MotoWolff

Okay here was our plan, jump on a plane and go ride a motorbike in Italy for a week or so. We made arrangements with Central Italy Motorcycle Tours to rent a bike and pick it up at their office in Pontedera, just outside of Pisa. They do group tours but also rent bikes for individual travel.  The bike we rented was a 2010 BMW R1200RS which is a newer model of the same bike I ride at home. We were not going with a tour group, we were just renting the bike and going where we wanted. Here is a rough account of our adventure.

Departing on our flight from St. George Utah to Salt Lake and then on to JFK where we boarded a direct flight to Pisa. We arrived in Pisa in the afternoon and after a short taxi ride had some time to get settled at our hotel.

Day 1

We picked up the bike this morning in Pontedera, a suburb of Pisa and about a 15 minute train ride from the hotel. The agents office was just a few blocks from the station so it was an easy walk. The bike, a BMW R1200RT was ready and in good shape and after some paperwork we were quickly underway. We decided to have an easy first day and chose our destination as the old city of San Gimignano. The route we took followed quiet rural roads that were ideal for the bike and we enjoyed the ride out. With the motorcycle we were able to park right near the entrance. Parking can often be a problem with a car in these old towns.  San Gimignano dates back to the 3rd century and was founded by the Etruscans and it’s narrow streets and striking towers offered plenty to explore. It was also market day here so there were many vendors in the piazza’s. After much of the day in San Gimignano we made our way to the ancient town of Volterra. It was about a 20 minute ride over wonderful twisty roads. Volterra is a little bigger so we did not attempt to see it all but we had a good visit.

Day 2

Today we decided to go a little farther afield into the Chianti region.  We took the Autostrada towards Florence to cover some ground and then got off on some local roads. The weather was unsettled today and pretty breezy . Once we got onto the local roads it became a little more threatening with some dark clouds moving in. We were just on the edge of some rain and got into just a little bit of it. The roads were quite wet wherever we went but it did not rain much on us.

The Chianti region is laced with lovely winding roads and there are few straight sections. The terrain is quite hilly and the roads follow the contour of the landscape. Even with the wet roads the ride was very enjoyable. We rode to the town of Gaiole in Chianti and had a nice lunch there. After Gaiole we headed in the general direction of Siena but our destination was the village of Monteriggione. It is similar to the other old fortified cities we have visited but this one is quite small. Just half a kilometer long and less wide, in an oval shape. It occupies the top of a hill and is well protected location. Once again we are able to park near the entrance gate with the moto and it was a short walk to the main piazza.

Day 3

Today we are headed for the mountains in the north of Tuscany. On our way through Lucca we see many cyclists out on the road with us. The weather is lovely and it is a good day to be out on two wheels! Our destination is the mountain village of Barga in the Garfagnana region. There, is a 10th century castle and mountain village on the edge of the Apuane Alps. This region is heavily forested and scenic with houses perched in unlikely locations on the mountain and virtually every hilltop has a house , small castle or church. The roads here are very twisty and most of the pavement is excellent with the grades mostly less than 6 percent. They roads are a little narrower than those at home but the cars are smaller as well. These are great roads to ride on two wheels!

Once we arrive at Barga we are able to park right at the entrance to the town. The moto almost always gives us the advantage of preferred parking wherever we go. The village streets are narrow and steep and some of the streets are literally stairways. We wander upward to the Duomo which is perched on the high point of the village. What is remarkable is that as quaint and charming as this village is there are no tourists here! We feel like we have found the real Italy. We also dined at a local cafe here and had perhaps the best meal of the entire trip so far. We’ve had many fine dishes in Italy but the food at Cafe Capretz stands out for us both. It was almost sad to end our visit to Barga but we had other sights to see so we jumped back on the moto and headed deeper into the hills. We made a brief stop at Castlenuovo di Garfagnana another charming hill town. It is called Castlenuovo or “New Castle” because it was built fairly recently, around 1300 AD. I guess it takes a little longer for something to be considered old here.

After New Castle we started climbing again, this time to the west over the Apuane Alps.. These peaks reach only about 7000 feet yet they are very rugged, and with much snow lingering from last winter! The road we are on appears to be a favorite with local motorcyclists and there are lots of bikes out. We see mostly Japanese bikes and Ducatis but there are a few Harleys as well. I don’t see the attraction myself but the Italian Hog riders would fit right in at home. We make our way over and through the mountains and are soon headed down the other side towards the coast. I guess I kind of knew they were here but I was surprised to see all of the marble quarries. This is the home of Carrara marble and the mountains are almost entirely made of it. We finish our day by jumping on the Autostrada for the ride back to Pisa.

