A team of 19 friends, including the support team, cycled from Switzerland to Sicily covering 1,470 kms in aid of Cancer Research UK (CRUK). The project is part of a two event package which is aiming to raise £100k.

The team achieved their goals of :

• Raising over £10k for CRUK
• Completing a tremendous physical challenge
• Experiencing the sheer beauty of Italy and its contrasting regional differences

Stannah Italia was our principle supporter and provided the van which was re-named ‘Hannah from Stannah’.  SanDisk and Hargroves Cycles provided jersey’s and other support for which we were very grateful.

We also saw significant regional differences and a very stark difference in the quality of the road in different region. The cost of living was significantly lower from our perspective as we left the Adriatic cost and headed across to Calabria but the common factor was the brilliant Italian hospitality.  The car drivers in Italy were much more considerate that in England although Sicily was much less bike friendly and more like England.

The cycle started when we picked up the van in Milan and the picture below shows Franca Del Guidice with James Wadley, Tom Gibson and Andrew Gibson.

We then continued to Lugano, via Como  where we met Professor Johnson, the senior CRUK Director and eminent physician, in Lugano. The picture with the van is attached.

The picture shows James and Tom with the Chiasso border point in the background.

James, Tom and Andrew then proceeded to Chiasso, Como, Monza, Piacenza and Cremona before getting to Modena and an afternoon with Ferrari. The ride to Modena was really a relentless cycle in temperatures touching 40 degrees and as with the first day Tom and Andrew rotated between driving and acting as domestiques for James.                                                                     

The Ferrari plant was really something special and the supply logistics were frighteningly complex. We also discover that our host had suffered from Cancer and was in remission. It was a poignant moment.

I have attached a few pictures, in particular James and Tom with the car that Michael Schumacher won the 2000 World F1 Championships, which we found parked in the factory. 

Day 3 we met the other members of the team at Bologna Airport after a short 35 mile ride from Modena. There followed a 50 mile dash to Forli which took us past harvested wheat fields, orchards of peaches & plums & the strong smell of manure & through Imola. The sights & smells still novel & exotic!

Forli was a gorgeous city and the Hotel Masini was perfect & right in the centre of town.

On Day 4, after a fantastic breakfast we were off to cycle the 85 miles to Senigallia via Rimini & Fano. The temperature hit 41 degrees C as we cycled down the Adriatic Coast to the promenade at Senigallia to the port & our Hotel La Vela with a stunning view across town & beach. The sea was warm and we all swam off the Beach Club site adjacent to our Hotel.

But with any project like this, where would we be without the support team of  Jac and Loraine who follow us with food and beverages when they are most needed which was greatly appreciated.   

Day 5 saw us leave Senigallia for Tortoreta, a distance of 91 miles but before leaving we had the group meeting below.  

On the road just outside Senigallia we met a professional cycling club group and Tim Frank chased along with them in the middle of the peleton at speed of around 26mph. They were a friendly group & he chatted away merrily for about 20 mins before they returned off for the hills.

Jac and Loraine provided an early Italian daily lunch menu of prosciutto crudo, delicious breads, cheeses, melon & strawberries. After lunch a cycle through increasingly typical Italian towns, more & more charming. Tom Gibson took his second fall with a spectacular somersault & impressive recovery, getting away with only minor grazes. Tom, naturally as the tough Rugby player he is, got up & got on with it.

We arrived in great spirits at Lido de Tortoreta finding a warm pool & excellent wines on offer.  Food was supplied by Jac and Loraine with their usual efficiency.

On Day 6 we cycles from Tortoreta to Campomarino.  Parked at lunch was an amazing 40 year old Fiat convertible which received a lot of attention. Finally after 91 miles we rolled into Campomarino to find a very nice hotel and the beach. 

The Day 7  ride was to Melfi and it was also Tom and Tim’s birthdays so the bikes will be decorated !  The picture below came from outside the Hotel at Campomarino.

We left Campomarino for Melfi where we had to cover 102 miles of extremely hilly terrain. The satnavs discovered footpaths that used to be roads and the last group arrived at the Hotel at 09.00pm. All well in the end.

Neil and Andrew actually covered 129 mile after going back down the route to help guide people to the Hotel.

During the day all went well for the first 30 miles and then we had a diversion on the road to Lucera when we found that the road was being re-surfaced and was not passable. We finally got to Lucera where a group of us met the Mayor who introduced us to Signor Del Grosso who rode with Gimondi and all the top riders of the day competing in 4 Tour of France and many more Giro’s.

After a coffee we set off for Troia where we hit the mountains and 49 degrees of heat. The road from there to the village of Melfi was extremely hilly and difficult. Sophia, the only girl in the team, was very courageous and comfortably negotiated the 10 miles mountain climb to the village of Melfi.

Day 8 saw us leave Melfi for Sala Consilina(Teggiano). The group started with a team photo at the Hotel Due Pini in Melfi. The pain of day 7 already only a memory. We again made our way over Viaduct that were incredible engineering statements and a credit to Italy as was the incredible scenery. Throughout the trip we have found our Italian hosts to be incredibly supportive and helpful and that theme has continued every day. The ride to Sala Consilina was incredibly hilly and a real mountain test. We also saw ice and snow warning by the side of the road so we realised that we were in the mountains and near ski slopes. Scott broke a gear cable and Neil (who disappeared early in the morning and was lost until we found him at the Hotel in the evening !!!) broke a spoke on his really high performance wheels which meant that he had to change a wheel. The team mechanic sorted out both the problems and we are now all fit and able to continue.  The pictures below show the scenery and the pelethon.

