Italy!

Jun 26 - Jul 6 we went to Italy! We visited Rome for 2 days, did a Backroads bike tour in Tuscany for 6 days, and visited Florence for 1 day. The cycling was everyone's favorite. But the colosseum tour in Rome was also very special. We ate well, of course, enjoying the pecorino cheese, fresh pasta, and gelato.

Our bike tour had 3 guides: Miguel, Catarina, and Lucia. And 2 other families (the Traum's from LA and the Chan's from NH) whose kids were exactly our kids ages. Here's our itinerary:

• Jun 30: we met in Arezzo, bussed to a tavern overlooking Val d'Orcia, had lunch and an overview, and then biked 12 miles, 300 ft to our hotel Albergo le Terme in Bagno Vignoni. Hung out in the hot springs pools.
• Jul 1: 34 mile loop, 2500 ft. Stopped in Pienza and Montepulciano. More hot springs.
• Jul 2: 42 miles, 4000 ft. Montalcino. Amazing lunch at Agriturismo San Valentino. Tried to swim but pool was freezing. Wine tasting at a private home.
• Jul 3: 36 miles, 2600 ft to Villa Curina resort. Fun lunch stop with foosball. We had dinner in Siena. We were hoping the palio would run when we were there but again rain/mud. 
• Jul 4: 40 miles, 3600 ft. Radda for lunch. Dinner on town square.
• July 5: 13 miles, 1200 ft. Quick loop near our hotel. Then bus to Florence.

Of course John and sometimes the kids did slightly longer loops sometimes. The terrain was typically rolling with a few long uphills and downhills. Alex did an e-bike, John an high performance road bike, Joanna on a hybrid, and Julia started on a hybrid but switched to high performance road bike. Total mileage for Joanna was about 176 and 14,200 feet elevation gain. Amazing trip!

While we were gone, Maeby was well taken care of by Ella.