Day 4

Today we headed north again into the mountains but this time more inland towards the high Appenines. On our way up the Serchio River we stumble upon this amazing bridge from built in 1080, the Ponte della Maddalena. Further up the river in the town of Bagni di Lucca we find another amazing bridge, an early suspension bridge from the mid 1800’s or so. What a remarkable area, deep canyons, clear rivers and amazing bridges. From here, our road turns more upwards as we are headed for the winter ski town at Abetone Pass.

The road to Abetone is probably the most curvy road we have ever ridden. Corners lead to switchbacks and then on to more curves. There are lots of motorbikes out toady and we were passed by a group of Harley’s. I am still amazed that they seem to be so popular here. As we progress up the hill it is definitely getting much cooler. By the time we reach the top of the pass it is chilly indeed! It definitely feels very alpine here but it is only 1700 meters elevation(5500 ft). Most of the restaurants seem to be closed up here so we do not linger very long before we are headed back down the hill. After descending much of the way that we came we turned and dropped down out of the mountains towards Pistoia, another ancient city east of the region. We had a wonderful meal there before returning to Pisa.

Day 5

Today we are headed up the coast to the Cinque Terre and the village of Riomaggiore. This area is a Unesco World Heritage site, notable for the old villages and vineyards perched on the steep hillsides. You can reach Riomaggiore by road but cannot enter the village with a vehicle, even a motorbike. It’s just as well, the streets are so steep that few vehicles even attempt. Luckily there is parking for bikes and we can walk down to our hotel.

Our hotel “The Hotel Zorza” is a 2 star hotel with a great location. There are nicer hotels but none are in the village. We are on the top floor (the 5th) but we get a great view from our little balcony.

Once again we have a wonderful meal, pasta cooked perfectly, the sauce nicely seasoned, locally baked bread and wine grown and bottled in Riomaggiore. Our meal is at the same time too beautiful to eat and too good not to! Talk about getting a taste of the area!

We spend our day wandering in the village on foot and doing a little shopping, buying some local wine, cheese and olives for snacking on later. We have pretty much adopted the local custom of having our large meal at lunch and then eating lighter in the evening. Tonight there is a beautiful sunset over the Ligurian sea and we enjoy it with a glass of wine.

Day 6

After a little more exploring on foot we head over to the next village of Manarola. It is also a charming village pitched on the hillside with a little fishing port. The coastline here reminds me of some parts of the California coast, very rugged and beautiful!

There is a ferry service that connects the 5 villages of the Cinque Terre area but we will not be taking it today. It would be a spectacular boat ride but today we will be back on the moto. There is a road that winds above the villages on the hillside. It is such an unlikely place for a road but there are also houses and vineyards in unlikely places. Some of these are so difficult to reach that they have private little gas powered cog railways to access them. You see these at the side of the road with the rail going on the hillside to a house above or below.

Once again the road is narrow but the pavement is excellent. The weather is great with temps in the mid 70’s. There are a number of bicyclists out on the roads todayand I can see why. It is excellent country for cycling but we will be satisfied with the moto today!

With a maze of local roads heading in all directions we are following the GPS. Soon we find ourselves on this little gem of a road. It is wide enough for one motorcycle, not two. The paving is good but the road is covered with leaves and debris and some water. It is also very steep, perhaps over 20 percent in some places. Sara has her doubts about it and I do too but we decide to give it a go for a little while. Suddenly after a number of switchbacks and steep descents it drops us onto a larger road with a sign pointing to Pignone, our next waypoint. The GPS was right after all. For us this road will forever be known as the Pigtown Cutoff!

We follow the valley roads down to the Vara River and the Autostrada, the A12. The Autostrada often only has an entrance or exit every 10 to 20 miles so you can’t get on just anywhere. We find the nearest onramp and head for Pisa. All of the Autostrada are toll roads so the 50 mile trip will cost us about 5 Euro in tolls.