Day 9 saw us leave Sala Consilina for Fuscaldo on the West Coast of Italy. This was the third mountainous day and we knew that we had to climb through the mountains to Lagonegro on the way to the west coast over some incredible climbs before we eventually reach the coast. See below a number of pictures taken during the day as we climbed the mountains.

We have all been really impressed by the scenery and friendliness of the Italian people and although we all have tired legs there is a sadness that we are nearing the end of our adventure.

The mountain road again had several warnings to put on snow chains and warned of ice and snow !!!  We clearly understood that the passes were not going to be low and we actually climbed 3,000 feet during the day. Having already spent two days in the mountains, the group was battle hardened and embraced the challenge.

The attached pictures show a number of the team going up the mountains.

The day was punctuated by fast climbing and ice cream on the beach in Praia a Mare when we finally came through the mountains. The pace to Fuscaldo was ferocious and one group averaged 23 mph over the last 27 miles. We finally arrived in Fuscaldo but could not find the Hotel but again we were supported by a really helpful local cyclist who took us all the way to the Hotel.

During the day we saw more examples of the Engineering excellence as vast tunnels, some 1.5kms long and equally vast viaducts were brilliant in contrast to the beautiful terrain.   Also we had the daily service of the girls and the van. They are angels !!! See above one of the drink stops. Thank you Stannah for the van which has been really important to the adventure.

Riding into the hotel we saw the beach and a pool.  A negotiation began to loan a pedalo and conquer the seas ! The sea was turquoise and you could see down 30ft.  In the evening we sat  in the hotel listening to the sea wash in and watching  the sunset over the beach.

Day 10 was from Fuscaldo to Gioia Tauro (Rosarno). We left  Fuscaldo expecting an easy day of 87 miles but we hit the major climb of  5 miles rising 1,250 feet at Vivo Vallentia, only 20 miles from the finish of the day in Gioia Tauro.

We also saw the team members who joined in Bologna going through the 1,000 Km mark and we all celebrated the occasion with group dance !  James however had done 1,350 kms at this point and Andrew and Tom 1,175 kms each at this point.

The morning was essentially  uneventful  and it was clear that everyone was tired. When we finally got to the mountain climb we saw Phil Kilby from Stannah, attack the lead group very early.  This caused a very aggressive reaction with Ben racing away from the group to win the hill prime chased by Neil, Tim, Joel, Ted, Tom and myself.  This was a really difficult climb and we were all very tired over the top but continued to attack and counter attack all the way to the final destination of Gioia Tauro.  Ben tucked into the 7 person group averaging 25mph on the ride down to the Hotel.

See a selection of pictures with us having a coffee at lunch, as well as  Scott, Joe, Sophia, Tom and Phil cycling along the coast road and another of James and Paul on the same stretch.

Lunch came and it was very welcome.  A nice patisserie and some comfortable chairs gave us all the rest we needed.  A few of us were talking and it was not our legs that were tired any more it was our bodies.  I could have fallen asleep within seconds if I had the chance.

On Day 11 we set out from Giovi Tauro after a really good evening in a local Restaurant.

At this point we had only around 100 miles still to cycle until the end but Taormina was 110 kms away and this included a boat trip to Sicily.

The ride started with 10 miles of really difficult mountain roads but after reaching the peak the views were breath taking and we were able to see across the Sicily and the straits of Messina in the distance. Jac and Loraine managed to drive to the wrong ferry !!! and we then raced their ferry across the straits of Messina. However once re-united on the other side the sprint to Taormina began in earnest. The sprint was left to Ben and Tom who come home together with Ben just in front on the hill up to the Hotel.

In the evening we ate at Terrazza Angela in the old town on the hill after we had taken a ski lift up to the incredibly beautiful mountain top town. Before that we had all enjoyed a swim in the sea in the lower streets of Taormina. This is probably the most fantastic town in Sicily and sits a few miles from Mount Etna. Picture 911

Regarding the riding, Steve and Guy both crashed as a result of the really wild driving in Messina and the tram lines which are clearly a major issue for bikes. In Italy the drivers had shown tremendous respect for cyclists but it was becoming clear that in Sicily it was a wilder environment.

Everyone got to Taormina safely and we also saw Steve and Jac dancing on tables at the Terrazza Angelo. Angelo and his waiter Daniele then brought out a very large bottle of Limenchello which is a Sicilian form of Grappa and very strong. Needless to say a great evening was had by all. 

Day 12 saw a lethargic group spend the morning enjoying the sun and sea before the 35 mile ride to Catania. We had an early lunch and set out for the really beautiful Piazza Duomo (Cathedral Square) in Catania. It was an unexpectedly difficult ride with several long climbs and then we saw Mount Etna above us smoking gently.  

When we arrived in Catania we were met by a photographer from the Sicilian newspapers and a journalist who took pictures and was very interested in our story.

While the team took their flight back to England, Tom and Andrew were still sat in Taormina eating a pizza and drinking beer while looking out over the Island of Isola Bella and then to the sea. It’s a tough life but Tom and Andrew needed to return the invaluable Stannah Van to Milan. See below Luigi collecting the van in Milan.

