LIT complete

 I finished my Leader-In-Training trip yesterday.  It was an awesome week; I got to watch two really efficient and experienced leaders do their thing, and got to spend time learning from the fantastic van support driver (another leader in a different role this week).  Each of them was very patient with me, and shared useful tips without me even asking.  I am really lucky to have had such a great first week out.

The first night staying in our hotels I received a knock on my door about 8:45 PM.  I answered and the porter (facchino) and a housekeeper were standing there.  The man asked if they could enter to prepare the room for the evening.  I had no clue what was going on, so I hesitantly let them in.  It turns out that in fine European hotels it is custom to receive "turn-down service" in which the corner of your blanket is folded back.  This hotel also set out slippers for me, put cookies and the following day's forecast on the blanket, and set everything up for me to take a bath.  A girl could get used to this...

Too good not to take a selfie

 The second day we had a picnic lunch in front of an abbey in the heart of the Chianti region.  We set up the picnic while the guests took a tour, then voila!  The food was ready when their tour ended.

The goats kept us company while we worked.  Just KIDding

Lynn's gorgeous (and delicious) picnic

Later that evening the van support driver and I set up our own leftovers picnic in the hotel room.  Then we watched American Reunion (American Pie's most recent sequel) for free on the hotel's TV.  Fresh strawberries and a lot of laughs; not too shabby.

I got the chance to ride the long option with the guests one day.  After conquering hill after hill (and me learning some important features to Backroads directions...) our group of four who chose to do the entire ride arrived at the hotel.  We were at 98 kilometers, and one physically-amazing 60 year-old mother was adamant about completely her first metric century ride (100 km).  We rallied and rode back out the long cypress-lined driveway and onto the road, until we broke 100.  It was neat to be part of her celebration, and it was also my first official metric century.  We had conquered over 7,000 feet of elevation gain while we were at it, so I was whooped.  I recovered quickly after a nap, and to be honest the only part of my body that was uncomfortably sore was my crotch.  OUTCH!

The cypress-lined finish line

View along our bike ride

The wisteria is growing all over the place here.  It smells so good!

Coffee break at Bagno Vignoni thermal baths.

My On-Your-Own dinner at a local pizza place.  I had eaten pizza the previous two nights and was actually looking for anything BUT another pizzeria, but alas, tis what I found.  This one was sausage and chicory (kinda like bok choy?).  Not the best pizza I had this week.

 At the last castle we sleep in, there is an extensive spa available to guests.  On the final day of the trip, after guests got on their shuttle back to Florence, we leaders tried it out.  Research is very important, mind you.  It actually was very helpful that we did, because there is a popular spa feature called an emotional shower which I previously had NO idea what it entailed, so if guests asked I would've sounded like an idiot or described some sort of liquid therapy session.  It turned out to be a sequence of timed showers running down a hallway like a car wash, each a different scent, temperature, light color and pressure of spray.  I didn't feel very emotional when I walked out, but I sure smelled good!

Molly celebrating our spa time

Thermal pools on the castle's terrace.  Absurd

Benvenuti in Toscana!

Ok, I'm back!!  Both on Blogger and in Italia, this time as an active travel guide.  I am now living just south of Florence.  I started my time here by hitting the train startion to head back north to visit my au pair family.  I ran into some unwanted attention by an older gentleman who definitely didn't have his wits about him, and I made a quick escape underground to the platform entrances and found a friend hiding along with me...

I stood taking pictures, a fairly sane excuse for passersby seeing me hiding out underground.

Things got much more comfortable when I made it back to Reggio Emilia...

My eggplant pizza from a local favorite

The beautiful Bea is looking older all the time! (But still ordering the same pizza as ever: The Reggina minus rosemary)

 I went on a gorgeous drive with Nicoletta in the hills surrounding Reggio, in the area known as "Four Castles".  Springtime put a whole new face on the region; wildflowers are popping out everywhere and the world looks so alive.  It is beautiful!

Terrace overlook of Reggio Emilia at Rincolo Park.

The remnants of Castello di Canossa; one of the area's four castles which belonged to Matilda, a historically important woman to the region.

Vines as far as the eye can see!

The land is so well-organized

Wildflowers!  Red poppies are soon to come.

We rode bikes to a neighboring town where a city-wide garage sale of sorts was happening in the main piazza.  It was interesting to walk around and see the things people were selling: from old shoes to relic rubber dwarves from Snow White.  Sadly, I did not take any pictures there.

I headed back home to the Leader House to enjoy a week off before trips started.  I got to tag along on a six-hour hike to test out written directions for a trip.  I keep having to remind myself that this is my job.  I love it!

A very knowledgable tree.  The pedestrian crossing signs here crack me up; the people look like they're running for their lives.

My new friend (and hiking guide) Sarah

The views are amazing!

We found these biscotti in a bakery window downtown.  Funny, because that's just where those cookies will stick to me ;)

 I also got to go on a bicycle tour of the area.  It was my longest ride to date (60 miles--I'll get that 100 miler yet!).  I felt strong, which was exciting, as Tuscany is one hill after another.  We kept a nice pace, nothing too crazy, and were out biking for about 5 hours, not including obvious stops whenever a good coffee or meal called...

I'm back in Italy!  Bellissima

Did I mention we get some great views?

My new friend (and biking guide) Renee.  You can't see the boot on her right foot very well, but she totally rocks a healing broken ankle on the ride.

We stopped at Castello di Brolio, which is still partly a private residence and was formerly owned by a major contributor to the reunification of Italy's provinces.

Not a bad front yard.

We had a lot of fun checking out the views.

 We stopped at a restaurant to meet a couple other people out researching trips.  We planned it so we were over halfway done with our ride, so this was a big payoff.  I ordered Pici alle Cinghiale, which is a very popular dish in this area.  Pici are thick hand-rolled noodles and cinghiale is wild boar.  It was pretty darn good.

Pici alle cinghiale

I am currently on my first trip with guests, though I am playing a background research role (which is why I have time in the evening to put this together!)  It started out looking stormy, but turned into a beautiful day!

At our picnic spot you can see the house where Mona Lisa grew up (off in the distance between these two buildings), and where Leo started to paint her.

View in the direction of our first ride.

 The ride was gorgeous, guests are really cool and our hotel is UNbelievable!  Quite a change from camping last year, that's for sure...

Welcome home to your stay for the night!  A suited man was ready for us with sparkling water and fruit

Ms. Westman...

It's gonna be a restful night

My view

Back terrace view

Needless to say, I am a very happy non-camper :)  Unlike this guy:

A little Backroads joke getting sent on unit drives from one house to another.