Right. Long time no post, so it’s time for a couple new ones, not just because I’m up to something, but because ‘it’, the words, seem to be somehow coming back a bit. At least some letter fragments are sinking in. I guess I need adventures as food for thoughts to write about. But let me tell, what I’m up to.
Last winter I have been quite ill with a nasty ‘flu. After having recovered, some friends persuaded me to take part in what is called ” the first and original unsupported bicycle adventure”, the Tuscany Trail. It will take place in lovely Tuscany, Italy, with a distance of 548km, about 9.000m ascent and loads of good Italian food for fuel. Over the next days I will try to post about my daily route through Toscana/ Tuscany and what happened etc.

Driving to Massa, where the adventure will be starting tomorrow morning at 8am, was long but fun – all those Italian names made me think I was travelling through a restaurant menue card. I even passed the factories of Galbani and Barilla.

My bicycle, a Lapierre Crosshill 500, is now almost packed and ready to go. I didn’t take photos of the stuff, but here is an image of the whole setup and a list:

Carradice Saddlebag:

2 panties, 2 bustiers, 2 pairs of socks, 1 bib, 2 jerseys, 1 hoodie, 1 bikini 😎, 1 small towel, 1 cup, 1 small container instant coffee, 10 chamomile teabags, 12 energy bars, 1 sun lotion, 1 shampoo, 1 first-aid cream, 5 freshening tissues, 3 packages tempo, 1 aspirator, 1 pair light sandals, 1 tyre inflator, 1 battery charger, salt for the water bottles – plus a raincover stripped on top

Alpkit bag right

1 knife, face cream, 1 package tempo, 2 freshening tissues, 1 package peppermint drops, 1 camera, 1 headlamp, 1 backlamp

Alpkit bag left

1 container body cream, 1 small bag containing 1 toothbrush, 1 toothpaste, 1 deostick, little bits and bobs and scrunchies

Alpkit Bag under the saddle

Repair kit (2 brake blocks, 1 tube, 3 tube patches. 2 tyre tools), 1 first-aid kit pour moi

Handlebar Bag

1 small lock, 1 hairbrush, 1 diary, 1 pen, 1 powerbank, 1 glasses, 1 phone charger, 1 light charger

plus a Garmin etrex 30 for tracking. And my iPhone and 2 waterbottles.

*

That’s about it. Some experienced tour cyclists may raise their eyebrows – oh well. I took, what I think I need ☺️

Am a bit nervous to say the least. Can I do this? Thinking of it I’m getting a little frightened – I’m not a fast rider. But I’m doing this for fun and I hope the whole adventure will be just that – fun. Quoting from one of my favourite Snow Patrol songs ‘PPP‘: “You won’t be around forever girl, you gotta grab life with both hands”.

That I’ll do! ☺️