place of a shower (I trust I won't need them, but you never know), a very fun toothbrush holder that incorporates toothpaste and a skirt that is below my knees--so as to gain admittance to the Vatican and nearby venues. No knees or shoulders showing. I'm hoping it'll be cooler temps there then than it is right now.

I've been told to watch the movie "Angels & Demons" for a view of Vatican City and Rome. This afternoon I did a movie search and it turns out that tonight was the very last showing of the movie anywhere in Denver. So I ran up to the theater to catch it after REI. Yes, I saw more of Rome/Vatican City than I've ever seen before.

Did I mention that this trip is going to include a lot of bike riding? Yep, lots. I've never put in so few miles as I have in the past few weeks. Between racing crits at the end of July and a lot of random distractions, the miles have not been adding up. Thank goodness Italy is at sea level. The oxygen will make up for the fitness I've lost recently.

Time to get some sleep. The one thing I need more than anything else as I leave: a 100% immune system which includes not being overly tired, fatigued or stressed.

Back to Blogging

Buongiorno!

Keep watching this blog...it'll become far more interesting very soon. There have been many adventures since the last post, just *no* time to write anything here.

Ciao!

Something to Share...Love or Infatuation

I've been too busy to blog, short updates on Facebook have been just about as much as I can squeak out. Tonight I finally got a chance to sit down and clean out some old papers and things that make an otherwise tidy home not so tidy. I ran across an article that is so well written & I think a lot of people could benefit from it. Regardless, I want to hang onto it, so best way to do that is to record it here...so I can go back and read it.

Old Love Advice Bears Repeating, by Ann Landers

Love or Infatuation?

Infatuation is instant desire. It is one set of glands calling to another. Love is friendship that has caught fire. It takes root and grows--one day at a time.

Infatuation is marked by a feeling of insecurity. You are excited and eager, but not genuinely happy. There are nagging doubts, unanswered questions, little bits and pieces about your beloved that you would just as soon not examine too closely. It might spoil the dream.

Love is quiet understanding and the mature acceptance of imperfection. It is real. It gives you strength and grows beyond you--to bolster your beloved. You are warmed by his presence, even when he is away. Miles do nt separate you. You want him nearer. But near or far, you know he is yours and you can wait.

Infatuation says, "We must get married right away. I can't risk losing him."

Love says, "Be patient. Don't panic. He is yours. Plan your future with confidence."

Infatuation has an element of sexual excitement. If you are honest, you will admit it is difficult to be in one another's company unless you are sure it will end in intimacy. Love is the maturation of friendship. You must be friends before you can be lovers.

Infatuation lacks confidence. When he's away, you wonder if he's cheating. Sometimes you even check.

Love means trust. You are calm, secure and unthreatened. He feels that trust, and it makes him even more trustworthy.

Infatuation might lead you to do things you'll regret later, but love never will.

Love is an upper. It makes you look up. It makes you think up. It makes you a better person than you were before.

Rock Band

J-Force turned into a real band this weekend. We're ready for a tour bus and manager.