Italy Top to Toe Overview is a post from: Inspired Living

We eventually had an early lunch and set out for the Cathedral Square in Catania. It was a leisurely ride but had several long climbs and then we saw Mount Etna above us smoking gently.  When we arrived in Catania’s Cathedral Square we were met by a photographer from the Sicilian newspapers and a journalist who took pictures and were very interested in our story. I have written this blog without pictures from today or yesterday but I will be updating the Blogs tomorrow evening.

While the team took their flight back to England, Tom and I were still sat in Taormina eating a pizza and drinking beer while looking out over the Island of Isola Bella and then to the sea. Its a tough life but Toma nd I need to return the invaluable Stannah Van to Milan.

Talk to you all tomorrow.

Blog – Day 12 Taormina – Catania is a post from: Inspired Living

At this point we had only around 100 miles still to cycle until the end but Taormina was 110 kms away and this included a boat trip to Sicily.

The ride started with 10 miles of really difficult mountain roads but after reaching the peak the views were breath taking and we were able to see across the Sicily and the straits of Messina in the distance. Jac and Loraine managed to drive to the wrong ferry !!! and we then raced their ferry across the straits of Messina. However once re-united on the other side the sprint to Taormina began in earnest. The sprint was left to Ben and Tom who come home together with Ben just in front on the hill up to the Hotel.

In the evening we ate at Terrazza Angela in the old town on the hill after we had taken a ski lift up to the incredibly beautiful mountain top town. Before that we had all enjoyed a swim in the sea in the lower streets of Taormina. This is probably the most fantastic town in Sicily and sits a few miles from Mount Etna.

Regarding the riding, Steve and Guy both crashed as a result of the really wild driving in Messina and the tram lines which are clearly a major issue for bikes. In Italy the drivers had shown tremendous respect for cyclists but it was becoming clear that in Sicily it was a wilder environment.

Everyone got to Taormina safely and we also saw Steve and Jac dancing on tables at the Terrazza Angelo. Angelo and his waiter Daniele then brought out a very large bottle of Limenchello which is a Sicilian form of Grappa and very strong. Needless to say a great evening was had by all.

Blog – Day 11 – Gioia Tauro to Taormina is a post from: Inspired Living

Cooler day, longer ride, 91 miles, fantastic scenery down the Coastal road from Pescara to Lido di Camposino (just beyond Termoli) the group is growing in confidence & the average speeds are going up. The first session took us to Francavilla where we respectfully shared a coffee shop with mourners from a funeral. Everywhere we go the locals are friendly & helpful, the drivers are courteous & give way, sooo refreshing compared to the abuse we get in the UK. Even the Carabinieri are understanding, Paul & I were running down other groups after the morning stop, idly chatting two abreast as we got waved down by a couple of local cops, luckily we’re foreign & they couldn’t be bothered, LoL.

Tom managed another somersault, he seems to be auditioning for an acrobatic act at one of the numerous circuses there are en route!

Lunch was welcome 32 miles from the end and there were some horror stories of contretemps with lorries (Steve fell in to one!!) Rob was hit by a Smart Car…all survived but Andrew & I are even greyer.

The final 32 miles was fast! Ted, Neil, Joel & me seem to suddenly find ourselves ahead & when we looked at the speedos it was due to the average speed of 25mph…it’s that Neil, he’s not to be trusted out front, gets in the ‘groove’ & just drags everyone along

Our hotel was on the beach, the pool was great, the food fantastic & GREAT value; yet again a typically awesome Italian welcome.

Tues 21st

Tom & Tim’s birthdays started with cards & presents. Their bikes were naturally defaced with suggestive balloons, tape messages & dayglo seat post socks!

Today proved to be hot. Tim was 49 & it was 49 degrees on the ride; Tom was 24 & all were hoping it had been more that temperature!

That being said, a beautiful start to the day & we bowled along the coast nicely finally waving goodbye to the Adriatic & hello to the mountains. Today was make or break day. 102 miles planned with 5000 feet if climbing. It was hot, the roads were bumpy & diversions were adding to the mileage. Both Steve & Tim were soon repairing ‘pinch punctures’ in the blistering sun. Adrian came to Steve’s rescue & Jamie was on hand to help Tim out The lard group of Andrew, Tom, Joel, Ben, Ted & Tim had a fine off piste, café stop in … where they were treated to a final stop in a charming town. Here they met a previous Italian cycling champ, 4 times Tour de France competitor as well as the local Mayor, who was also the butcher! The owner of the Atmosphera Bar treated them to free speciality ice cream & is now Tim’s Facebook friend!

A final stop in … Brought the group together for the last time, 30 miles to Melfi with some big hills, unclear roads ahead saw half follow the Bike hike route exactly & ended up walking a mile through a cultivated field (a now defunct road!) before rejoining the Tarmac! They were home just before dark & Andrew, Neil had gone out to lead them in. The two of them had ridden 125 miles that day!

Luckily the food was fantastic & the hotel couldn’t have been more helpful.  Needless to say it was NIT an early start on Wednesday!

