# Genova-Cinque Terre = Perfect day on the bike



## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

I'm going to take a break from posting about last summer's TDF extravaganza (see <a href="http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=41544">part one</a> and <a href=http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=41659">part 2</a>) to do a quick post on last week's ride down in Italy. I had two work trips last week, the first to Genoa and the second to Athens. In order to take advantage of the cheap fares you can get w/ a Sat. night layover, I found myself with one full day to explore the area around each respective town. Here's the report on the ride I did from Genoa down to near la Spezia and back along the Cinque Terre to Levanto where I took the train back to Genoa (see map below)

I had originally planned on riding northeast out of Genoa up into the mountains and looping back down through the Cinque Terre peninsula back into Genoa. However, when I woke up on Sunday morning, the mountains were covered in dark clouds, the early morning light was punctuated with the reflected flashes of lightening and the booming thunder rolled down from where I had planned to ride. Okay! Change of plan, I'll ride down the coast road and hope I don't spend more than 1 hour in the drenching downpour that I could see coming down off the mountain.

The first pic is my trusty travel bike waiting for me outside the Hotel Bristol. I rode out od Genoa and as soon as I hit the town limits, the skies opened up. I told myself I'll ride for 1 hr. in the rain. If it shows no signs of letting up, I'll turn back. It poured (I mean torrential rainfall!) for 45 minutes, then started clearing up. The last picture was taken at the point where I decided to go on and do this ride. In hindsight, turning back would have been a monumental mistake!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Rr#2*

What's funny is that most of the rain had just come from a cloud that I was under, as I rode on, the roads got dryer and dryer and I saw little signs of the deluge from which I had just escaped. My first destination was going to be Portofino and the pictures below are taken from that portion of the road. As usual in Italy, the drivers are anarchic but completely predictable in their driving style and extremely courteous towards cyclists. On the way, I scouted out a few houses that I wouldn't mind making my own.... donations to my housing fund are welcome! I'm sure we can arrange for a time-share! The last picture is a house that I fell in love with on the road to Portofino.... when I win the lottery, that baby is mine!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Rr#3*

First stop, Portofino. Time for some rocket fuel (who needs crack cocaine when you can get an expresso ristretto?), a quick shot of Portofino's church and I'm off back down the coastal road in pretty much perfect cycling conditions.

After Ravallo and Sestri Levante, I start climbing towards the passo del Bracco from where the next few shots were made. After that are a bunch of views on the way to Levanto, including some in Levanto itself. The thunder and lightning was still booming away in the mountains to the left but the coastline was completely clear -- oops, maybe not completely clear of all atmospheric perturbations. The last shot is of what I believe is called a sea sprite -- a mini tornado over the water. Pretty cool!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Rr#4*

Things seen along the way:

1. Fruit of the gods
2. Birthplace of kitchen counter-tops
3. A sobering reminder that even when we soar, we can fall fast. Here a young polish rider died last year during the Gran Fondo Cinque Terre. What was touching is that as I rode up to this roadside memorial, an old village woman was just leaving after having placed some flowers and a candle. She probably never met the man but here, far away from his native Poland, someone is watching over his final resting place... that is how life and death should be.

What follows is a bunch of pics of the Gran Fondo itself. I knew they were running the cyclosportive this day and had considered entering it but to do so would have meant catching the train out of Genoa at 4:45 am ... ouch! So I just rode the course in the opposite way... and came across the bulk of the riders as they were negotiationg their way up the penultimate climb -- 5 kms at 13%-18%. For once, I was glad not to be part of the race!

Final picture: some girls show us how riding was meant to be! Fun practical and carefree!


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Rr#5*

Let me just apologise now and say that you will see no pictures of what turned out to be the most beautiful part of this ride: The Cinque Terre peninsula. The coast beyond Levanto is stunning, the towns of Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza (especially Vernazza!), Manarola, Riomagiorre and Portovenere are all jewels, each one an assemblage of multi-colored homes tumbling off the sheer coastal mountains anchored only by the spiked church steeples and the weight of history (flowery prose alert, someone stop me here!). Truly one of the most stunning landscapes that I have been lucky enough to ride through. But, alas, you will get no picture because I forgot to empty my camera's memory card and ran out of space. Perhaps it is better this way, you will just have to ge there and see for yourself one day...

As a (small) consolation, I'll finish off this post with some random pictures taken in and around Genoa itself. The old city is a tight mesh of medieval streets awash in the smell of cooking garlic and hanging laundry. As you climb out of the city on the small stair-stepped passages, you discover a series of hanging squares where the Genovese come to read, relax and express the romantic inclination which they share with their fellow italians. Finally some parting shots of the sea -- I'll be back for sure!

A+

Philippe


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

You must quit posting pictures and ride reports. These reports are so nice it is almost painful to not be there. There may be a mass exodus of RBR cylcists to Europe after this week of postings.

Stunning pictures. The houses along the coast are gorgeous and very brightly colored.


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## racerx (Jan 29, 2004)

*I think I am growing way too fond*

of Europe, please post some pictures that contain:

Poverty

Fat European chicas

and anything else that will stop me from packing up today for the next boat out of here.


