TAORMINA, Sicilia -- Sicily is going to present the Chippings with some challenges they did not face in Ireland, the Czech Republic or the shopping center parking lot in Coupeville.
I've bussed twice now between Catania, the island's second biggest city (population 1 million), and Taormina, an ancient, hillside town of a mere 12,000 inhabitants and one of the island's biggest torist draws. Here's some quick conclusions about cycling from what I've observed:
1) Recreational cyclists ride in groups on weekend and holiday mornings. St. Patrick's Day, which was not observed here, happened to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, which was observed. Consequently, yesterday was a holiday and scores of brightly-colored, lycra-clad cyclists on high-end carbon-fiber frames rode the coastal route below Taormina. Predominantly men of all ages, they rode two and three abreast and motorists simply drove around them. Sicilian drivers seem accustomed to cyclists and don't lay on th horn or flip the bird.
I have yet to observe any cyclists carrying gear unless you count a couple old guys on ancient bikes with baskets mounted to the handlebars. Cycling here is preparation for the Tour de France.
2) Very few places rent cycles. Gianluca, the English-speaking proprietor of Gianna & Lucia's B&B in Catania, put me in touch with his bicycle mechanic, a guy who operates a suburban shop. The guy claims he can come up with seven road bikes for us, but I'm a little dubious. He's not normally in the rental business. Tomorrow I'll have coffee with a fellow who works at www.rentbike.it, which advertizes road, touring and mountain bikes online. This business operates as an association our of the coastal town of Acireale, 10 miles north of Catania, but says it will deliver bikes to our doorstep for a modest fee. Finally, there is a German outfit that rents road and touring bikes in Siracusa, which is likely our first stop (40 miles south) after Catania.
3) We will want to choose routes carefully. First, to avoid roads with molto traffico. And second, to avoid roads with extreme hill climbing. For example, the road from the beach to Taorima climbs more than 600 feet in about half a mile. There are a series of hairpin turns, precipitous drops and switchbacks that would require a cyclist to ride standing up in a very low granny gear. Even if you could accomplish that, you're likely to get sandwiched by a tour buss or knocked over the side by a Fiat Cinquecento. In nearly a week here, I've seen no cyclists in Taorimina.
Above is a shot of Taormina from halfway up the mountain side topped by a craggy little village called Castelmola, where, appropriately, you can see the locals training falcons.
1) Recreational cyclists ride in groups on weekend and holiday mornings. St. Patrick's Day, which was not observed here, happened to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, which was observed. Consequently, yesterday was a holiday and scores of brightly-colored, lycra-clad cyclists on high-end carbon-fiber frames rode the coastal route below Taormina. Predominantly men of all ages, they rode two and three abreast and motorists simply drove around them. Sicilian drivers seem accustomed to cyclists and don't lay on th horn or flip the bird.
I have yet to observe any cyclists carrying gear unless you count a couple old guys on ancient bikes with baskets mounted to the handlebars. Cycling here is preparation for the Tour de France.
2) Very few places rent cycles. Gianluca, the English-speaking proprietor of Gianna & Lucia's B&B in Catania, put me in touch with his bicycle mechanic, a guy who operates a suburban shop. The guy claims he can come up with seven road bikes for us, but I'm a little dubious. He's not normally in the rental business. Tomorrow I'll have coffee with a fellow who works at www.rentbike.it, which advertizes road, touring and mountain bikes online. This business operates as an association our of the coastal town of Acireale, 10 miles north of Catania, but says it will deliver bikes to our doorstep for a modest fee. Finally, there is a German outfit that rents road and touring bikes in Siracusa, which is likely our first stop (40 miles south) after Catania.
3) We will want to choose routes carefully. First, to avoid roads with molto traffico. And second, to avoid roads with extreme hill climbing. For example, the road from the beach to Taorima climbs more than 600 feet in about half a mile. There are a series of hairpin turns, precipitous drops and switchbacks that would require a cyclist to ride standing up in a very low granny gear. Even if you could accomplish that, you're likely to get sandwiched by a tour buss or knocked over the side by a Fiat Cinquecento. In nearly a week here, I've seen no cyclists in Taorimina.
Above is a shot of Taormina from halfway up the mountain side topped by a craggy little village called Castelmola, where, appropriately, you can see the locals training falcons.
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