You might remember awhile back we mentioned meeting another famous bicycle maker after our visit with Alberto Masi at the Vigorelli Velodrome. He's Celeste Milani, son of Natale, a racer and frame-building contemporary of Cino Cinelli among others. In this case, we were brought together by a love of good Italian food as well as bicycles, meeting Celeste and nephew Filippo at a Slowfood recommended osteria in their hometown, Gallarate. We were paying our bill when the woman asked what we were doing there. As we explained, she said we must meet another "bicycle person" dining there and rushed us over to the table where Celeste was dining! After a brief exchange of pleasantries, we left with a promise to meet again. Here you see Celeste holding an old handlebar made by his father in their shop/showroom in Gallarate.
These folks get it! Passion and history ooze from every pore - at Milani they live and breathe bicycles. Not to get rich, but to work every day at something they love with the hope of a reasonable living as a result. Here's a photo of the old forge used by Natale back-in-the-day.
An original frame jig used by Natale, who was a bit like Tullio Campagnolo as a pretty decent bike racer with a mechanical mind.
Above you can see Natale as bike racer as well as maker of fine racing bicycles.
The showroom/workshop is decorated with huge photos of Natale and his bike racing teammates. More details and photos in Part 2. Buon lavoro Celeste!!!
We're in Cortimilia at present, with our friends at Villa San Carlo. Here you can see Carlo talking wine with some of us in his private wine cellar, full of treasures like the ones below.
Don and Cindy enjoy climbing through the hills and vineyards where some of the best wines in the world are born while Jack smiles for the camera as he passes by a meticulous vineyard. Tonight we'll dine at Ristorante San Carlo where Chef Zarri will prepare an antipasto of tuma cheese with hazelnuts and caramelized scallions, a first plate of pasta with black truffles followed by grilled lamb. We'll sip some local Nebbiolo wine to start and finish with a special 18 year-old Barolo chosen by Carlo. Late news is Carlo is making a special hazelnut cake for dessert...mmmmmmmm!
This tour was featured in BICYCLING Magazine's July issue so don't wait too long if you want to join us in 2014, the limited spaces should sell-out very quickly! Dates and prices for 2014 tours will be announced at the end of August and we'll begin taking reservations September 1, 2013.
We completed Vineyards to the Sea recently. Don and Cindy stayed on for Best of Piedmont while we welcomed Jack, Ed and Jeanne to Italia. Here you can see the CycleItalia van posing in front of some publicity for the Strade Coppi and Castellania, just up the road.
A special treat this year was meeting Egidio Coppi, a distant cousin of the famous cycling brothers, who had the keys to an old workshop filled with Coppi memorabilia. He's quite the ladies man as you can see here, telling stories of the amorous Serse Coppi, who would take Egidio along when he was around 10 years old, just to help him charm the ladies, who of course were also interested to meet the brother (also a racing cyclist) of the famous Campionissimo.
Heather poses in front of a gorgeous artwork - this is the first time in more than a decade of coming here that we've seen this collection. Che fortuna!
When it was time to big Egidio farewell and meet up with our friend Piero Coppi, Egidio insisted on one more photo, this time with the bike from our rental fleet named after the Campionissimo. (l-r Don, Egidio, Larry, Jack and Cindy) Each of our bicycles is named after an Italian Giro d'Italia champion.
FINALLY, we arrived at the monument and reliquary above the town, kept up by first-cousin Piero. He's always happy to see us, greeting us with chilled water and wine, plus the special "Coppi cookies" from the region. After showing off the tombs and other memorabilia, it was time for lunch so we jumped back on the bikes and followed Piero down the hill to his favorite eatery, Osteria del Poeta Pescatore. Despite our wimpy protests, Piero (as always) insisted on paying. We resumed our ride, heading back to the hotel to clean up and get ready for a visit to Novi Ligure and the Museo di Campionissimi this afternoon.
Ciao from Bonassola, on the Ligurian Sea. Our Vineyards to the Sea adventure is complete, we'll ride inland a bit tomorrow before a van transfer back to Ariotto to pack bikes and enjoy a farewell dinner. Here you can see Larry saying goodby to Simonetta before our final point-to-point ride, some of the Appennine scenery and Don and Cindy enjoying a picnic pranzo. Why not join us in 2014?
Catching up with the last few days on Vineyards to the Sea 2013
Cindy takes a drink on a gorgeous morning.
Don and Cindy cruise through the Marenco vineyards.
The gang enjoys tasting the wine made in those vineyards.
Marenco has a little museum and how could we not take a photo of the bicycle?
Don enjoys Simonetta's famous pesto - on homemade gnocchi!
Lori checks her map on one of the famous Coppi roads on the Appennini loop ride.
Here's our little group (l-r Ian, Cindy, Don, Heather, Lori and Paul not shown Ann and Larry) posing in "Heather & Larry Square" at Hotel Ariotto before our departure. Everyone in the proper kit even!
Don and Cindy enjoy the Monferrato countryside under bright, sunny skies.
Even Larry can get out on the bike now and then..."they call this work?"
You know you're in "cycling country" when monuments like this are along the roadside!
O
ur slogan is PEDALA FORTE, MANGIA BENE so here are two shots of the group enjoying pranzo, including individual desserts - one was a mint mousse, the other vanilla with crushed and toasted hazelnuts and the third a zabaglione with fresh peach and amaretti bits. MMMM! Thanks to our long-time friends at Vecchia Roma.
Ariotto's Marina and Rocky serve up our risotto alla vino bianco at our welcome dinner for VINEYARDS TO THE SEA 2013. Tomorrow we're off to the Asti hills for two nights. As they say, "the weather is here, wish you were beautiful" or something like that.
