Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Bergamo Quattro: phone dump

I have been using my non phone camera to take pictures, but most days and when solo I have my phone and use that.  So here is the big dump...


Second week ride to Iseo with the gang.  I found us a side road that turned to gravel and then mud.  I still have mud on my tires.





Watching her? put sunscreen on him?  Awkward.  For us I mean.












After the descent Megan got her chain jammed inside the no jammed chain device.  Pete and Chris and I were already heading down the road and didn't notice for a few minutes that Megan and Colleen were gone.  By the time we got back they had already recruited this guy, with his tool box, to fix it.

Lunch was super good.

Local birra!


Saw this sweet 50's rig.  Someone drove it away a few minutes later.




In Valcava (top of the big climb) this dog was super friendly and hugging Colleen.  The restaurant was open but the man making us sandwiches was way above his pay grade.  5 came out- 4 with ham only and 1 veggie for Colleen with only cheese.  But after the climb we were ok eating whatever.




Hi there!


Costa Valle Imagna- my new favorite loop.


Not sure what is going on, but a rare smile from Chris.


A super bumpy descent.


Megan taking advantage of my foam roller.

Damimmo in the old city.  Super good food!

There's a fish under that salt.  And watching the waiter slice and dice the bones out was molto impressivo.

Falco.  Falco.  Falco. 

I found these at the supermercato.  We used to carry Enervit at the shop, but Andrew ate all the profits- about one of these tubes per day.

On the first Sunday alone I woke up early, got out of the house by 7:40, and hung around centro looking for a group ride.  I started heading towards the mountains at 755 and found Roberto and Gigi getting ready to roll.  They were going 100k and said I could join.  Gigi had no English, but Roberto pretty good.  We ended up having a great ride and talking a fair amount.  This is Gigi.

This is Roberto.  We stopped for coffee on the way up and this woman came in and started yelling at Luigi the barrista.  Then she started yelling at me and it continued outside in both English and Italian.  She was very angry at some guy in Israel, the whore with 4 kids from 10 fathers that stole her last boyfriend, that she was adopted.  She called me stupid in English because she saluted me in Italian and I didn't know.  Highly entertaining.



Bergamo has a huge cycling population, btw.  I've seen tons of local club teams as well as legit teams (see further down).


Roberto uses concentrated latte as energy.  He put some on bread for me after the ride and I will admit it is good. But I suppose that much sugar in anything and I'll like it.  He gave me the rest of that tube and I might have to use it.

I met Roberto at a bar for celebrating the Italian Festa- once a year a huge celebration for the Madonna and their country.  The police shut down this street and there were going to be big fireworks and more.  One thing I like about the police in Italy:  no f&$ks given.  They are all business.

This girl rolled up on the smallest motorcycle I've seen.

The cool street with lighted banners across.  After one beer and two glasses of wine I had to head home before the fireworks.  It is still a habit of mine to get home before they start to keep Soda company.



Today's ride (8/20/14).  If the videos don't show up ... it was a huge storm this morning from around 5am until 11am.  I did some shopping and hung out until 2:30 and then headed out.  Turned out to be a cool ride up and a warmish ride down.

Team Cipollini passed me on the way up.  Just like when the guy on the city bike in jeans passed us going up hill, these guys have again shattered my pro cycling career dreams. 

These are the donkeys of Costa Valle Imagna.  For Colleen. 



Snacking in Italy can be very inexpensive.  A brioch and espresso for 2 euro.

On the way back down- it is hard to see but tons of old rock walls.  And a cow.