schwa86
06-10-2012, 07:55 PM
(I am cross-posting here and in rides section as both may be appropriate...)
Just returned from a week cycling with Bill Speckman at Your Cycling Italia, located a bit north and west of Venice in Italy. The trip was significantly facilitated by folks on this forum, from a couple of people who vouched for Bill, to folks who talked me through getting my bike retrofit with couplers and successfully packed in the S&S case.
I can’t say enough about the riding. I wanted a vacation where I didn’t need to do much of the planning, the rides were of high quality, and I didn’t need to move around all the time (eg I could take some time to “soak in” local experience when not riding.) The YCI set-up was perfect for that – a real mix of terrain (some days long climbs, some days riding through vineyard areas or up river valleys). We generally did 45 – 60 miles a day, made it back in time for a late lunch, and then had time to explore the region (and drink the prosecco) in the afternoon. As an East Coaster, I had never really done days with 15 mile climbs and 45 minute descents, and really learned to love my new compact crank!
Hotel, food, drink was all excellent and Bill was a great and attentive host. He also was really good at “pushing limits” on rides in terms of setting a challenging pace, mixing in climbs, taking us over some cobblestones and the like. He did neglect to mention (at least until we had no choice but to experience it first hand) that we would get to attend an Italian Harley-Davidson fanboy event with local singing sensations Nick and the Sharks (Nick e gli squali) playing slightly garbled fifties tunes on our first night there.
I would be more than happy to serve as a reference or answer questions about my experience; it was all pretty affordable (insofar as taking a bike trip in Europe can be affordable).
I posted a couple of pics here:
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=110967
Just returned from a week cycling with Bill Speckman at Your Cycling Italia, located a bit north and west of Venice in Italy. The trip was significantly facilitated by folks on this forum, from a couple of people who vouched for Bill, to folks who talked me through getting my bike retrofit with couplers and successfully packed in the S&S case.
I can’t say enough about the riding. I wanted a vacation where I didn’t need to do much of the planning, the rides were of high quality, and I didn’t need to move around all the time (eg I could take some time to “soak in” local experience when not riding.) The YCI set-up was perfect for that – a real mix of terrain (some days long climbs, some days riding through vineyard areas or up river valleys). We generally did 45 – 60 miles a day, made it back in time for a late lunch, and then had time to explore the region (and drink the prosecco) in the afternoon. As an East Coaster, I had never really done days with 15 mile climbs and 45 minute descents, and really learned to love my new compact crank!
Hotel, food, drink was all excellent and Bill was a great and attentive host. He also was really good at “pushing limits” on rides in terms of setting a challenging pace, mixing in climbs, taking us over some cobblestones and the like. He did neglect to mention (at least until we had no choice but to experience it first hand) that we would get to attend an Italian Harley-Davidson fanboy event with local singing sensations Nick and the Sharks (Nick e gli squali) playing slightly garbled fifties tunes on our first night there.
I would be more than happy to serve as a reference or answer questions about my experience; it was all pretty affordable (insofar as taking a bike trip in Europe can be affordable).
I posted a couple of pics here:
http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=110967