Giro D’hotel Dory
What better way to relax in Italy than to wake up every morning, have a nice big breakfast, get dressed and go for a nice long, relaxed… 140 Kilometer bike ride up mountains, down steep roads with the constant fear of losing another riders draft on the flats. Vacation has taken on an entirely new meaning to me.
My team (Ayalot IWCC) and myself, left Tel-Aviv, flew through Frankfurt, arrived at Bologna and continued by van to Riccione. Riccione is a cute little town on the beach in the provence of Rimini. We arrived at a hotel that looked quite standard – Nice lobby, small pool and a couple of Jacuzzi’s, a bar with a television and reception. In the next few days I realized that after relaxing my muscles in a much needed Jacuzzi, I would be partying in the lobby most of the time with friendly Europeans, drinking beers and watching the Giro D’Italia.
The hotel is truly unique. Hotels are never quite as social as they should be. You usually stick to the people that you have arrived with and people you do meet are usually no more than casual acquaintances. Hotel Dory is different. Each week, a new batch of people arrive and rent bikes from the hotel. After riding with these people day after day, you form relationships too. They have a full line of Scott bikes that are adjusted to your measurements which you send by email ahead of time. Once you are set up with your bike, you need to check the rides for the next day. Rides are split into different levels; Limoncino is the fastest bike with the strongest riders, Cappuccino Super is one step down , Cappuccino is easier still and another group (I forgot it’s name) which is very leisurely riding. Every morning at 9:30AM, all of the riders go downstairs, grab some sandwiches and a banana, get their bike, and wait on the street for the groups to gather. The groups leave one by one and come back about four hours later to have a nice lunch buffet and relax, take a nap, watch the Giro and get ready for the next day or riding. This goes on each and every day with a couple of “rest” days scattered throughout.
I won’t detail the routes that we took; everything is available on the Hotel Dory website. What I do want to mention is how evident it is to me that this or similar types of vacations are my “style”. I can see myself doing a “bicycle touring” trip in Europe or another country where you carry all of your worldly possessions on your bike and ride from town to town. I also see myself doing another trip similar to this one where you have one “base” from which you can go on daily excursions with your bike. One thing is for certain – I’m not leaving home without my Diva. I definitely need a bike anywhere that I am going to spend at least two weeks.
Aside from the minor weight gain, and a few group dynamics issues, I did have an amazing time. In retrospect, I should have settled for the slower group because I’m used to flats and not mountains right now. Either way, a vacation like this allows you to return stronger and maybe just a tiny bit overweight… Totally worth it.
Nina’s famous apple slicing hands
Random ride video
For the rest of the photos, go to Picasa Web Album
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Tags: cappuccino, cycling, hotel dory, italy, rimini, san marino
June 8, 2009 1:33 pm 3 Comments
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By beetak, June 8, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
I admire your adventurous spirit
By Osnat, June 9, 2009 @ 9:12 am
Wow!Wow!Wow!
What with the sun glasses? I liked them!
It seems you had a good time with all this greats restaurants, shopping, good hotels, beaches… HO, no, it’s someone else album… Ho, so u had…ammm…..biking. but it also seem very nice…
Just kidding! you know I’m JEALOUS!!!!
Miss you all
Osnat
By anat, June 9, 2009 @ 9:53 am
You should have come. Three girls in a room makes sense. I won’t even start telling the problems that the three guys had in their room! I’m surprised they even told us
ha ha.
We should all meet up again!