When we get back to the hotel we unload all of our gear. This is our last day with the motorbike and I need to return it to the agents office tonight. Having the bike has been great, you can see so much more on a moto and you can go places that you simply get to by car or train. However, the next few days we plan to visit some larger cities and do some museums. We will be on foot a lot and the motorcycle doesn’t make as much sense for these visits. We can reach our destinations by train and then spend the entire day seeing the local sights. Sadly, we will no longer be the powerful and impressive moto-heroes that we have been for the last week. From now on we will just be common tourists!

Day 7

Lucca is our destination on our first day without the bike. We have been by here several times on our way to other places and were tempted to stop but we knew that we should spend more time here so we waited. It is a 15 minute train ride from Pisa Centrale to the Lucca station which is just outside the old city walls. We arrive just in time for lunch and enjoy our meal with a lovely view of the Cattedrale di San Martino.

The narrow streets are wonderful to wander in and we do find some shopping to do. There is a pastry shop where Puccini frequently stopped and we find a jewelry store that has been in business since 1655!

We also find a bicycle shop that has been in business since 1934, Lucca’s oldest. It is called Biclette Poli and is an amazing place to visit. The walls are covered with photos of the owners father Antonio Poli with cycling legends such as Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali. It is a shrine to cycling and I pay homage by buying some jerseys!

Day 8

Today we go a little farther afield to Siena. We were very near Siena the other day on the bike but did not stop because there is so much to see there. A quick visit just would not do. We catch a train from Pisa and in about an hour and a half we are at the Siena Stazione. We catch a cab and in no time we at the Piazzo del Campo, the heart of old

Siena. The Siena area was first settled around 900 BC but it wasnt until 1200 when the Siena Cathedral was built that the city gained its most remarkable feature. The marble floors and pillars along with the frescoes and library simply defy description. You could skip everything else and just see this cathedral and be satisfied with your visit.

We however, continue on see see many of the other sights including the threscoes at the Civic Museum, Casa di Santa Caterina and the Cathedral San Domenico. Finding ourselves back in Piazza del Campo we have a quick coffee and  head back to the statzione to cath a train back to Pisa.

Day 9

Today was going to be a bigger day, we were going to Florence. It is a shorter train ride but there are so many incredible sights to see there. We decided to focus on just a few and not try and cram too much in. Our first stop would be at the Galleria dell Academia to see the Statue of David. It is a short walk from the train station and we took the quieter scooter lined sidestreets. The museum was busy but after a short wait we got in. The “David” is as remarkable as I remembered it from a visit over 30 years ago. No photos are allowed in the museum so you will have to take my word for it.

After the train ride and the museum we had worked up an appetite. It was a little early but the restaurants were open and we found a place on the Piazza next to the Duomo. I destroyed my “Tower of Potatoes wrapped in Tuscan Ham” before I thought to take a photo. It was excellent, just as was Sara’s bruschetta.

After lunch we visited the Museo dell Opera to see its Roman and Etruscan artifacts. The rest of our day we spent wandering the streets of Florence, Ponte Vecchio, Santa Maria Novella and back to the station. Florence is on a grand scale, there is so much there to see. After the smaller towns we have been visiting it is almost overwhelming. We have already spent the entire day with the few sights we have seen. It is late in the day and we catch the train back to Pisa, arriving well after dark.

Day 10

This is our last day to see the sights in Italy, tommorrow we fly home to the US. We decide to spend our day in Lucca again. It is a short train ride from Pisa and it is a really enjoyable city. Last visit we only saw about half of the old city so there was more to do! It was also market day in Lucca so there were vendors in almost every Piazza. I took the time to climb the 150 ft “Torre Guinigi”. It is remarkable for the Ilex trees that grow on its topmost level. It was built in the 15th century by the then ruling family, the Guinigi family. The view is spectacular with the old city below and stretching to the Apennine Alps in the north! It is 230 steps back down to the street.

The rest of the day we spend browsing the little old shops as well as some that were newer.  We found Harley Davidson of Lucca in the center of the old city not far from this amazing little cheese shop. We also scanned the market vendors tables for various treasures and found some interesting items. Sara saw a vendor with some old bicycle parts, but they were mostly beat up and overpriced. Nothing I needed anyway.

We headed back to the train station and then back to Pisa before dark. Our flight is early tommorrow so we have to do our packing tonight.

Day 11

Okay, thats it. We have a short flight from Pisa to Paris and then direct to Salt Lake City, in business class. Then the local to St. George and we get home some 20 hours later but the same day. Ciao!