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

*I'm*



racerx said:


> of Europe, please post some pictures that contain:
> 
> Poverty
> 
> ...


riding out tomorrow from north London through Tottenham so should be able to get poverty, obesity, squalor and industrial wasteland into a few shots - mind you English people do not consider themselevs to be European


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## racerx (Jan 29, 2004)

*That's funny...*



M.J. said:


> riding out tomorrow from north London through Tottenham so should be able to get poverty, obesity, squalor and industrial wasteland into a few shots - mind you English people do not consider themselevs to be European


I saw the same things on my way into work this morning. Thanks for bringing me back.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*will do!*



racerx said:


> of Europe, please post some pictures that contain:
> 
> Poverty
> 
> ...


Poverty=next time I'm in north paris -- infact my racing team's clubhouse in a pretty squalid place!

Fat European Chicas= no problemo! only thing is whenever I get ready to shoot the pic. I hear them speaking with that distinctive 'merican twang... just kidding (kinda..). Hey I grew up in Nasvhille TN and it used to be pretty hard to find the rotunda-tuba's there too -- not anymore. Seriously, we've got our lot of heft-challenged females, and many of them insist on baring their midsections... somehow the effect is just sooo off what the fashionistas must have imagined when they started designing tight tummy-exposing tops.

Anything else to turn you off from coming=a picture of hot steaming Tripe in tomato sauce (really, it's pretty good!)

A+

Philippe


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## Scot_Gore (Jan 25, 2002)

Beautiful Stuff. On the map it goes. 

I've been to Portifino, by boat. I re-call thinking what gorgeous riding it would be and how much more of the coast I could have seen on the bike. The bikes a great invention. (don't get me wrong, the cruise ship had it's own appeal).

Thanks for the report. 

Scot


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

These pictures are absolutely breathtaking. I showed them to a coworker and he said "Every shot is like a postcard!" I think they're much better than postcards.

Thanks, Philippe. If I ever get back to Europe as a cyclist, I'll know who to use as a tour guide.  I was not riding at the time I went to France.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

*Che bella!*

Mille grazie.


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## SCW (Mar 19, 2005)

Wow.

Typically I can't imagine wasting good vacation time in a city of any variety, but I think a bike trip following you around would be great, lol. Not that I could keep up.....

Fantastic pictures, a historical bike tour through parts of Europe would be incredible.


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## FishrCutB8 (Aug 2, 2004)

Absolutely beautiful...thank you for taking me out of my cubicle, today.


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*That's the reason...*



SCW said:


> Wow.
> 
> Typically I can't imagine wasting good vacation time in a city of any variety, but I think a bike trip following you around would be great, lol. Not that I could keep up.....
> 
> Fantastic pictures, a historical bike tour through parts of Europe would be incredible.


That's the reason I travel w/ my bike. I figure on any given business trip I'll go out exploring the city at night. Having the bike around let's me get out of the city and ride around the countryside. Not that that is always pleasant. I'll post later about my trip last week-end to Athens -- which was really amixed bag -- and I can think of little to say that's positive about the riding I did in Abu Dhabi back in Feb. -- but generally, it's a pretty good experience.


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## FishrCutB8 (Aug 2, 2004)

I've sent numerouos people to this thread, and they all say "thank you". 

As someone on this site is fond of saying: "A+"


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*that's great*



FishrCutB8 said:


> I've sent numerouos people to this thread, and they all say "thank you".
> 
> As someone on this site is fond of saying: "A+"


Now I feel like I'm doing a public service! Seriously, I hope people enjoy looking at this pics as much as I enjoyed riding this route. Who knows, maybe someone will be inspired to visit this area and ride... damn, I should negotiate a cut from the Ligurian Tourism Board.

Best,

Philippe


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## jeff27 (Jan 28, 2004)

*the cinque terre*

Phillipe, I have always enjoyed your posts and you touched upon one of my most favorite places ever. I got to spend some time there on vacation with the wife. Absolutely stunning. Needless to say the wine and food were great too. I don't mean to hijack your thread but I have a couple of pics of Vernazza that people might like.

1 - Me on the walk down into the village, we had flown into Milan and I didn't sleep on the plane at all, then drove down through Genoa (stopped, wife got a little mugged, I got it all back though) then to Vernazza. If I look grumpy , it's from lack of sleep, I was having a good time I swear .

2 - Vernazza. Any words I could think of would pale in comparison to its beauty.

3 - The narrow alley/walkway to the room(apartment) we rented while there.

4 - We hiked from Vernazza to Monterosso, here we're just peeking around the hillside at Monterosso.

Next time, we're bringing our bikes! Thanks for stirring up some great memories!


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## The One Man Peloton (Sep 19, 2005)

*Not to be left out*

My photos - unfortunately no bik - just new wife of 2 weeks (honeymoon)


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

*Great!*

I think you and onemanpeletondid the right thing... next time I'm bringing my wife!

Great pics from both of you...

A+

Philippe


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