Wed 22nd June

More mountains, more stunning alpine views as we cycled past ski resorts in 40degrees heat. After route problems we were more careful to stay in groups today, all went well until Neil shot past Jac & Loraine with ‘Hannah the Stannah’ van at a crucial turn off to Potenza. We didn’t see him til the evening hotel rendezvous near Teggiano. Luckily Neil was well prepared, no money, no phone, no map & no Italian. If anyone could sort himself out in that situation Neil could & did the riding was FANTASTIC & after fabulous climbs & downhills we finished along a painfully beautiful plain. There was another sumptuous feed but we were at altitude & the overnight washing was not quite dry in the morning. Hannah came in handy though as she soaked up the morning sunshine & acted as a radiator to finish the process on Thursday morning.

Thurs 23rd

Well it was a gentle start, 20 km in the plains, this proved to bs falsely reassuring as it was folded by 20km of climb, hot, Alpine & reminiscent of the terrain over the Pyrenees last September. The reward however was sweet, 35 km of downhill to the coast. The ‘naughty’ lead group went off piste again, avoiding a steep climb & treating themselves to a coffee & ice-cream on the beach overlooking Isola di Dino. Guy, who is impeccably straight was unable to come up with a good enough ‘cock & bull’ story when Loraine rang to find out where we were & there was done serious ‘crawling’ to be done when we stopped for lunch

The Mediterranean coast in Southern Italy is, to put it mildly SPECTACULAR. The volcanic mountains are pyramidal, the slopes & plains fertile, floral & hillside villages & towns litter the area. It is breathtaking &use be visited again, soon!

Our destination was a hotel on the beach at Marina de Fuscaldo. They have a pedalo & it was requisitioned for group amusement, as if we hadn’t pedalled enough already! We had beach & sea on one side with a pool on the other, so much fun, so little time! Pictures will be posted.

Another big feed & a group went off in to town to ‘suss it out’ most however simply crashed out & Phil & Tim were relieved to hear that Nina & Liane had arrived safely at our final hotel destination, Taormina, reports of the hotel were good

Fri 24th

It was a humid & restless night. Many reported broken sleep as the air con was non functionado. Laying awake listening to the sea lapping on the shore was a good consolation however. Many reported ‘heavy legs’ as the humidity sapped strength. There was a promise of a lot of hills today but unparalleled views

Overview Blog from Tim covering 20th to 24th June is a post from: Inspired Living

Today we left Fuscaldo expecting an easy day of 87 miles of easy terrain but we hit the major climb of  5 miles rising 1,250 feet at Vivo Vallentia, only 20 miles from the finish of the day in Gioia Tauro.

We also saw the rider who joined in Bologna going through the 1,000 and we all celebrated the occasion with group dance !  James however had done 1,350 kms at this point and Andrew and Tom 1,175 kms each.

The morning was essentially  uneventful  and it was clear that everyone was tired. When we finally got to the mountain climb we saw Phil attack the lead group very early.  This caused a very aggressive reaction with Ben racing away from the group to win the hill prime chased by Neil, Tim, Joel, Ted, Tom and myself.  This was a really difficult climb and we were all very tired over the top but continued to attack and counter attack all the way to the final destination of Gioia Tauro.  Ben tucked into the 7 person group averaging 25mph on the ride down to the Hotel.

See a selection of pictures with us having a coffee at lunch, as well as  Scott, Joe, Soph, Tom and Phil cycling along the coast road and another of James and Paul on the same stretch.

Joe wrote :

At breakfast this morning a bunch of very tired looking cyclists sat without much formal conversation.  Mainly grunting and complaining of pain.  Rob kept us very amused last night with tales of his 4 plane crashes, Cars smashes and sailing near misses.  It doesn’t seem funny writing it here but he tells a good tail!  Reliving this at breakfast at least perked us up somewhat.

We strolled out of the hotel not before a few of us got another 10 mins of sleep.  A straight path down the coast for 80 odd miles.  This proved true for 50, riding with the sea to our right and some fairly steep mountains to out left.

Inevitably and somewhat intriguingly after 50 miles we turned left.  Into the mountains we climbed and it was actually quite fun.  Soph found her mountain legs and was overtaking several other riders without a need to stop, she really is becoming a cyclist, although Im not sure she’ll agree with this?

Lunch came and it was very welcome.  A nice patisserie and some comfy chairs gaves us all the rest we needed.  A few of us were talking and it was not our legs that were tired any more it was our bodies.  I could have fallen asleep within seconds if I had the chance.

After lunch we had 30 miles to go and were within on a few miles of the 1000 km mark.  You guessed it the dancing shoes came out again.  Tim suggested we do this and it ended with the same results as last year, Embarrassment!

Another hill arrived looking quite innocuous we stared a climb which turned out to be the hardest of this trip.  An ever increasing gradient for about 3 miles.  At one stage I pulled away from the group so I decided to stop and turn down the hill about 1 km.  When they asked me why I did this I joked “its because I enjoyed it so much I wanted to do it twice” this didn’t go down very well with a few of the struggling hill riders so I shut up and let everyone get on with it.

As we reached the top we knew a desent would follow so we continued on for a few miles at which time Guy’s chain came off in a way I have never seen.  It wrapped around his peddle about 4 times, I have no idea how this happened but we managed to fix it and carry on.

Going down the hill was fun as usual but someone had cut a large part the road up which created some unwanted vibrations on our expensive bikes.  Whilst we we on this road soph had a red coloured gel packet in her mouth and as Rob looked back he thought she had blood projecting out of her mouth.  It would have been quite some reaction to riding down hill had this have actually happened lol.

