If I’m dreaming, don’t wake me. Please.
In case you missed my screams of joy followed by loathsome gloating on the interwebs, I got some pretty exciting news today. A few weeks ago I entered a contest on the Facebook for a cycling trip to Italy. It sounded pretty awesome and all I had to do was press some buttons on my keyboard, which admittedly can be tough with these weak tyrannosaurus rex arms.
Well it turns out I WON!!!!
The only thing that would have made this news sweeter is if it had been delivered tattooed on the glistening golden buttocks of Mario Cipollini himself.
The tour is put on by Thomson Bike Tours, specialists in performance cycling tours to France, Spain and Italy and a leading provider of bike tours to the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia.
Here are the details. Prepare to hate my guts.
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Day 1
SAT Oct 12 |
Arrive in Rome, transfer to our Hotel |
30km
|
300 m
|
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Day 2
SUN Oct 13 |
**ROMA Gran Fondo Campagnolo** |
160km
|
2,700 m
|
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Day 3
MON Oct 14 |
Rome › Monte Terminillo › Norcia |
185km
|
3,170 m
|
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Day 4
TUE Oct 15 |
Norcia › Monte Nerone › Urbino
|
213km |
3,430 m
|
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Day 5
WED Oct 16 |
Urbino › Perticara › Faenza
|
206km
|
3,940 m
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Day 6
THU Oct 17 |
Faenza › San Gottardo › Vicenza
|
210km
|
955 m
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Day 7
FRI Oct 18 |
**Campagnolo Factory Visit**
Short bike ride accompanied by Campagnolo staff & pro riders, past & present… VIP Dinner in Vicenza hosted by Campagnolo |
30km
|
200 m
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It’s ok. I even hate myself a little right now.
As you can see, there is about a month’s worth of riding crammed into five days. And enough climbing to probably kill me. But it’s in freaking Italy, so I will die happy. They also don’t mention the prosecco tasting. Perhaps they thought it was too much awesome to fit into one chart.
I’m not going to lie. It’s going to be awesome. I think I need to lie down.
Congratulations Andrea! It sounds terribly excruciating to be riding those distances everyday!! We peeps expect to be entertained daily in this blog… if you can fit that in to your 12 hours on the bike. I hope you have a great time no matter what.
Btw, I’m glad you mentioned that the photo was Cipollini because I thought it was me. Har Har!
Cheers
drew
Ha! Thanks Drew! It will be quite the trip alright, I just hope Cipo can keep up. Those will be some long days, but at least I will die happy.
Congratulations also Andrea
I had this fantastic experience in June in the Piedmonte area of Italy cycling with CycleItalia http://www.cycleitalia.com/vineyards-bicycle-tour.htm it was several days of great food wine and cycling
The Italian experience can’t be beat and the Italians RESPECT cyclists on the road and in life
I am not sure how hilly Winnipeg is but I live in the “flatlands” in Australia and doing hill-repeats up some little hill in the city I live in does not prepare you for some of the climbs you WILL ENCOUNTER you will need to obey the V-rule #5 and prepare. Good luck
Thanks Ian. Yes, the V will be out in full force for sure. It is flat as a pancake here as well, so training will be difficult. We do have plenty of wind though, which can be as relentless as a long climb any day. Your trip looks amazing. I am so excited!!
Hey are you bringing your own bike? Maybe you can get parts and decals for your project bike in person. How are you going to prepare for the climbing out there? You will come back a beast though.
Plan is to bring my own bike. Maybe I’ll even have Campy on it! Lots of long rides coming, and intervals. Only seven weeks to train, it’s going to be tough!! But I think I’ll manage. 🙂
Gratz! So, real people do actually win these things, eh? At least, I think you are real. Fake people don’t ride in Winnipeg, I assume. Cheers!
Thanks Arah! Last time I checked I was real. I was certainly skeptical at first, thought someone was playing the cruelest joke ever. Pretty amazing!
Mother fucker! Congratulation! What a thing to win. I’ve never won a gawd damn thing, ever, an never a trip to Italy to cycle. Good on ya. I liked you but now I hates you. And a Campagnolo visiy. Grrrrrrrrr.
And those three days in the middle are going to be brutes. That’s a lotta climbing. OK, I don’t hates you anymore.
Au contraire, my friend, your hate is most appreciated. To earn the envy if someone who lives and rides in fucking MAUI, is no easy feat. But if you have any spare V lying around to help me get my ass up those mountains, that would be swell.