Some pictures to match the stories!
This is a road from Montevarchi (close to our house) on route to Chianti (wine villages- wine area) via Cavriligia. Most of the riding is like this: incredibly scenic (but don’t let the flat fool you. These hills are scary!)

At the start of the GRAF we took turns doing dinner. This night it was Erin (left- fellow Canadian from Banff) and Linden (middle- San Francisco) and Morgan (NY)s turn.
One of the first places we stopped was a church/vineyard (what a juxtaposition?!) with a private cellar in the basement with wines dating back to the 1940s. There are very few bottles from the 1930s because during ww2 when Italy was occupied, Nazi forces drank a fair share of wine for saving.
In Radda in Chianti we had a private Olive Oil and Chianti tasting session. YUM.
View from up top of Giole, Chianti
The walled city of Montergonni...
Pienza by day.
Morgan looking very artsy in Cortona... the city that got put on the map because of 'Under the Tuscan Sun'
Cortona Italy... sorry I thought that I had flipped this over. Turn your head 45 degrees to fully appreciate.
Lunch in the country side on the last day of the GRAF. Notice it is cold... as I am bundled up in all the clothes I have!
When we drove from San Giovanni to Pernes... and we stopped in Cannes for dinner... on the beach. Too bad it was also cold. Lisa, me and Jill... and Brad snuck into the background!
Cannes, France. To the left is the main drag of town.
At the reception at the villa. Lisa (middle) was a 'super canadian' wearing all of mine and Erins stuff. So this picture is of the "Canadians" of the night.
Kevin (on top) is also Canadian... three strong out of twenty some off leaders in pernes... Mogan had to get in on the Canadian picture too. (She is 1/4 Canadian).
The full costume that no one understood: the paper bag princess.
Living Room turned dance floor in Provence living room....
ScarpaMondo, where I got my new Italian Shoes. Literal translation: shoe world. Morgan, Erin and I are drooling in the window.
Just another day at the office... moving bikes from the warehouse to the leader house.