Another hot day today and tomorrow the last proper day so we are in slightly higher spirits just waiting for that nice cold beer at the end of play tomorrow.

Joe x

Blog – Day 10 – Fuscaldo to Gioia Tauro(Rosarno) is a post from: Inspired Living

We have all been really impressed by the scenery and friendliness of the Italian people and although we all have tired legs there is a sadness that we are nearing the end of our adventure.

Today (Thursday) we set off from Teggiano, near Sala Consilina knowing that we had to climb through the mountains to Lagonegro on the way to the west coast. The mountain road also had several warnings to put on snow chains and warned of ice and snow !!!  We clearly understood that the passes were not going to be low and we actually climbed 3,000 feet during the day. Having already spent two days in the mountains, the group was battle hardened and embraced the challenge.

The attached pictures show a number of the team going up the mountains. Above is Tom riding up the mountains with Ben and below Ben and Ted, then guy and Steve and the last picture is myself.

The day was punctuated by fast climbing and ice cream on the beach in Praia a Mare when we finally came through the mountains. The first group, which changes from day to day, saw Neil dominating the hills but Joel and Tom doing sterling work bridging the gaps and in this case Tom and Joel working for their respective fathers to keep them in touch with the fast group !  Also in the group were Ted who is becoming really strong in the hills and Scott again getting much faster this year. The group also included Tim, who is always strong and a natural athlete and myself trying to keep the pace at over 20mph constantly on the flat sections. The pace to Fuscaldo was ferocious and with Neil driving the front group which continually split and reformed under the continuous pressure. Tom brought the group across to Neil several times and Joel continued to attack and clearly has the potential to be a really good racing cyclist. It was fast and furious and very satisfying for all. We finally arrived in Fuscaldo but could not find the Hotel but again we were supported by a really helpful local cyclist who took us all the way to the Hotel.

During the day we saw more examples of the Engineering excellence as vast tunnels, some 1.5kms long and equally vast viaducts were brilliant in contrast to the beautiful terrain.   Also we had the daily service of the girls and the van. They are angels !!! See below one of the drink stops. Thank you Stannah for the van which has been really important to the adventure.

Paul, Steve, Guy and Phil have all become stronger throughout the ride and regularly attacking over the mountains. Rob has become stronger each day despite his concerns about the ride before we started.  Sophia supported by Joe has shown resilience and overcome each challenge while the fast group has missed Joe’s pace in the mountains.  We will all now really close to Sicily with all the principle challenges overcome.

Ben and Joel seem to be enjoying their new found sport while James and Adrian go along at their own pace enjoying the ride and the occasional coffee stop.

Joe writes ….Today was a day of landmarks, let me explain.

We started the day surprisingly relaxed with the knowledge that the toughest climbing of the trip was today.  We had a 20 mile warm up and were to be greeted by some mountains that the locals said “no bichelae” I assume this meant they thought we were crazy to ride up them?  We are of course crazy so we ignored them and carried on as normal.

In the first 10 miles I dropped my wallet on the road leaving me with the kind guys who stayed with me.  Tim, Tom, Neil and I decided the only way to catch was to form a peleton and when reaching 25 mph we caught up with Soph who had also been left behind.  It only took another 5 mins or so and we re-joined the whole group.  It was very nice to be reaching the faster speeds again but I was kind of glad when the hill arrived and we split off into different groups.  Soph was struggling with no energy in her legs and claiming that she could not carry on which of course is a feeling I remember but I had to keep her going.  I think she found singing helped but was slightly embarrassed when she realised other people could hear her.

At 36 miles the first landmark was reached.  500 miles for the trip.  For those of you who remember the 1000 mile dance you will be glad to know there was no repeat of this. But even so what an achievement!

The mountainous landscape was out of this world as the road wound up and down like a scene of the Italian Job.  As far a descents on a bike are concerned I think we stumbled across one of the best, 6mph with hairpin turns and no traffic. Amazing!!!

At the drink break Soph looked pretty tired so we rested up and took on a lot of water and energy gels.  We could smell the Mediterranean (not literally but you know what I mean) as we passed Rimoni and this marked the second achievement of the day.  Coast to coast Italy past the most hilly area in the country and this gave us a nice boost, I think in a large part because we knew no more big hill would be in front of us.

On the last 30 miles of coastal highway you could tell we had hit the med.  Much more touristy but much more natural beauty where they had left the countryside alone.

At the 10 mile point Rob, Adrian, Phil, Soph, Jamie and myself stopped at a café for a last drink.  We met some Swiss tourists who wondered what we were doing.  They asked “where are you from” to which Rob replied in his best English abroad accent “We are from ENGLANDO” wow is all I can say!  We were in stitches laughing at him and the poor tourists had no idea what was going on.  It takes very simple things out here to keep us amused.

Riding into the hotel we saw the beach and a pool.  The other guys had already made it and from what I can work out borrowed a pedelo?  See below with Tim diving off the boat.  I would have been rude not to join in so we did and the sea was the most turquoise I have ever seen it.  I reckon you could see down 30ft.  Very nice to be sitting in my hotel room now listening to the sea wash in and watch the sunset over the beach.

See below Tim diving off the Pedalo to the amusement of  the group.

