...I decided to do a little much needed mountain biking in the National Forest...the Parco Nazionale Foreste Casentinesi for those who wanna look it up. I wanted to do some mountain biking not for the "getting RAD!" part of it all, not for the single speed tough guy crap, not for any suffering or conquering, or any other deviation from the sport's long dispatched original soul - to simply explore by bike in the woods, off the roads, away from cars and traffic, and where a man (or woman) can get a little thinking done. And I found just that!
I had actually planned to ride a couple days before when Michele and his friend had the big park map out and were discussing trails they had linked together in the past, the look on both their faces told me I needed to get up there before it gets much colder. The seasons are changing here and despite PERFECT temp today and yesterday the high altitudes are cold, cold, cold! I actually rocked my arm warmers for the entire ride yesterday and, when not shirtless altogether, a vest most of the day today.
Mountain biking in Italy is different and I cant say it enough - I am continually amazed to giggling about the fact that my relationship with bikes has drastically changed this summer. I decided that with the majority of what you in 'Merica would call "fire roads" ( I like to call them singletrack for GIANTS now) and the amount of climbing in the Alpines I would want gears. Digging through the garage a few weeks back I found some meaty tires, little knobbies for a 700c (road bike sized) wheel. I decided friday night to throw the knobbies on Chichiolina and see how the old beast would do in the dirt.
No suspension...skinny tyres...big wheels...
a 20 year old saddle...
and a dangerously rigged steering set up...
but with the addition of gears...
and I cant even begin to explain the joy.
Did I mention this is LOADED mountain touring...a rack with paniers full of essential food and layers.
I don't think its going to replace any events that RedBull sponsors, but to me its the new black, the new getting RAD, the new extreme - its just the opposite extreme.
We (ChiChi and myself) rode a couple trails in the park...
SATURDAY...
met a group of riders doing the TransParco ( a 70+ km two day ride across the park, with places to camp along the way) a family climbing a 20km climb on their bikes - a feat I had to cry out BRAVO! to the kids while passing, seriously they must have been 8 and 12 the two kids.
SUNDAY.
Sunday's ride climbed over 500 meters in 4 kilometers (that's STEEP!) and enjoyed some of the best weather I have seen in a long time. With lungs filled with the sweet smell of pines, the crunchy sound dirt makes under tyres, and the wind whistling through my beard, I realized all the things I have been missing about the states, all the smells and sounds of California and Colorado are not really unique to those places.
Here is a little video of the panoramic at the top.
Time for lunch and as I leave I noticed Chichi was a little loose out back...if you know what I mean. Had to adjust the rear hub, then more dirt roads, down to pavement, and back to town for a cafe and gelato.
this road had some STEEP switchbacks!
And one of those moments you would miss if you were in a car. Someone installed this little window in a retaining wall, and built a little shrine in it...worth a peek...
...cool vintage-y cafe where I got a cafe, then back to the car for the drive home, which in itself is always a joy here...
Aboard this silly bike, that fits great and was up to the task, my world shrank and I had to laugh. On Saturday I kept saying to myself (out loud of course) that it looked like Forest Park in Portland.
Then a fit of laughter would come over me because its not Portland, its ITALY! The trade off to sound like a full tard when talking Italian is totally worth the gift of being here, and you can bet your ass I'm not wasting anymore time with rides to town, or going out for a beer, or staying at the farm any more than necessary. Im taking full advantage of the adventures lying at my feet. Expect more pictures, and for sure a big post sometime after the 21st, as I will be out on the road for deliveries from Friday nite to Monday evening, camping, meeting clients, riding Chich on the road and in the dirt, and driving the MonsterVan down some ridiculously tiny streets in the Tuscan countryside. see you then.
S.
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