First Day of Riding

Ok, I know I am way behind on blog posts and it's not because of the wine intake, although the wine intake has been substantial. It's because we are having so much fun.  Blog posting has fallen in priority behind bike riding, incredible meals, wine tasting, and food demos.

We met up with our cycling group at the Bari Centrale train station on Tuesday am. They  drove us by van to our starting point where we first had lunch (a scrumptious buffet of healthy selections: grain salads, seafood salads, caprese, eggplant and more) at a gorgeous beach side restaurant. We also received a run down of logistics and an overview of the bikes. After lunch, it was finally time to suit up and go on our first ride.

This first one was rather short --- just 17 miles to get ourselves oriented and, I'm sure, for the ride leaders to check us all out.  We ended up at Corta Altavilla in Conversano where we checked into charmingly restored rooms in a hotel right across from a beautiful church,

As we explored the area that afternoon, we witnessed a funeral at the church. We watched the funeral procession led by people carrying beautiful flower arrangements that they placed in the piazza in front of the church. Next came four pall bearers balancing the casket on their shoulders, followed by family members of the deceased, solemn and linked arm in arm. I was struck that nobody was dressed up -- even the family members wore jeans and t shirts -- but it seemed that nearly the whole town turned out to pay their respects.

Our trip leaders took us to a nearby restaurant (open only for us since they are usually closed on Tuesdays) and we had a spectacular meal. Really, spectacular, as they all have been -- I have never had food in the U.S. that even approaches the quality of what we've had here.

We tucked into our rooms to rest up for our first real day of riding.

More pictures to come -- internet is spotty!