A wellcome to the Tuscany Group. We gonna load the bikes tomorrow and transport them to Florence.

we will wait for you in our beautiful start hotel...

the "Villa Pitiana". An old Italian villa embedded in vineyards and olive groves.

these nice girls - Elena and Laura - will welcome you.

Tuscany waits for you - have a save flight, see you on saturday......

First Riding Day - Florence - Siena through the "Chianti"

In the morning everybody was a bit excited. But after the first coffee stop in Greve everything went easy going. A multi cultural group from all over the world..

This was our first lunch place in "Chianti" - La Pestella - La Mamma makes handmade Pasta - mmmh

And Francesco always waits for us - thanks you Francesco, see you in october...

Eager Christine can`t get enough of these beautiful roads - poor Michael.....

Siena waits for us tomorrow...

2. Day - Restday in Siena

A beautiful morning ride took us to the typical landscape south of Siena, called "Il Crete" - Cypress trees, olive groves, lonely farmhouses and vineyards. Last not least the most important thing - empty roads and tons of curves..

parts of our multi cultural group....

Frank and Gishlaine from La Reunion - he dosen`t want us to tell his profession. So we suppose he is a priest on a motorcycling trip with his girlfriend, or maybe an undercover agent - better don`t tell anybody.

the Daniels family from Guatemala - Betty, Gilbert and Marianne...

from Honduras we have Roberto and Juanna - in the back the monasty Monte Olivieto Maggiore, the fortress-like abbey of the benedict-order

"Il Crete"

Conny perpared us a delicious picnic in the garden of the hotel - and than the group went for exploring Siena

a must - the Cathedral

yes the interior is really stunning!! The vault are painted blue with gold stars.  And if you look down you`ll see the cathedrals most precious feature the inlaid-marble floor, decorated with 56 panels by about 40 artists over the course of 200 years.

3. Riding Day - Siena - Assisi

From Siena to Montalcino - the Brunello region, Monte Amiato, to our picknick place high above the Orcia Valley, Lake Chiusi and Lake Trasimeno in the afternoon - and finally Assisi the spiritual capital of Umbria.

Hasan and Imren - our guests from Turkey. He was with me on the High Alpine Tour an now he brought his wife. Maybe next time she will be on her own motorcycle?????

San Antimo - the Romanesque Abbey surrounded by cypress trees and vineyards - beautiful Tuscany.

8 nationalities and 7 different languages - what else than motorcycling brings them together...

Patte and James - one the American fraction

near Montepulciano...

at the end of a long riding day with thousand and one curve we arrive in Assisi - hot, tired and thirsty but happy

Happy Birthday Marianne - our Guatemalan Girl will never forget this birthday

4. Riding day - Restday in Assisi

The long route is going to Trasimeno Lake and Orvieto

the new Edelweiss Tourguide Bike....

Barb and Dan - representing Canada. Say hi to the boys back home, wish you where here...

The Cathedral of Orvieto - after 40 years of planning it  took them 200 years to construct

5. Riding Day  Assisi - Gabbice Mare (Adriatic Sea)

One of my favourite riding days - Lake Trasimeno, where the deadliest battle in history took place between the Romans and Hannibal, than Cortona - film set of the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun", Urbino - the unique Renaissance town, birth place of Valentino Rossi and in the evening a swim in the Adriatic Sea - anything missing????

Morning briefing on the terrace of the "Giotto" hotel in Assisi

No worries - Alex our guy from "down under" high above the Trasimeno Lake. He finds an Irish Pub everywhere.

Ursula, Stefan and Conny - the leaders of the gang

and there is always something to do

This restaurant is named "Il Grillo" - which is in English "The Grashopper", Giancarlo served us Panzanella - a typical Tuscan bread salad, caprese...

and home-made Ravioli - delicious. Hopefully we will fit in our motorcycling gear tomorrow.

The SS73 - the road constructor must have been a motorcyler - lead us to Urbino. Palazzo Ducale - the palace of the Duke of Montefeltro. An elevator gets you up through the city wall onto the main plaza...

where always some crazy things going on.

a swim in the Adriatic Sea and a drink cools us down after a long, hot but awesome riding day.

6. Riding Day - Restday Gabicce

we started pretty early - Strada panaoramica Adriatica - a scenic road high above the Adriatic Sea leads us to....

Tavullia - home of Valentino Rossi. A cappucchino with the typical 46 on it ...

we spent a lot of money on all these Valentino souvenirs.

San Marino - independent, democratic and neutral, smallest state in the EU, situated 750 m high on Mount Titano - what a beautiful view and what a great place for lunch.

On our way up to Gabbice Monte  a short walk (only 15 "German minutes") to "Bel Sit" our restaurant for dinner high above the Adriatic Sea. We proudly present  John Wayne and his wife Jaime - these both are always, always in a good mood!!

Sunset - on the "German Barbeque Beaches"

our last riding day - a short stop in San Leo

Passo della Consuma

back in the Villa Pitiana - look at them - Andrea and Hernan - just lucky after a good days ride and a memorable week

final speech and ...

Betty from Guatemala, Silvana from Brasil,  Gishlaine from La Reunion - the winners the Woman Award for the most courageous femal rider - a little key ring with Rossi`s 46 on it ! You keep on going you tough women!!!

a toast to Christine and Michael for their anniversary..

and a final speech from Gilbert...

We had a memorable week, good riding, good food and even better wine.

Thanks to all of you for the time spent together. I hope you will come back. Have a safe flight home and keep Italy in your mind and in your hearts. Bacci Ursula