|
The
Tuscany Touring holiday
Postcard by Jonathan Baxter
Day 1: Sunday
13th May 2001
Pisa to San Gimignano 110km
Lovely sunny day as 29 riders left Pisa to start our 2nd Tuscany
Touring holiday. Todays ride commenced by riding along side the Tirreno
coastline to Livorno, where most of the group experienced difficulties
navigating themselves across town.
In the afternoon the group had time to visit the beautiful historic
city of San Gimignano before checking into the hotel Pescille http://www.pescille.it
Incident of the day:
Pat & Alan Edmondson on their tandem went off route and got completley
lost, arriving at 8pm after completing 180km!! To finish their day off,
Pat tripped and fell over coming out of the restaurant, twisting her
knee as a result.
Day 2: Monday
14th May 2001
St Gimignano to Massa Marittima 94km
Yet another sunny day in Tuscany as the group ride south from San
Gimignano to Massa marittima, passing through the beautiful historic
town of Volterra. Pat & Alan Edmondson joined Jonathan the guide
in the back up van as her knee is still painful.
The group spent a lot of time visiting Volterra.
After checking in to the Hotel Il Girifalco http://www.ilgirifalco.com
most people spent the rest of the afternoon and evening relaxing around
the swimming pool.
As tomorrow there is a choice of routes (short or long) to Siena, most
people hit the Tuscan wine and beer thinking they would do the short
ride, but after a few jars were talking of doing the longer ride (we'll
see in the morning).
Incident of the day:
Chris Hunter spent the evening mending punctures by the swimming
pool, dipping the inner tubes into the water to see where the holes
were.
Day 3: Tuesday
15th May 2001
Massa Marittima to Siena 62km or 113km
Today was cloudy and after last nights festivities most people
decided they would make the decision to do the longer or shorter ride
when they get to the junction after 32km. In the end only 6 riders out
of the 29 took the longer route.
The group arrived in Siena early and spent the afternoon visiting this
beautiful and historic city. We are staying for 2 nights in Siena at
the Hotel Italia http://www.tin.it/compgarden
Tomorrow the group have a choice of rest day in Siena or a circuit ride
through the Chianti vineyards. We'll see how many hit the Chianti to-night!!
Incident of the day:
Chris Hunter came to collect her bike this morning and guess what, both
tyres were flat. I suggested an old tip which my father (George Baxter)
gave me, and that was to pour milk into the tubes. I offered to do this
for her, much to the amusement of the group, but the tyres stayed up
all day to Siena!!
Day 4: Wednesday
16th May 2001
Rest Day or Siena circuits
Yet another hot & sunny day in Tuscany.
Today the group have the choice of either a rest day in the beautiful
city of Siena or a circuit ride through the Chianti wine country. Most
people treated the day as a rest day.
The Portsmouth group went to Florence on the train, whilst the rest
of the group chilled out in Siena.
Ernie Singer arranged a ride to Gaiole in Chianti where they spent more
time in the restaurant having lunch than riding the bikes!!
There were only 2 people (Tony & Sue Clarke) who undertook our recommended
circuit ride through the Chianti wine country.
Ray Cowan
from Portsmouth lent Alan Edmondson his bike for the day. You may remember
that
Alans wife Pat fell a couple of days ago and is unable to ride with
Alan on their Tandem.
Since most people
were doing their own thing I went to visit my friend Jamie Burrow who
is a pro cyclist with US Postal. He lives in Italy in the town of Sansepolcro,
not so far from Siena. We had a very nice Italian lunch cooked by his
Italian wife Claudia, and we were joined by Ian Holt, a friend of Jamies
who is racing in Italy as an amateur. Jamie told me he is getting ready
to go to a 3 day race in France, Tour de l'Oise, which starts on Friday.
Incident of the
day:
Pat Edmondson fell twice today and was taken to hospital, who wanted
to keep her in, but she refused, and is still with the group.
Alan Edmondson got lost again walking back from the restaurant to the
hotel, even though the two are on the same street!!
Day 5: Thursday
17th May 2001
Siena to Florence
Cloudy start to the day today, but as soon as the riders started
leaving Siena the sun came out and was with them all the way through
the Chianti vineyards to Florence.
It ws a relatively
short day today and most most of the group arrived in Florence for lunchtime,
which gave them the afternoon for visiting this beautiful city.
We are staying at the Hotel Byron in the centre of Florence http://hotelbyron.it
Tomorrow its the final day back to Pisa and the leaning tower.
Customer
Feedback from our 2001 trip.....
Dear Johnny boy,
Just a quick line to thank you and your organisation for a brilliant
holiday. Neither Lofty, Bob or myself could fault any part of the trip
and I'm sure I speak for most of the others too.
The logistics were well handled, the hotels and food superb, and the
company great, Well done you!
I will certainly be using Graham Baxter Sporting Tours again, and hope
to introduce my riding friends to this way of holidaying. Once again
thanks John, and I'll see you next year.
Best regards,
Tim Jezard
Dear Jonathon,
Just a quick note to say thanks for your assistance and consideration
of my cullinary eccentricities on the recent Tuscany Tour. I think everybody
had a good time, I know I did . Someone said at one point "good
cycling, scenery, company, food and wine" which sums it up, so
expect to see me again.
In the meantime I'll post back the bikebag with a view to buying one,
although I'm going to check out hard ones as well. So thanks again for
an excellent holiday.
Regards,
Graham Caulkett
Dear Graham,
I am writing to tell you what a thoroughly delightful time Robert and
I had on the Tuscany tour last week. Jonathan took care of all the necessary
arrangements in a professional and thoughtful manner which added to
the fun of the tour. With the weather co-operating and the group of
30 bonding so well from the outset, magnifico is all that I can say.
Thank you for all your great arrangements and we hope to travel with
you again soon. By the way, we heard from Jonathan that you have an
addition to your nuclear family. Congrats on the newborn babe.
Ernie Singer
HOW TO BOOK
Home
|