Winding down....

So I really can't believe that I only have 4 more days of school and then finals week. I'm totally done on Apr 26th. 11 days! Damn. Italy has been so much fun and I really don't want to leave. Even the past week has been a blast with people. Some of them I'm still annoyed with.

Two nights ago I met Kat's mom. She's just like Kat. I really liked her a lot. She took us out for drinks and then to dinner and paid for all of it. I actually felt awkward not paying for my part and having someone that doesn't even know me pay the whole bill. But she was a very nice woman. And she's an author...she's written many a books and scripts for movies. Craziness and cool.

Last night 10 of us drank up on the terrace (mostly just the roof of our villa). It was sweet. Between Dan and I we had 3.5 liters of wine and 250ml of grappa to go around. We didn't drink all of it....but we did most of it. But we had the music blasting and jokes flying and overall it was just an awesome time. I've really been hanging out with the people I didn't hang out with all semester and its kinda nice.

So my training has gotten a little bit more hardcore. 106km yesterday...yes I know thats still not a lot, but I'm working on time and base miles still and thats being in the mountains too. I go a lot harder now though. Yesterday started out crappy...my legs didn't even want to turn the pedals. The first climb was horrible, but then I was on top of my game and the next 2 climbs I blasted up. Feeling amazing. I just needed that first climb to get the crap out of my legs, thats all. Seeing that I really only have one more week to train here I better make it the best. I've improved a crapload since I've been here. By the time I leave I'll have 4000+km in my legs...some good base miles. And I've been become more of a climber, even at my weight and I'm a fat ass. But that will all transfer to the flats of Wisconsin. I'm definitely moving up to a Cat 2 this year. I hope my team helps me out with that.

I'll be able to finally test my strength on the 25th. I have a race over by Perugia. 89.9km mediofondo. 14km of climbing with the hardest climb coming in after 65km of racing. 7km long climb with an ave grad of 4.5% and a max of 9%. I don't see that being very hard. And I know I have over 100km of endurance so lets do this. I know I can break at least the top 50 now. And then I'll even do better at my next race on May 1st. My mom will be watching me, so I better do well.


Its nothing like a Wisconsin race....

Damn, I honestly shake when I think of going home. No more real Italian food, no more gelato, no more 11km climbs, no more 22% gradients, no more MTbike, no more me being in control on the road. Thats the thing I'm going to miss most of all I think. Having the road be for cyclists and for motorists. Motorists here respect cyclists. And I rule the road. I just can't ride in Madison like I can here. And its always lovely passing real pros on the road (yesterday I passed 2 discovery riders and a milram rider). I'll definitely have to come back here some day real soon.

Time to go and get some finaly projects done. I'm almost done with them anyways and they're all due on Wed. And I need to go on another ride, maybe around 4 hrs or so...we'll see.

Ciao ragazzi

Le Cinque terre...

One of the many views on todays journey

First off I would like to apologize for not updating my blog for the longest time...school is starting to get a little busy. So Cinque Terre time:

So today was a day trip with the class to Cinque Terre. Five cities on the west coast of Italy on the Mediterranean Sea. You can hike to each of the 5 towns. A total of 12km. Let's just say it was gorgeous. It made me want to get into hiking and live in Italy. The trail started at 5m above sea level, the highest point was 220m and it finished at 8m. There was 465m of climbing and 457m of descending. It was amazing all day with the sun out and it got up to around 68 degrees.

Walking next to the Mediterranean was amazing. I never thought I would ever do anything like that. I definitely took a crapload of pictures. If you ever come to Italy I recommend going to Cinque Terre and hiking the whole 12km. I didn't put on any suntan lotion as usual and got a nice sunburn on the right side of my neck which just looks hott.


Look Geo...pretty purple flowers

So we did the first leg of 4 with a group of about 10 or so. It took about 1.5 hrs and some people were complaining which was somewhat annoying at times. But it was definitely fun for me. We found a nice place to have lunch. The girls found a nice nature spot to go to the bathroom, two of them stepped in human shit and then smelled up the lunch table. Mmmmm delicious and nutritious. We got to the next city and rested for about 40 minutes or so on the rocks by the beach. We were going to go swimming because this was the city with the best beach! Ummm....no? Kinda sketchy, we'll stay away. I was getting antsy to continue on the hike so I wanted to get going.


Just beautiful!!!

All the girls didn't want to take the next leg of the trail so they decided to take the train to the next city and then walk the last two legs. LAME!!! They thought it wasn't going to be as good as the first leg and they didn't think there was time to do the 2nd leg and then the next 2 after that...well, they were wrong. My friend Dan and I decided to blaze through the 2nd leg. The tourist information said this leg would take about 1hr45min. It took us 48min! Oh yeah we rule...and that was with stops for some good pics.