Blog – Day 9 – Sala Consilino to Fuscaldo Lido is a post from: Inspired Living

The group started with a team photo at the Hotel Due Pini in Melfi. the pain of day 7 already only a memory. We made our way over Viaduct thta were incredible engineering statements and a credit to Italy as was the incredible scenery. Throughout the trip we have found our Italian hosts to be incredibly supportive and helpful and that theme has continued every day. The ride to Sala Consilina was incredibly hilly and a real mountain test. We also saw ice and snow warning by the side of the road so we realised that we were in the mountains and near ski slopes. Scott broke a gear cable and Neil (who disappeared early in the morning and was lost until we found him at the Hotel in the evening !!!) broke a spoke on his really high performance wheels which meant that he had to change a wheel. The team mechanic sorted out both the problems and we are now all fit and able to continue.  The pictures below show the scenery and the pelethon.

Day 7 – Campomarino to Melfi (Continued)

As I said yesterday the distance should have been 92 miles but forced detours meant that the distance was 101 miles and it was 49 degrees at some points.

Joe gave his perspective as follows :

I’m not sure where to start but I know this will be my most extreme blog to date (both trips)

This day has been full of stories and I’m sure I will forget some but Ill try my best.  This reminds me…..  Yesterday I forgot to mention a strange thing that happened. As we were riding up the tough hill I looked down a Sophs hand and the whole way up the hill sat a Ladybird as if to keep her company and watch over her (well done Ellie)

Anyway onto today.

It started as any other with the pre bike prep, only difference was that Tim and Tom got to unvail their newly decorated bikes as is tradition on your birthday on these trips.  Tom and Tim shared birthdays on the 21st June. We decided that as the route was slightly unsure that those with sat nav’s would lead.  I was one of these and put in charge of the slower group to look after soph and co.  This was fine but I forgot to charge my sat nav so it died 3 miles into the ride.  Luckily both Scotty and Guy were there also with sat navs.

As we got into a pelaton and made some good ground I started to write today’s blog in my head and thought it might be intresting as it was getting hot and also there were prostitutes literally every mile down the road.  Happy days potentially other than the fact the vast majority were really ugly!  We rode hard down the road and covered 30miles in what seemed like no time at all.  Stopped for a water refill and carried on.  This is where it all went wrong…..

Firstly we all went down a road which turned out to be unpassable meaning turn around and go back on ourselves 3 miles with another 5 mile diversion.  Its ok Ive done 100 miles before without much issue and soph was in good sprits for a girl who has only been riding 2.5 months.  We continued and rejoined the correct road.  At this stage the heat was getting crazy and as were now off the coast there was no breeze.  I thought that by now I had delt with every possible eventuality on a bike and could deal with anything both mentally and physically.  How wrong I have been proved.  I ran out of water with about 15 miles to lunch (not good) this has never happened as I ussualy drink very little.  I had no answer for what to do and everyone was running low, soph helped me out a bit and so did Scotty but this only helped for about 5 miles.  I went into a complete down and was no use to anyone let alone the group I was supposed to be leading and even more so Soph who I feel personally responsible for as she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me nagging her.  I felt really bad about it but I couldn’t do it, I just was not in the right place.  A large hill preceded lunch and thankly Scotty kept us going by asking us what kind of animal we would be.  A strange question maybe but it helped us not think of the hill.  Lunch could not have come soon enough for me, id run out of water felt horrible and just wanted food and silence.

It worked, food made me feel normal again and lunch perked everyone up  we arranged to meet 20 miles further on and that would split the last 40 into 2 short ride.  EASY.  I wish…

We rode down an amazing hill and got some great speed and some hairpin bends to die for until a turn in the road.  Sat nav said right, maps said left.  Live and die by the sword we took the right (follow the sat nav) this angered a few people but it was always going to.  We followed a nice (ish) road for about 5 miles and turned following the sat nav to find a gravel track.  A 10 min discussion happened to rectify this issue “shall we go around a 10 mile loop or cut across 200m of gravel.  Whilst they were discussing I got board so I went to recky the gravel track and it was fine so I gently perswaded the 11 strong group to follow.  We did 5 miles of worse stuff in spain but I got told to “pipe down” about spain. We did it and at this point the temperature was at 49 degrees.  I never thought I would ride in this again after Madrid but her I am again.  I will reiterate this is not a temperature that you should do anything in let alone ride a bike 100 miles.

Stopping ever 5 miles for shade and to consult the map as we were slightly off the map route yet still on the sat nav route seemed to drag. Everyone was getting tired and grouchy but I was not gonna allow anyone to drop off the back as that could be costly. We made it to out last stop, 20 miles from the hotel and fresh drinks on board.  I was feeling good but a few were still struggling so we pressed on at a stable pace until we hit another “dispute”  this time we couldn’t agree so we split.  Maps vs Sat nav, sat nav said a shorter distance so I took sat nav.  Up a 5 mile hill (a tough hill) with some great sceanary meant we were heading in the right direction until we started down a gravel track for a mile and then the road stopped, sat nav failed us. It stopped bad literally no road and we had the choice of going back about a 30 mile round trip or walking the track it looked about a mile so we though “Live and die by the sword” We will walk.  This was a bad idea.  We ended up waist deep in grass, mud and thorny stuff.  At least 45 mins later we got there 1 mile ish.  Spirts were still fairly high considering all and we only had 10 miles left.  I was 8pm we left at 8.30am and the last 10miles was mainly up hill (hard hills)  Soph broke and I being terrible in these situations tried to help in my own way (I don’t think it helped) we all just wanted to finish but we wernt sure where the finish was until Andrew and Neil showed up to save the day and guide us back in the last 4 miles.  What a day!  We were clapped in by the rest of the group and lots of emotion but what an achievement.  I feel in 75 years Ray Mears’s grandchild may make this into a documentary on survival of extream heat and cycling / trekking across Italy.  Tom’s 24th and Tim’s 49th will not be birthdays many of us will forget!!!

