Italy on 2 wheels

A self-guided bicycling tour keeps trekkers close to an old land's charming sites

By Peter Rosegg / Special to the Star-Advertiser

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Jun 24, 2012

~~<p>Bicycling headlong into a strong, cold, wet wind atop a treeless berm with not the slightest cover, you may ask yourself, "What the #@*! am I doing here?" But that thought occupies only an instant, because if you stop pumping the pedals you fear the wind will bring you to a standstill, or even roll you backward!</p>
<p>It is Day 4 of our bicycle trip from Venice to Florence, Italy. It is a "self-guided" tour so my wife, Deena, and I are on our own: no fellow riders to cheer us on; no guide to offer water or snacks; and no "sag wagon" to pick us up if the desire to stop fighting the wind gets overwhelming.</p>
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Bicycling headlong into a strong, cold, wet wind atop a treeless berm with not the slightest cover, you may ask yourself, "What the #@*! am I doing here?" But that thought occupies only an instant, because if you stop pumping the pedals you fear the wind will bring you to a standstill, or even roll you backward!

It is Day 4 of our bicycle trip from Venice to Florence, Italy. It is a "self-guided" tour so my wife, Deena, and I are on our own: no fellow riders to cheer us on; no guide to offer water or snacks; and no "sag wagon" to pick us up if the desire to stop fighting the wind gets overwhelming. Login for more...