Sept 24 -- Tombolo Talasso Resort

Yesterday we left our bags in the lobby so that Christian and Luca could load them. Transferring to a seaside resort, Christian drove the van, while Luka made sure the straggling bikers didn't get lost.
The ride was about 46 km through more vineyards, olive groves, cork trees, and cypress.






Christian said it would be "Tuscan flat." I only had to walk my 24 speed bike twice. from the hilltops we gazed over an expanse of grey-blue trees adorned with green olives, forest green cypress, and the iridescent pines. The grape vines meandered across the hills on soil as red as Terra-cotta roof tiles.







Our lunch stop was in Bolgheri, along the estrada del vino (wine road). I joined Peg and Tim in a bar to taste the famous regional wines--sarcossi and olelieri, Ten Euros for a taste! Mike, from New Jersey, said that they sell for $100/ bottle here, $200 in the states. I can say that I've tried it before returning to simple Oregon pinots.







Lunch was pasta with porcini then we biked through cypress alley to the 5-star resort on the Tyrrhenian Sea where it's $50.00 to use the heated pools and $100 for a massage. I took a bath and climbed into bed at 4:30, feeling feverish.Feeling like I'd been up all night for the past week, I skipped the gnocchi-making lesson and dinner and slept for ten hours.  Which I have, with the time change.

Gnocci-making lessons

The deserted beach at the resort.
Too breezy and cool for sunbathing

I felt better in the morning and put on the red and black biking skirt that Sara had given me by way of Sonya in Zurich. If I don't wear it in Europe, where else? Our first stop was a bike shop where most of us bought jerseys for 50euros. I purchased and put on a red, white, and black one that matched my skirt.

Me, coming in for lunch at the olive oil factory last except for our guide who offered to push my bike and I gratefully accepted.

A table was set for us between the control panel and the conveyor and olive press. Our host had us taste different olive oils with bread and appetizers. He told us that the harvest would start in November and to never store olive oil in the refrigerator!
Lunch was fresh-made cheese-filled ravioli.

Biking back to the resort was relatively easy because we were coming out of the hills, returning to sea level. Good thing, because I wasn't feeling well again.