Training Log Archive: Charlie

Woke up at 4:30 to a vigorous downpour, and a forecast of 90% of rain, but after a leisurely breakfast of cappucino, salami, eggs, cake, juice, etc., the clouds broke and we had quite nice weather. We left from Villa Poggiolo. Across a not so steep hill to the shore of Lago Trasimeno, site of a famous battle where Hannibal defeated the Romans. Then a few mechanical issues, and lunch in Passagnino, whic seemed to go on for a while. The group broke up at Touro, some headed directly to our next stop at Cortona, the rest of us taking a few long climbs, going via Mercantole, Montanare and Pergo. The climbs were tough, but very nice. On top of the first one it started to rain, so I put on a rain jacket, which was fine for the descent. 1.5 Km up the next hill I was cooked, so I had to take it off again. First climb was 6K, second one was 5k, all at about the limit of what I can climb seated. Then the last 10 K into Cortona mostly downhill and rolling, just beautiful. Toscana more green than Umbria had been, Umbria in the middle of a serious drought. As I approached Cortona, really black storm clouds not far away. Just got in before the downpour. Pretty lucky.

Day 2, from Assisi to Villa Poggiolo. Back out the way we finished yesterday, by Santa Maria degli Angeli, then on the way to Deruta for a tour of the Grazia ceramiche fabbricia. Beautiful stuff, way too expensive and impractical, but nice to look at. Nice to see how they make it. A big lunch, then pressed on. Some big climbs in the afternoon.

The villa was lovely. Even better was dinner down the road at the home of some friends of the tour operators, a charming family in a beautiful old brick home. Magnificent Italian dinner: 5 kinds of cheeses ( a remarkable ricotta, bufalo mozzarella, two kinds of sheep manciano, parmeggiano, and the best gorgonzola I've ever encountered), walnuts and bruschetti for appetizers, primo piatto of pasta with pesto, secondo piatto rolled beef with insalata misto, then homemade cakes and gelato for dessert, each course with a different wine. Charming, charming family. Two sisters, about 50-ish, their mother, and the daughters of each sister, assisted by the young girls' boyfriends. A beautiful table set outside, then a storm drove us in, and without missing a beat a beautiful table set up in the kitchen. A wonderful evening.

This is a pretty amazing tour in terms of the compatibility of the group. No one lagging behind, no one champing at the bit to go faster. A good steady pace, apart from the long cappucino and lunch breaks, which are no so bad either. I am getting some Italian lessons from the guides, Marco and Beppi. Very cool.

Event: 2012 Western States Orienteering Championships
 

First trip of the bike tour. This one a round trip back to Assisi. Cool day after yesterday's violent thunderstorms seemed to have blown out the heat. Along the ridge lineabove the valley to Spello, where we stopped for half an hour of cappucino and sightseeing, and where I turned off the watch for a bit and forgot to start it again until we were on our way to the old town of Bevagna, and another stop in the town square, taking pictures. We wound our way through some other small towns, including il paese piccolo of Torre del Colle, and then to lunch at Cantina Dionigi, a vineyard. Lunch was bruschetta, salami and ombetta with pecorino and 4 kinds of wine. 3 too many for me, but Rhonda liked them. Enough to buy a case to send home. The best one was their Vigna del Brillo.Back across the valley and stopping at Santa Maria Degli Angeli Cathedral, with a service going on with many Franciscan friars in garb at the apparently famous church within the church. Very beautiful. And home again for some relaxing before a walk up into Assisi for dinner later.

C • First day... 3

Afternoon stroll up into Assisi and to Rocca Maggiore, the big fortress above the town. Lots of little passageways and spiral staircases leading to the tops of towers with wonderful views in all directions. Found a shortcut at the end to our hotel through the olive groves.

C • Sprint-O terrain? 5

Got the bikes put back together and a short cruise to see if they worked. Got as far as the train station and the thunder and rain coming in chased us back home. Just in time before a real crashing downpour. Besides, I seem to have developed a slow leak in the back tube, so I had to replace that, and better to do it back at the hotel than along the road with the rain coming. A little while before I got satellites. I started the watch after we got down the first hill.

Only one mishap putting the bikes together. Our friend Jan's shop packed them for us, and used a lot of heavy duty zip ties. I had a knife, but not wire cutters, which would have made it a snap. At one point I was sawing away at one with my knife and got distracted by Rhonda, only to have it slip and stab myself at the base of my left thumb. Not serious, but cautionary, and a fair amount of blood to stanch before continuing.

Arrived in Roma at 8am, collected our bikes and took the train. Got a train at about 9:15 to Tiburtina in Rome, then changed for Foligno. This was a long slog. Tiburtina is a large station and we had to shlep two carry on bags and a bike box each from platform 25 to platform 4. Lucky we had some extra time to do it. Then caught the train for Foligno, very nice, and switched their, luckily just on the other side of the platform, for Assisi. Cab from the train station the 2 Km to our hotel, the lovely Country House 3 Esse.

Then a walk up the very steep hill into Assisi for lunch and walking around, including a stop at the San Francesco Cathedral. Back home for a much needed nap.

Another walk up the hill for dinner at around 8 pm, which is when things seem to start around here. Molto buono.

Pretty good workout today, although I was watching it so as not to get too sore on the verge of our trip. 20 minutes, broken into 5 minute sets: run 400, then ring dips for the rest of the first 5, then run 400, KB swings for rest of the next 5, run 400, wall walks for rest of it, run 400, toes to bar for the rest. Held off all those young folks on each of the runs, maybe did a few more dips and T2B than prudent, but I think it will be ok. Legs still pretty sore from combo of all the recent biking and the squats and cleans on Monday.

Then off to the walk in clinic to get checked out for a gnarly looking rash on my upper arm. Doc says doesn't look like Lyme to him. I had thought it was poison ivy, but now it looks like something else. Anyway, he gave me a topical steroid script.

And all packed up by 11 and ready to go.

C • trip 7

Event: 2012 Laramie Daze
 

Massage today from the lovely and capable Heather. When she had first opened her own shop it was relatively easy to get an appt for the next day or so. Now it takes planning and she is generally booked two weeks in advance. I was a bit worried about her before when I feared I was her only client, so it is a mixed blessing that she is so much busier now.