so, a few days ago, chris convinced me to go on a group ride with some of the guides. i had already gone for a 15km ride earlier in the day, so i had tired legs, but his cute little smile got me to come along...and the fact that he's like "but Bepe's coming". Bepe (Guiseppe) is our 60 something landlord. i felt comforted in this fact...i shouldn't have! he was a powerhouse...you should've seen his legs! clearly i didn't think of the years and years of riding these hills he's done! but apparently, he NEVER goes on bike rides with the guides, so i'm glad i went on the day he decided to go. he's so cute and old! ahahha
where Bepe turned around (i didn't get away with going with him, though i tried! haahah), we decided to continue UP THE MOUNTAIN! i'm not even kidding when i say it was a mountain....something like 530m elevation. this was no hill! it was like a neverending ride up a winding road! it was a nice slow pace (at that back! hahaha) but everyone was great at looking out for me. and when we got to the top, it was a miracle! hahaha. the scenery was EPIC! seriously, it was so beautiful, i forgot how badly i hated life as i rode up to that point. I DID IT! chris was proud of me! (which made me even more proud of myself!) and then, the "fun" part...going back down! those winding mountain switchback made for FAST riding! scary fast even...i rode my brakes at the back most of the time, but chris FLEW! he was like "i'm fat so i'll go the fastest, WATCH!" (ahahh) and off he went...holy crap, he was gone and out of sight in maybe 10 seconds!
it was intense but such an incredible experience. and, surprisingly, i can't wait to do more rides like that!
YAY BIKING IN ITALY!
where Bepe turned around (i didn't get away with going with him, though i tried! haahah), we decided to continue UP THE MOUNTAIN! i'm not even kidding when i say it was a mountain....something like 530m elevation. this was no hill! it was like a neverending ride up a winding road! it was a nice slow pace (at that back! hahaha) but everyone was great at looking out for me. and when we got to the top, it was a miracle! hahaha. the scenery was EPIC! seriously, it was so beautiful, i forgot how badly i hated life as i rode up to that point. I DID IT! chris was proud of me! (which made me even more proud of myself!) and then, the "fun" part...going back down! those winding mountain switchback made for FAST riding! scary fast even...i rode my brakes at the back most of the time, but chris FLEW! he was like "i'm fat so i'll go the fastest, WATCH!" (ahahh) and off he went...holy crap, he was gone and out of sight in maybe 10 seconds!
it was intense but such an incredible experience. and, surprisingly, i can't wait to do more rides like that!
YAY BIKING IN ITALY!
yay group ride! look at Bepe at the front! so cute! we also have courtney, giorgio, vicki, tabita and myself
courntey's getting over bronchitis...she was still way faster than me!
view from the top of the mountain!
look at courtney and giorgio maneuvre those curves! chris kept trying to get pictures of me coming down, but i was so fast he couldn't get them! hahaha...only fast because i was going downhill.
:)
we did it!
we did it!
chris was so happy at that moment!
this is a few minutes after i peeled myself off the ground...i was so relieved i made it back. (giorgio gave me a rose earlier in the day...italian romance!)