Now at the end of this long day I can not express how proud I am of Soph.  This is a 24 year old girl who has only been riding since april and has come through easily my hardest days cycling and it would be tough for the most hardened of cyclists.  She is a real inspiration and if this doesn’t make you want to put your hand in your pocket Im not sure what will?

Again thank you for your support,  It really does mean a lot.

Tomorrow only 65 miles but hilly ones so we shall see what happens

Joe x

Blog – Day 7 and 8 – Campomarino to Melfi (Continued) and Melfi to Sala Consilina is a post from: Inspired Living

People managed to get lost and the last group arrived at the Hotel at 09.00pm. All well in the end.

Neil and I actually covered 129 mile after going back down the route to help guide people to the Hotel.

During the day all went well for the first 30 miles and then we had a diversion on the road to Lucera when we found that the road was being re-surfaced and was not passable. We finally got to Lucera when I met the Mayor who introduced me to Signor Del Grosso who rode with Gimondi and and all the top riders of the day competing in 4 Tour of France and many more Giro’s.

After a coffee we set off for Troia where we hit the mountains and 49 degrees of heat. The road from there to the village of Melfi was extremely hilly and difficult. Sophia was very courageous as we had a 10 miles mountain climb to the village of Melfi and the hotel.

Everyone is well but more information will be posted tonight. One group acta;;y got lost and walked across a field for a few miles !!!

More tonight.

Blog – Day 7 – Campomarino to Melfi is a post from: Inspired Living

Today’s ride was over 91 miles of beautiful countryside. Tom, my son had his second crash of the week and again no one else was involved. Fortunately his rugby training means that he bounces but it still makes me worry !

Rob also had a small incident with a Smart car but there was no damage. The day was really fast with speeds of 25 mph reach on sections. Tim, Joel, Neil and Ted really raced over the last 30 mile section at a really high pace of around 20mph. 

Food was supplied by Jac and Loraine with their usual efficiency.

In the spirit of everyone giving their perspective, todays Blog comes from Joe and Joe writes :

At the start of today it seemed like it was gonna be a hot one. I woke up feeling like I had a hangover after only 1 lemonchello.  At 8am it was 28 degrees and again we would be hugging the coast.

I had little motivation as I wasn’t feeling great so I plugged the ipod on and slowly got the legs turning.  The road unusually for here was terrible and busy so a few near misses from everybody culminated in Tom putting his foot into his front wheel spokes and doing a flip for the second time in two days.

All was ok and we continued.  Finally the scenary changed and we headed straight into town (Pescara) A huge traffic jam and some crazy Italian drivers meant it was a lot like riding in the centre of London.  I am very surprised no one was injured but we got through it found a stop by which time we had covered 31 miles and the heat luckily had not materialised, it was only 33 degrees!

At this point sprits were high but we had no idea what was in store.  60 miles left and lots of hills, our first challenge, a challenge Sophia wasn’t too happy about but there was no choice.  Scotty helped us through ably aided by James, Rob and Adrian.  The route looked amazing and was, for me, certainly a welcome change.  However the miles were long at this stage.  Lunch could not come soon enough although Rob decided it could as he left his glasses about 3 miles back and had to ride to get them (bad times). 

Parked at lunch was an amazing old Fiat convertible (not sure what it was but I want one) accompanied by FOOD and lots of it.  I was feeling the miles by now and soph was suffering either with the heat, the miles or the hills but I think all played a part.  She wasn’t speaking much and I decided that it was probably best not to test her as I remember my feelings towards Andy when I was in this mood in Spain.  I hated him and the world and just wanted silence, I thought this was best. 

Finally after 91 miles we rolled into Campomarino to find a very nice hotel (eventually) and the beach.  Tomorrow, a hilly day and 95 miles although as I write this a lengthy discussion is taking place to change the route.  I really don’t care about this discussion hence I am writing this but we will wait to see the result.  Its also both Tom and Tims birthdays so the bikes will be decorated (pics to follow)

Thanks For the support.

 P.s Mum. The bread pudding is going down very well!!! Several people want the reciepe.

 Joe

Blog – Day 6 – Tortoreta Lido to Campomarino is a post from: Inspired Living

A blistering sunrise promised a hot day, oh dear Lord! So, another HUGE breakfast & off by 9am en masse…hills & tunnels. I got amongst a pro cycling club just outside Senigallia & soon I found myself bowling along at 26mph in the middle of the peleton with so little effort it’s indecent. They were a friendly group & we chatted away merrily in Spantalien for about 20 mins before they returned off for the hills. I was sad to see them go & then realised I was the only one of our group. It was a full 5 mins before others arrived & I realised a) how easy it actually is to travel long distances effortlessly with an experienced peleton but don’t tell anyone!

