HANNAH SHARES

Hannah commented in her last post that I ought to make a guest post about my bike tours, so here I am. If you’ve known me for 10 minutes, you probably know I like to be active. If you’ve known me for an hour, there is a 95% probability I’ve described my workout plans or runs in far more detail than you cared to know. I’ll save you that boredom today, so you all (specifically Zach) can breathe a sigh of relief. But, I will tell you how much I am loving this bike. If I had a style, which I abhor the thought of having a “style,” this would be it. I like black, I like simple, and I like functionality. This bike provides me all three, and I am having a blast with it. The first two months here, the Italian decree restricted Hannah and I to our local municipality. So you could not drive anywhere, and if you got pulled over you would receive a hefty fine. There was a loophole though; cycling. Cycling is a huge sport here, and nobody cared where you were or what you were doing if you cycled there. So, I started riding voraciously. In the two and a half months of cycling I’ve already surpassed 700 miles. In doing so, I got to see some cool places and take some pretty pictures, as seen in the above photo overlooking the Berici Hills and the town of Arcugnano.

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Speaking of the Berici Hills, they’re awesome for riding. I like to challenge myself, sometimes recklessly, and there are some killer hills in that area. There are also hidden gems in those hills. Above you can see a few of them. Anywhere you ride there are multiple fountains for you to stop and sip some water. There are also castles and villas such as the ones pictured above in Villabona and Arcugnano. There are also simply beautiful views of the hills and the far off Dolomitis. I really enjoy riding there. I’m always bound to see something new, and those hills never fail to get my heart rate going so I can sip some red wine that evening guiltlessly!

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At the northern tip of those hills is the Santuario della Madonna di Monte Berico. It is a gorgeous church and provides a stellar view of Vicenza. It also is a great start to any ride, a solid 400 foot climb over about a quarter mile, and the grade gets up to 13%. It is killer, but the view at the top is worth it while you catch your breath!

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Cycling also helped me quickly build some friendships. Many officers here ride, and a major in my unit loves to bike tour and we’ve gone on multiple trips. The pictures above are part of a 60 miler we did together. We stopped in three towns: Marostica, Bassano, and Cittadella. Marostica is a beautiful little town. The main square contains a cool castle, multiple cafes, and the main square is set up like a chess board. After that, we proceeded to Bassano, home to grappa, a tasty digestif I’ve grown fond of made of the leftover grapes from the winemaking process. The bridge is legendary; it was designed by the famous architect Angelo Palladio who designed a ton of villas and buildings all over Veneto, like the villa my bike is parked in front of (I assume, it’s a decent guess). His designs inspired Thomas Jefferson’s set up for his Monticello home, too. Lastly, we stopped in Cittadella, a small town in the Padova province. It is surrounded by a large wall that gives the city it’s military-esque name. There was a nice little cafe we stopped for a quick brioche and caffè break. When I’m not out trying to crush my lungs and legs, these rides are a ton of fun. Cycling provides a great way to see the towns of Veneto and the countryside in between.

I’ve really enjoyed cycling; it’s provided me a way to see the area despite the frustrating restrictions. I’ve always like to “opt-outside,” as one of my favorite places in the PNW, REI, used to say. There’s so much to see and do; the Italian countryside is full of cool spots and buildings older than the United States itself. That alone makes the purchase worth it, especially when you consider how much we’re saving on gas and insurance, too. Who knows, maybe I’ll try a race. But until then, I’m going to keep touring the hills and countryside of our new home. Hope you all enjoyed the post, and maybe I’ll even do this again. Arrivederci!

-Michael