Tuscany Trail 2016

[adjustablewench]

The password was at the bottom of the email with the link on - I found my email in my junk folder :)

[Taylor]

In my junk folder, ta.

Do we really need a medical certificate?

Whats the tax code

[Wotsits]

I left the medical cert box empty & put my Nat Ins No. in the Tax box..

[Wotsits]

Right- flights booked.....I can almost smell the pizza!!
Manc-Pisa-Manc, Weds to Weds.. Woo Hoo!!



Also ordered-


& some of this which is a life saver for gings!


& a pair each of these for me & Stu


I'm soo excited i may not sleep toneet!!

[Wotsits]

For anyone considering this but maybe short of time, returning to the Uk via Rome may be a quicker option.

I did actually at one point did consider doing the bag transfer from Massa to the finish, then travelling home via Rome, as this is probably as easy, if not easier to get to from the finish than Pisa & it'll have good flight availability..

[Taylor]

Anybody thinking of sharing driving down and back?

[Zippy]

Anybody thinking of sharing driving down and back?

Hello.

[Chew]

Anybody thinking of sharing driving down and back?

Depends on the cost/time

13 Hour drive from Calais, plus fuel, tolls, insurance........

[Taylor]

Trains are awful, one route from Calais said there was 8 changes.

[rufus748]

I've got a pass from home and work so just looking at the logistics now.
Looks like a flight from and back to Bristol is relatively cheap.
Bikes on a plane... The allowance is 32 (?) kg however it says nothing else in the box. I've never taken a bike on a plane before and a search on the internet suggests you can take 'extras' in the box as long as it's not over the weight limit as they don't open it and the guys at the X-Ray machine don't care as they don't work for Easyjet.
Anyone have any help/advice on this please?

[Chew]

Like most things as long as you're sensible you'll be fine, but once you have the bike, a box and packing materials you won't be far away from the 32kg.

IIRC the 32kg is the European maximum weight allowed for manual handling so if you do go over that your bag may not be accepted. It's not easy jet trying to charge you more.

Easy jet won't open your box but airport security may (and have done) to check for items not allowed (thing CO2 canisters) or if it's not clear on the X-ray machine.

Easy to travel with a bike, the main issue is to back it well enough that things don't get bent or paint warn off from stuff rubbing and vibrating in the hold for several hours.

[rufus748]

Thanks Chew.
I've just noticed there's free cabin baggage and it appears no weight limit so I'll probably carry most of it.

[Mike]

So who is flying from where I need to look at flights now ta ( or scan a lift in a car if anyone is driving )

[Taylor]

I'll be flying from Bristol on the Tuesday Arriving late evening.
Leaving Wednesday.

[adjustablewench]

looks like i will be flying from manchester, wednesday - wednesday

[PeteG]

Might want to add some insect repellent/bite stuff in your bags, did a 85km road ride in the hills above Lucca last May and although there wasn't Scottish clouds of them, I would swear the buggers had bigger teeth.

[Mike]

Oh and to which airport
Pisa?

[Chew]

Yes Pisa

Flying from Manchester with easy jet on wed gets in late morning.

Spoke to a few people at the weekend and got more info that I'll post up tonight.

[Taylor]

Right, I'm entered, just need to book flights.

[gairym]

Good stuff, looking like there's going to be quite the gang.

Did you lot manage to convince Stu?

[Bearbonesnorm]

Just out of interest you understand ............ are people planning to take their regular mountain bikes or crossers?

[gairym]

I'm taking a rigid Lurcher (recently bought, not yet received) with Ardent/Crossmark tyres and a triple chainset.

There's one long and tech-ish descent on day one, a smattering of non-tech singletrack on the way round and a loose rocky descent not long before the finish.

Other than that it's mostly double track, fireroad and very quiet roads.

A CX would be perfect for most of it but I fancied a sniff more comfort/control.

[Matt]

racking up a fair bike count now Gairy

[Taylor]

MTB, don't own a crosser.

[gairym]

racking up a fair bike count now Gairy

It's 1 in 1 out these days (that way round as there seems to be some lag between the buying and the selling depending on when we're in the UK).

Firmly stuck on 6.5 (though at 8.5 until the sale of the old ones) with instructions not to buy any more ever!!!