My good friend Dan and I (look I finally got a haircut!!!)

We caught up with a couple other girls in the next town and they decided to join us for the last two sections. But first bathroom break. We found a nice cafe called CAFE MATTEO (yes I did get a pic of that with me in it, but it won't load so just check my facebook if you can...or I'll show it to you when I get home) and used the bathroom and got something to drink. One problem with the toliet. It was made into the ground. It was not a raised toliet. It was as high as the ground was. Good thing I didn't have to take a shit....but Dan did. I don't know how he did it...but he did his business.

Andiamo...The next section was not nearly as hard or strenuous as the first two. Not as much climbing. We got to the next town and there were some jagged rocks...so we decided to sit there for a while...about 45min-1hr. It was very relaxing. Sarah got in a nap, I took some pics, watched the girls from across the way strip down to their bikinis. We talked and got some sun...mostly on my right side. Time to go (and those girls thought we wouldn't have enough time?).


The Mediterranean on a gorgeous day...the view on the jagged rocks.

The last part of the trail was "Lover's Lane" (Via dell'amore). It was paved and was the easiest part of the trail. It was a nice last relaxing section though. But the legs felt good. I really want to start hiking more.

Overall, I think this was my favorite day trip out of all of them. No tours, no lectures, and no planned itinerary (other than when were leaving). I enjoy strenuous activities and the beautiful view was the icing on the cake.

Ok so as for riding my new bike....I HAVEN'T YET!!!! I'm dying to get it out there and try it. All I've done is ridden it to the shop and back. But what I have felt from it is intense speed and responsiveness. It honestly rides like a dream and is just gorgeous. I can't stop thinking about it. And this bike is staying clean. Thats why I haven't gone out the past few days...because its been crappy outside. But tomorrow I take it out. 70 and sunny :) But first I'm renting a moped with a couple friends and we're speeding over to Fiesole and Carmignano, or really wherever we want. I'll get back at around 2-2:30pm and get on that bike for about 4 hrs....thank you Day Light Savings (and Spring)!

But I'll have to get on the ball here. I have a crapload to do seeing that its the end of the program. Only two more weeks of class and then finals week. :( I have a 10 page myth paper due on the 19th, a travel journal due the 19th, an oral presentation on the 19th, an Italian composition about my childhood due the 13th. I get a take home final for Dante due the 24th, 2 performances for commedia dell'arte on the 18th and 20th, an Italian final on the 24th and a myth final on the 26th. I also have a race on the 25th. And as of right now I have to catch up on some myth reading. Sweet jesus. But hey when thats all done...my mom comes and I get to show her around for 2 weeks. And then I'll be home everyone, I can't wait to see all of you again...even though I'll be crying cuz I had to leave Italy :'(

This weekend I'll finish atleast 3/4 of my myth paper and hopefully my italian composition. I'll probably sit in Ari's Diner (an american diner with delicious food) with Kat and work on our papers. During this time I'm still going to get on my bike and get stronger for when I get home. Sounds like Baumann's training has been paying off...hopefully I'm able to stay up with him. lol. I better start working a little harder.

Ah and I registered for next semesters classes...I'm taking Nutri Sci 320 (an online class), Bact 303, Stats 371, Italian 102, and biking 295. Yes I am taking biking, I'm doing it with Geo, we are going to be the assholes who tear everyones legs off. Should be fun. I have only one class Mon, Wed, and Fri at 11:00am. And on Tues and Thurs I'm done at noon. Pretty nice if you ask me. I'll be able to go biking alot and get some hours in at the trek shop...and not feel too tired after a night at SAFEwalk.

Well, its time to get some reading done...I'll try and keep the updates coming. The next one will probably be on the new bike first ride...not gonna lie. Ciao ragazzi

Bici Nuova!!!!

That is all.... :) :) :)

God damn!!!!!

Wow...I was just looking at some cycling races tonight and I found out something awesome. Since I've been here I've been riding alot. Well, two of the routes I've been taking and most recently been doing alot were part of the 2005 Giro d'Italia. Part of stage 7...I've gone up (both sides actually) the San Baronto climb and I've done the whole Stage 8 ITT course from Lamporecchio-Firenze, up and over Pinone. I may not be as fast as the P-R-Os (at least yet), but I keep getting faster and faster every time I go out. I don't even tire as easily as I once did.


So here's the map of stage 7...


Yeah, that 10% part isn't too bad...theres actually three different climbs up to San Baronto and I've done all of them...this one is definitely the hardest out of the 3.


Elevation map...its the second to last climb...


I ride this route (or atleast part of it) almost every single day!!!


The side they did is definitely easier then going up the other side...