Bicycles of Lucca

PINCH ME. I'm in EUROPE on my Author-Illustrator School Visit tour of a life time!!


Of the thousands of pictures I've taken across our European adventure, this group, as a series is one of my favorites. While we were having our final dinner in Tirrenia, we struck up a conversation with the gals at the next table. Turns out they'd been at my arrivederci family concert. They asked where we were headed next and when we told them we were headed to Florence by way of Pisa, they suggested another side adventure -- to the walled city of Lucca.


Wow. Bicycles. Old bicycles. Really old bicycles. Really old European bicycles leaning against especially old walls, complete with aging paint -- stained gloriously by the sun over centuries -- all in amazing colors. What an afternoon. These are indeed some of my favorites. Enjoy the details.


**I realized that there were no bicycles in Venice. I suppose all those steps and bridges over the water cut into the cycling enthusiasm. It would be peddle, peddle -- portage. Seeing all of these bikes get me psyched for the biking season ahead. Note to self: next time we have time on our hands in Italy, plan a day or two to explore Lucca on it's own terms.

-- Debbie --

Kweezletown to the Rescue

Today was a perfect day for bike riding. I was out enjoying the gorgous weather and riding up behind the fire station around the park. All of a sudden there was a bicycle crash behind the hockey rink. (Yes the same hockey rink featured in the closing scene of "Feed the Fish" that we saw a week or two back at the cinema.) I looked up to see three sweet girls, with one in tears.

Once we determined that there was no permanent damage, I decided to introduce myself and offer some happy 'distraction.' Dad took injured Lauren on home to grandpa's and I led Anna, cousin Mikala and mom all still on our bikes, over to our place. I told them I was kinda-sorta famous and I would be happy to donate my DVD to Lauren's recooperation. Well one thing led to the next and then I'd promised to put our picture up here on my blog...... but then we decided we needed our five year old star in the picture too. So they led the way biking over to grandpa's. Here we are all smiling. The newest branch of my fanclub, the start of my WI fans.

Biking Further Every Day!

Last summer I rode a total of 827 miles on my bicycle over the course of the season. This summer I have needed to start all the way over with my cycling. My first trip this year was a total of 7.5 miles. That included a stop at "Base Camp" the coffee shop for delicious quiche, half way thru. LOL. It took a goodly portion of the morning. On the flatest strip of road available -- back & forth on Spring Street..... from the library to Base Camp and back and forth.

After a few days I was up to ten miles in a trip, always with a rest stop, either back here at home base or at Base Camp. Then it was twelve, then thirteen for several days, on to sixteen and then nineteen after a few more trips in the teens. I started this week able to ride 20.2 miles in one morning -- before noon!! Then the rain came and a couple of days reprieve. Then back to a dozen at a time.

Today. Drumroll. Today I rode up the hill past the old buffalo farm (now I really sound like an old timer! LOL. There are no bison this year, only corn in the field) and on to County Q. From there I went on to Northshore Bay: LAKE MICHIGAN!! A first for this season. Behold the catch of the day!! I am so excited to think that my stamina is building. Oh happy day. Slow but steady.

S-P-U-D!!!!!

Favorite things about Door County: daisies, blue skies, the shoreline, red barns hanging on the hillsides, cherries, sailboats in the sundowns, artist studios, a simpler pace, my bicycle, American Folklore Theatre, concerts, the depth of the fern, cherries, lasagna, gardens-in-bloom, sculpture along the woods, exhaling, people watching, taking photographs of the nooks & crannies, spinach salad topped with cherries, lasagna from Pasta Vino and the occaisional ice cream extravaganza at Wilsons.

On that simpler pace........ I'm riding my bike around our little village and gradually riding in bigger chunks. After this winter's surgery I have been taking it slow. Pacing myself or being paced as the case may be. I started on the flat roads here in the village proper, round & round. I'm now able to make it up the incline past the fire station & on up a bit further to the baseball diamond. Earlier this week as I pulled in to circle the lovely flat parking lot by the tennis courts I saw a group playing SPUD. Yes. That SPUD. The same SPUD I 'taught' as a camp counselor about 30 some years ago..... the same SPUD that I played as a child about 40 some years ago.

