Tour of tuscany - BIT1503

The tour is over - the circle is closed, we are back in Villa Pitiana. What a fantasic, flexibile, optimistic group. Thanks for your cooperation. It was a pleasure to guide you round Tuscany and it was fun riding with you. Have a safe flight back home and stay in touch. All the best Ursula & Marko Welcome Day - Tour of Tuscany - BIT1503     Once again a multinational group from Canada, US, Korea, Great Britain and Saudi Arabia did the long way to ride in Italy. The tour leads us through Tuscany, Umbria, Marche, Emilia Romagna and will give us a taste of Italian culture, food, wine, the open-hearted people and last not least  of amazing roads. After the welcome briefing and motorcycle handover, the team of Villa Pitiana spoilt us with a variety of Antipasti and plates loaded with all kind of different meat. We couldn`t also resist the desert - pannacotta, stuffed hot apricots and warm brownies - sooo good. Tomorrow we will be ready for the Chianti region.  Our start hotel - Villa Pitiana 7. Riding Day: San Marino - Florence everybody was hoping that it will clear up to do the long riding day over the stretches of the Apennin. And yes - the sun came out The ladies! All tough passengers, can`t get enough of theses curves :-) a quick coffee at passo della cantoniere La Verna - a thunderstorm ruined the restaurant "La Melosa". Everything repaired and the truffle ravioli were delicious Passo della Consuma - what a ride! boot beer at Villa Pitiana - all in one piece, all in a good mood - perfect! Christina the only female rider amongst this gang. He met Simoncelli in Indianapolis and got some "58" stickers a last impression from Villa Pitiana in the evening sun 6. Riding Day: Restday San Marino The optimistic attitude of this group is unbeatable!!! Despite a dense fog and rain they wanted to ride. Short discussion at the breakfast table - and the deal was made. We gonna go!!! Let`s make the best out of this day - and it was even better than the best!! First of all we had to get 2 new plastic bags for Chris shoes from the room mate. Off we went - and the first highlight was Coriano - Marco Simoncelli`s hometown. Here the memorial for Sic - blowing every Sunday at 4 pm for 58 seconds. Sic`s memorial the guys let us in for a quick picture stop despite a car race was going on. Thank you - you friendly Italians! our lunch place on the beach Christina couldn`t resist to dip a least her feet into the Adriatic Sea Fish, fish, fish - so delicous Agripino - the Rossi fan - totally happy! We thought we wouldn`t see the Ranch because of fog and rain - but it cleared up :-) Tavullia - Rossi`s hometown Rossi`s fanshop and a special capucchino The "doctor" 5. Riding Day: Assisi - San Marino the group was positiv despite a bit of rain and posing for a group picture at the Assisi Giotto Hotel Christina and Agripino - nothing can destroy their good mood In Cortona we were already wet. Kevin and the wedding car  Chris tries to get his plasic shoes dry for the next 2 hours of driving in the rain man! and it is cold!!!! Gianni - "Il Grillo" took best care of us We arrived wet and tired but safe in the Grand Hotel San Marino. What a good group - patient, always positive and good and safe drivers - Yeahhh! 4. Riding Day: Assisi - Monte Sibillini (Tibet of Italy) Which route we`ll gonna take today?? Of course long - you can`t get enough of these curves! We headed south, direction Norcia and Monte Sibillini National Park. Lovely Norcia - the city of San Benedetto - the holy Benedict Here he is - in the middle of the market place, blessing everyone passing by or sitting and chatting Norcia stands also for all kind of wild boar products, mushrooms, truffles and lentils Christina on top of the pass, behind the Great Plain our new tourguide on the left :-) It is Chris Engel - a German Journalist - soon are coming some video clips of the tour - watch out!! Just awesome Mathew and Cortland Kevin - our lovely Korean. In the background Casteluccio OK - no comment :-) what are all these guys looking for?? Mushrooms.... 3. Riding Day: Siena - Assisi Montalcino - famous for the Brunello.  Bondi-Santi - that is the top brand Abdel - you better take that T-Shirt off before going home to Saudi Arabia :-) John and I climbed up to the top of the fortress - it was worth it Bottles start at 30 Euro. The 1955 Brunello is one of the dozen world top wines. San Antimo - the Romanesque Abbey founded by Benedictan monks in 781. Flexible group, good riders - so we tried again a new picnic spot. Bagno Vignoni, a thermal spa 51 wells, all hot, filling the pool in the market place.  Cortland wanted to go to Trasimeno Lake - that`s what we did. Beautiful!  The "Gang" in front of San Francis of Assisi 2. Riding Day: Siena - Le Crete Abdel live :-) Malcolm and Cathleen  San Galgano - the great, roofless, stone and brick monolith stands silent in the fields.1786 the bell tower simply collapsed, as did the ceiling vaults a few years later. In the "open air" church classic concerts taking place in summer. the area of "Le Crete" - cypress alleys along the driveway to the tophill farmhouses. Like in a calenderpicture What scenery! Abdel  Apripino - he is having fun  John an Pat, Malcolm and Cathleen 1. Riding Day: Florence - Siena Daily Briefing - the guys are all a bit excited Macelleria Falorni like in paradise yes - it is still running The Black Rooster - the icon of the Chianti area first coffee - first impression of an Italian sunday morning the sunday market in Greve Mathew and Cortland - in the background is the farmhouse where Mona Lisa lived Kevin from South Korea after the first hundreds for curves we arrived luckily at our lunch place.... "Il Pestello" - Abdel looks forward to a good Italian lunch. Francesco spoilt us with delicious Antipasti and Gnocchi and Spaghetti Arabbiata the skyline of San Gimignano - the Manhattan of Tuscany (Dome vede - ho travato io :-)  ) The Cathedral of Siena right and Torre del Mangia left