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Riding Day 1 |
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Gavi After sleeping in for the first time in years (and missing breakfast), we rushed to the train station to catch the 8:20 train to Aquata Servia. The train made no announcements for their stops, so when we saw Novi Ligure (another stop close enough to our hotel) we got off and took a cab to our first hotel of the cycling tour – Albergo________. This hotel is on the grounds of a working vinyard and winery. Before lunch we got to walk among the grape vines and sample small wine grapes, as well as huge “grapes for eating” – this we did alone, just Lorraine and I, as we strolled the grounds. It was a just one more “magic moment” that there seem to be so many of when we are in Italy. After a “light lunch” that would pass for any bonifide dinner in the states, we headed out for our first ride – which was by design, a warm up. This ride took us down to Novi Ligure where we toured the cycling museum – which was extremely interesting to those who love the sport like I (we) do. Dinner our first night set me back. How could I have forgotten how easily we just “let it fly” when we begin to “mangia, mangia” – with fantastic wine, good company, and a sampling of foods that is basically too good to pass up. Vittoria (the Lucile Ball of our first magical adventure in Sicilia) joined us for the first time since we arrived, and we had much “animated conversations” to entertain us for the evening. But as I sit here in the lobby, at 4am typing this, I am reminded of how “measures must be taken” to keep me from repeating the overeating/overdrinking that so easily happens when we are here. The combination of too much food and drink, and a room that was too hot has me up for quite possibly the remainder of the night. Anyway, we will begin “measures of restraint” on day 3… vedremo (we’ll see). |