Same idea. Lotsa kids. In a circle up close. Throw the ball as high as you can. Holler someone's name as the group scatters. The called one yells SPUD just as soon as they catch the ball and everyone freezes. Golly I hadn't thought about SPUD in a long time. Took me right back to church camp and then all the way back to elementary school recess. Some things never go outta style. (P.S. I voluteered to come down to the Teen Center and share my ditties and books. I need a local fan-club.)

Afternoon Fun: #3!!

Let the fun continue!! The third and final workshop for the day was entitled, "Music, Movement & Motivation" -- what a title to conclude my first day back in the saddle. Thank goodness the participants were engaged and willing to go the extra mile to support me with their energy, their smiles and their enthusiasm. They can be seen in the first picture in this set, adding ribbons to my ever-growing scarf-of-blessings. So I now have me some Virginia love to read and reread as the need presents itself. By the end of this segment, it was my voice that had given way. I haven't been using it nearly enough, over the recovery period, but cough drops, a glass of water and their prayers got me all the way to the concluding song. WHOOOHOOOOO!!!

The Final Count: 827!!

The final count is in for the summer: Eight hundred and twenty-seven miles on my bike!!!! That brings my grand total to 1603 for two summers and some winter FL miles thrown in for good measure. The leaves are indeed turning colors. We had the opportunity to stop @ our friends home on our way east, to have our annual salmon grill out. The summer is now officially over. Back to "real life."

Back Along North Shore Bay

While I was waiting for the fog to burn off, I had a chance to read up on the various threads over @ BCO (Breast Cancer dot Org) and see that two young women whose stories I have been following have both been placed in hospice care and are nearing the end of their journey. As I pedal I say prayers for them and for my other dear friends who face the unrelenting foe. It puts my miles into perspective. I ride to honor them and their heroism. I ride for those of my "sisters" who can't. I ride to celebrate the fact that I am able to pedal. I ride.

Bailey's Harbor & Beyond

From Gordon's Lodge I rode on into Bailey's Harbor and went on my very first exploration south of town along Lake MI. That old Victorian painted lady is just south of the little village on Frogtown Road, perched right on the side of the lake. I received a recommendation from one of the locals and went to the Expresso Cafe & had one of THE best salads of the summer: spinach completely covered with whole cherries, chicken, walnuts, exotic cheese and other goodies. Plus a croissant as big as a small UFO. Memorable, that's for certain.

After allowing my salad to settle I then went exploring down Ridges Road passing the Ridges Sanctuary and on out to Toft's point. I hiked on out to the end of Toft's and some fellow cyclers captured my picture walking back from the edge of the world. That put me at about 37 miles for the day. Thank goodness there was a gracious breeze, but no strong wind. Then came the return on County Q and appreciating the tributaries that meander into the lake. Then it was just a matter of endurance and changing sticks of chewing gum from time to time. I did it!! I was at 51.8 miles as I came down our hill past the marina and took one last loop around the parking lot, to bring me back to home base at a nice even, round 52 miles. I'm now at a summer total of 782.7 miles!!! Whooohoooo.

Cycling Coach

YE GADS. Cyber-computer issues. Fourth time to attempt to post this critical entry. That only adds to the fact that I'm way behind in synchronizing our idyllic life with my blog.... I'm way behind, cuz we just keep packing so much into every day. So this is actually catching you up with earlier in the week. Monday to be exact. Allen took a day off of golf and volunteered to be my personal cycling coach. The question: "Could we find a route to Little Sister Bay that I could accomplish?" Off we went past the bison and then onto Q, nearly all the way into Ephraim. Hang a right at Townline Road, a quick hop on Route 42 and ride like the wind down the hill into the bay. After watching the boat sail past and building with my favorite rocks, it was time to trudge UP the hill, we'd just sailed down. We then decided we still needed our muffins over in Rowley's so across the peninsula we pedaled. The last pic is atop the highest crest on ZZ. All-in-all, just over 25 miles. I'm poised at 495 miles for the summer..... I was so tempted to go back out, but once I sat down I lost the steam necessary to pedal past the milestone.