Sept 22--Picking grapes

    Dave, general surgeon from Michigan, and I joined the workers in the fields. A young man in a red shirt and jeans gave us scissors and explained, in halting English, to cut only mature green vermentino grapes from the main stem. Working side by side, we filled three plastic crates then picked clusters from the side branches to share with the group at the upcoming meeting.
     At 8:30 we abandoned the pickers to join our group to review our day's instructions. There was a 25km, 55km, and a 68km option. There were nine pages of instructions!
For example: at 9.6 km at the yield sign and T, with a roman bridge facing you, TR (turn right) onto "Via Della forestale" to enter the park.
 The instructions were to be carried in a velcro folder on our handlebars.
After Luka went over the route with us, Christian generally gave us a short Italian lesson.

Entering the coastal pine forest

Levels of beautiful start with bel or bella, then bella with an index finger pointing at the cheek, next fingers pointing and swiveling into both cheeks, and then, bellisimo. For the most beautiful one must kiss all  ten fingers, stand up with a wide sweep of your arms and, Christian said "and you must swivel the hips like-a so."
Still smiling and practicing, we collected our bikes for the ride to the town of Cecina on the Etruscan coast. We peddled along the Tyrrhenian Sea then entered a coastal pine forest.

Casale Marattimo. We hike it before lunch.

Next, we turned inland and climbed a challenging hill to our picnic place at the base of a hilltop, fifth-century town.

Dawn and me at the top of the hill. I am standing on the downhill slope.
 Half of us choose to bike the 13 km extension. I joined the rest of the group who ascended stone stairs to the winding streets of a town that overlooks an expanse of fields and distant sea.

Lunch by Luka and Christian

    Lunch was bruscetta with fresh tomatoes, salami, crackers with pesto, and a assortment of marinated vegetables.
John and Suzy decided to ride the van back. I peddled back along fields of dying tomato plants, the ground sprinkled with red tomatoes and garlic. We rode for miles on a bike path through the pines then came out and meet our guides at "the place of GOD", otherwise known as a gelato stand (Gelato Of the Day.)

Bryan and Sandy at the Gelato stand

During The last ten k I anticipated the cool water of the pool. But my ass was kicked and by the time I made it up the two flights of stairs to my room, I showered off the sweat and sleep for two hours.
More wine tasting precedes hors  d'oeuvres and dinner of fresh pasta, fish, and grilled chicken.
My camera had died at this point so Dawn Hansen let me load pictures into my iPad and most of the photos of my trip are taken by her.

Location:  agrihotel Elisabetta