Ben Lin took the spotted jersey as ‘King of the mountains’. But the tunnels were worryingly long, dark & felt ‘dangerous’. Guy had a close shave with a blue Renault & we were glad to see the back of them. Being a Sunday there were many club riders out & Paul , Steve, Ted,  Jirl, Ben & I got in with one as we headed towards our 1st stop, Porto Ricanti; once again a ‘groove was established’ & the mileage was so readily achieved we were able to detour in to town on the seafront for a DELICIOUS galelato each & a water bottle top up. Lunch was another feast from Jac & Lorraine. Surpassing themselves daily now what with local cold meats, delicious breads, cheeses, melon & strawbs.

After lunch a cycle through increasingly typical Italian towns, mire & more charming & more club cyclists to chase down & ride with. Tom Gibson took a fall with a spectacular somersault & impressive recovery, getting away with only minor grazes. This reminds us all that these adventures are fun but they do cone with risks. Tom, naturally as the tough Rugby player he is, got up & got on with it, a credit to his old man slogging away leading men 20 years his junior along hot & dusty roads!

We arrived in great spirits at Lido de Tortoretto finding a warm pool & excellent wines on offer. I leave today’s blog to prepare to sample both; as they say “It’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it”!

Thanks Tim for the blogs. A couple of points to add were that James was cruising along at 27mph behind Neil up a hill with Tim, Ted and myself hanging on behind. Where does he find the strength !!!  It must be the 10 miles a week cycling to the pub !

Phil, wanting to impress his colleagues at Stannah,  has also ridden really well despite his concerns about his level of preparation.  Each day has seen him get stronger and stronger, especially after stopping smoking !  

Rob is also enjoying the ride and the picture below shows him leading the young Ben and Joel with the rest of the group in the background. 

Finally, on the ride to Tortoreta it all just got too much for Steve who fell asleep by the side of the road to everyone’s amusement. 

Blog Day 4   Forli to Senigallia     Sat 18th June

A warm start in Forli & spirits were high after a sumptuous & fulsome breakfast as we quit our hospitable hotel with plans to cycle the 85 miles to Senegallia via Rimini & Fano down the SS16. The haunting call of a Stork rang out as we left & we soon hit the beach at Rimini. Jamie Wadley proved strong & keen,  leading the peleton & Adrian Dymond & Steve Young set a good pace & Ted Williams often pulled us along against a hot breeze. This is what it’s all about

The temperature hit 41 degrees C on the road but Joel & Ben Lin never faltered, eventually tailing Neil Flesher as he led them through the last 16 miles from a final pit stop at Fano. It was here that the ageing tubby, cyclist in a Cervélo jersey gave us cycle tips & chastised us as he sucked on his ‘tailor mades’ while smoking a cigarette !  Eccentrics are not a purely British phenomenon & I would have been kinder to him if he’d taken up my offer of a jersey swap!

This final part of this leg was down the promenade at Senigallia to the port & our Hotel Vela with a stunning view across town & beach.

The sea was warm and we swam from a Beach Club site across the river loosening aching backs & necks. Guy Poppy arrived, Jac Samuel went to pick him up from the station &  having performed this task just the day before I helped him rebuild his bike, even if Adrian had to be called upon on technical details of fitting the rear mech!

Showers & 19 hungry thirsty cyclist to satiate at a trendy restaurant in town. We ate sooooo much, roll on Sunday.   But with any project like this where would we be without the support and in this case Jac and Loraine who follow us with food and beverages when they are most needed. Thanks to you both.   

Day 3 – Modena to Forli

This was the day when we set out from Modena on the short 30 mile cycle to Bologna Airport to pick up the rest of the team.  We were still in shock over the Ferrari visit.

Our ride was uneventful, but Tim will now give you his perspective of the day starting in the UK.

Tim writes:

A 4am start, all packed & ready to be picked up by Ron of Mini Bus Travel Ltd at 5.00am. All kindly arranged by our airport logistics friend, Grahame Pope.

Plenty to sort out en route including cards for my Dad’s birthday & Father’s Day.

We arrived at Gatwick same time as the others & bundled our way to baggage drop off. No long queues all smooth do far.

After a big cooked breakfast it was on the flight & take off at our scheduled time on BA2560.

A great flight & walking out of the plane at 28 degrees C in Bologna airport brought a to our faces.

All passed smoothly through to changing into our cycle clothes in the baggage reclaim loos, so far so good!

Amazingly we managed to put our bikes together without incident, but it’s getting hotter & created a lot of interest from the locals. The airport Human Resources Director spotted us & brought a professional photographer to commemorate our passage for airport publicity! We will apparently feature in the Airport magazine.

Eventually on the road by 2pm and relying on Steve Young with his GPS to navigate Bologna’s ring road, a thankless responsibility but managed with aplomb.

The 50-miler to Forli took us past harvested wheat fields, orchards of peaches & plums & the strong smell of manure & through Imola. The sights & smells still novel & exotic!

Forli is gorgeous, Hotel  Masini perfect & right in the centre, bikes secured safely on the 3rd floor!  They sent us to a reasonable yet excellent restaurant ‘La Duomo’, as the name suggests, adjacent to the Cathedral…big eats, Andrew Gibson sorted out a ‘special deal’ with the proprietor with his fluent Italian, is there nothing this man can’t do?

Fantastic breakfast & off, planning elevenses in Rimini, ‘Happy Days’

Blog – Days 3, 4 and 5 is a post from: Inspired Living