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Posted by on Dec 16, 2013 in bikes, gear and gadgets, training | 0 comments

Tacx Real life videos Sicily

Tacx Real life videos Sicily

In June Jaap Wagenvoort gfe (GoPro filmmaker extraordinaire 🙂 ) and myself have been filming in Sicily for three (Tacx compatible) Real Life Videos. I’ve already posted the trailers, but now I can present you the finished videos! Video 1: Sicily – Erice This RLV brings you to the archeologic park of Segesta, to the Garibaldi monument (Pianto Romano) and through a hilly landscape to the town of Valderice where the climb towards the Medieval town of Erice  (750 meters above sea level) starts. The Erice RLV includes 4 serious climbs totaling over 1.500m vertical ascent, but the maximum grade is ‘just’ 9%, so very trainer-friendly! Erice guarantees at least 2,5h of pure indoor training fun and you get to learn the beauty of Sicily along the way! The trailer: Order here Video 2: Sicily – Bosco d’Alcamo This Bosco d’Alcamo RLV is 18,6km long. It includes a nice warm-up in the valley near the town of Alcamo, a tough climb towards the Bosco d’Alcamo and a nice cooling down....

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Posted by on Oct 26, 2013 in cycling and bike pics | 0 comments

A bike ride to the Bosco d’Alcamo in October 2013

A bike ride to the Bosco d’Alcamo in October 2013

A few days ago I did a bike ride to the Bosco d’Alcamo, a nature reserve on Monte Bonifato near the town of Alcamo, 750 meters above sea level. It was a lovely, sunny day (around 26°C) with only a few clouds in the sky. First I rode to the town of Alcamo and then followed the signs for the Bosco d’Alcamo. It’s a few kilometers to the top with an average gradient of around 7.5%. And with every hairpin, the view is getting better and better! Monte Bonifato is not that far from one of the other mountains in the area, Monte Inici, where I took lots of pics a few weeks ago. I love this part of the climb: great views and a lovely area with lots of trees and only a few houses. After a short 10/11% stretch I arrived at the bosco. On my way down I took a pic of a statue of Jesus in the sunlight. I rode through the town of Alcamo...

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Posted by on Sep 27, 2013 in cycling and bike pics | 0 comments

A mountain bike ride to Monte Inici

A mountain bike ride to Monte Inici

It’s been a busy season and the free time I had, I spent riding my bike instead of writing about it. Last weekend Alessandro Ferrara from Bikes and Lemons in Palermo and I did a ride to Monte Inici near the town of Castellammare del Golfo and I made lots of pics so I thought it would be nice to share those with you guys. The ride started in the coastal town of Balestrate and from there we took the SS187 in the direction of Castellammare del Golfo. When we arrived in the town of Castellammare we turned left in the direction of Segesta and after a few kilometers we arrived at the road that leads to the entrance of the wood and the start of the climb. The dirt road in the wood starts to climb immediately, but after a few hairpins we arrived at an easy stretch which is almost flat for a few hundred meters. On the next photo you’ll see a water fountain. Keep in...

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Posted by on Aug 1, 2013 in cycling guide | 4 comments

Houston, we have a problem – Stories from a cycling guide

Houston, we have a problem – Stories from a cycling guide

A few weeks ago I was contacted by an English tourist called Dominic, who wanted to rent a road bike for him and his 13 year old son, Eddie. They also wanted to do a ride with a guide, so I arranged the bike rental and we made an appointment for the bike ride. Dominic wanted to do around 50 km and maximum 500 meters ascent and he told me his son had no problems climbing 7% grades. Last Sunday I met up with Aronne, the 14 year old son of Giuseppe from the bike shop and we rode to the train station in Castellammare del Golfo where Dominic and Eddie were waiting for us. I had planned a ride towards the temple of Segesta, which would be almost exactly what Dominic wanted: a 50 km ride with just a little over 500 m ascent and one steeper climb with maximum 7% grades. It was sunny and around 37°C when we left for Segesta. We followed the hilly road...

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Posted by on Jul 1, 2013 in cycling and bike pics | 0 comments

Sunday ride to Ponte di Sagana and Torretta

Sunday ride to Ponte di Sagana and Torretta

After all the rides I already blogged about, there are still some areas in sunny Sicily I haven’t shown you guys. Yesterday I went for a 95 km bike ride starting in the town of Balestrate. I rode to Partinico and climbed to (Ponte di) Sagana. From there I followed the mountain road to Montelepre and Piana dell’occhio, from which “frazione” I descended to the town of Torretta. From this town I cycled back home passing the towns of Carini, Villagrazia di Carini, Cinisi, Terrasini and Trappeto. This is the view I had when I arrived at the top of the climb in Sagana: A few hundred meters away there’s a spot where years ago the locals went to pray. You can still see some crosses and a statue of Jesus: There’s a nice climb in this area, which starts here (lots of 8% stretches and some 12-14% gradients near the end of the climb). I took the following picture at the end of that climb: On the other...

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