Tuscany Trail 2016

[gairym]

Anyone entered/entering?

I'm in and I know Jase/Wotsits has entered too.

Looking forward to an even warmer ride this year too as it's almost a month later and so should be warm and sunny.

Here's a link if anyone is interested:

http://www.tuscanytrail.it

If you try and enter you've got to register first and the form is eccentric but persevere as it's a lovely part of the world to ride a bike in.

Cheers, Gairy.

[Pirahna]

How to you plan on getting there and back?

[gairym]

I'm going to drive as it's 4-5 hrs away but Jase is flying there and back.

I can give people a lift down from Geneva (I'm an hour away) otherwise Easyjet flights to Pisa are the way forward (quick and cheap).

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Very interested. Shame it clashes with the HT550, but that's probably all the excuse I need for not putting myself through that misery! What bike would you recommend taking?

[slarge]

I'm entering once I get the website entry thing sorted. Will be flying down..... Looking forward to a warm event in beautiful scenery with lovely food served up by gorgeous ladies. Or the Highland Trail.....

[gairym]

Very interested. Shame it clashes with the HT550, but that's probably all the excuse I need for not putting myself through that misery! What bike would you recommend taking?

I saw every conceivable bike there last year.

One thing I will say is that the terrain does not warrant a fatbike!

There's very little proper technical riding and a lot of gravel road and so I was considering a full on CX bike but now I'm planning on using a carbon XC bike.

What are you options?

*Edit: your spearfish would be fine.

[Wotsits]

Sì , io sono in!

[Mike]

I'm in if I can sort leave from work.

[adjustablewench]

I'm in if i can put the kids in kennels

on the site to register it seems to be asking me my birthplace - county, postcode and city . . . . does this really need to be my birthplace? i was born before postcodes were invented, and i'm sure the hospital was demolished before it got one too! i guess i can just use my current details?

[Chew]

I've been thinking about it too.

Some kind of road trip?

Catchup over the weekend

[gairym]

Do it guys!!!

Don't worry about the form, I just put my current info as I'm not convinced the direct translation is particularly accurate.

The event is worth it for the food and wine alone (nevermind the riding and scenery)!

[Pirahna]

The logistics of doing this make my head hurt.

I can get the time off.
I live about 10 miles from Stansted Airport so a flight to Pisa is no problem.
It's a 50k ride from Pisa airport to Massa for the start.

I assume I'd box the bike, leave the box in left luggage at Pisa and use it again for the trip home?
What about getting back from the finish to the airport, train or cycle?

[gairym]

We got the train last year (back to Massa and the cars).

We changed at Pisa and it was only 3 hours in total (maybe just over an hour to Pisa I think).

Sounds like you've got yourself convinced!

[Pirahna]

Sounds like you've got yourself convinced!

It was the write up by the nutter on the fat bike that got me interested in the first place.

How many days? Just looking at flight times and prices and it's around £150 for a flight out on the 1st (day before the start) and flight back on following Monday (another £80 to fly back on the Sunday).

[gairym]

It was the write up by the nutter on the fat bike that got me interested in the first place.

Fatbike? The guy sounds like a loon!

Took me 3 days and 15 hours and so on a sensible bike I'm hoping to get in under 3 days this year. Depends on a lot of factors though. I rode long days but never at a fast pace and I didn't stop for long to eat etc...

[Pirahna]

Took me 3 days and 15 hours and so on a sensible bike I'm hoping to get in under 3 days this year. Depends on a lot of factors though. I rode long days but never at a fast pace and I didn't stop for long to eat etc...

So it starts on Thursday, a flight back on Monday would be realistic. I'd rather give a local hotel some money than put it Ryanair's bank account.

[gairym]

Yeah, should be.

Not many folks are as slow as me and I'd have made that flight!

[adjustablewench]

I am way too excited about the thought of this!!!!

[adjustablewench]

maybe we should get enough people to make hiring these guys for the event worthwhile . . . . might be a long drive and i guess the coach may resemble a bothy on wheels by the time we get there though.... sleepy heads, empty wine bottle and cheese wrappers all over the place

http://www.bike-express.co.uk/

[Zippy]

Some kind of road trip?

Did someone say roadtrip?

(I have no idea what I did with my rear seats, but I've now also removed the rear seat belts to get the car through it's MOT, so now it's more like a van.... but I could take some bikes, but I want a passenger...!)

[burty]

I have the green light from home ,
or more like the stop talking about it and sod of and go,

I did try to register the other night but my Italian isn't to good

[gairym]

I did try to register the other night but my Italian isn't to good

It's a PITA to register and the form seemingly enjoys finding a reason to reject every registration attempt - even some Italians are complaining about it on the FB page!

Be great to see a lot of familiar faces and will make the whole thing a lot more fun (it's no fun whinging to Italians about my saddle sores!).

I think I'm going to leave my car at the finish and so could theoretically store stuff for people in it if anyone wants a luxury item or two waiting for them.

There's also the possibility that I can help out with lifts or other logistics but won't know if things will work out until more of a plan (on both ends) is sorted.

I'll likely drive down from France on the Wednesday morning and then back the day after finishing (I've already got my eye on a sneaky hotel stop somewhere on the way home, maybe Pisa?).

[Wotsits]

I'm sorry, but 'I ain't getting on no coach fool!!'
Especially coming back from Italy with 600km taken out of my legs..

Soon as my bags are checked in at Manc airport i'll think of you all though, while getting into the groove with a large chianti.. :D

Re the form- for my place of birth I just repeated my home addy..

[gairym]

Just saw this on the Facebook:

[Wotsits]

That's ace Gairy, I really can't wait for this trip..