Cycling in Tuscany is a DREAM!

Hello, my friends, and welcome to episode two of my journey through Tuscany. I'm here with a group of 14 people, and we're being led around this beautiful landscape by these [music] two amazing local guides, Andrea and Giacomo. The tour is being run by Unas from Vagabond Trails, and if you'd like to join us sometime, stay tuned. We'll be offering more adventures in the future. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY, MY FRIENDS. You're all amazing. So, for six sunny days, we pedaled around different areas in Tuscany, and with each day, I fell more in love with this country. The views are stunning, the medieval villages are charming, the food is incredible, the wine is supposedly amazing, but I wouldn't know because I drank fizzy water, [music] and riding on these famous white roads was as dreamy as I'd imagined. And you know something I realized on this trip? I'm not very good at documenting group rides. And the reason is I want to prioritize hanging out with the guest and not constantly running around with my camera. So, I chilled out on being a YouTuber, and instead focused on creating bonds with all my new friends. So, this video consists of all the highlights of days two through six. Hope you enjoy it. Good morning. I just woke up. I'm sitting in the window well listening to the birds. And I think I want to get my drone in the air. And now it is time to show you the best breakfast in the world. >> What's up, buddy? Good to see you, Brian. >> see you. Good morning. >> just the fruit, huh? >> That's just the fruit, but >> Look at all these goodies. Look at all these cakes and muffins. How you doing, Mayu? >> Good morning. >> Good morning. Over here we have all of the fancy breads. How's it going, Scott? >> Bonjourno. And they have fresh cheeses right here. Look at this. And then they've got some eggs. Oh, man, you putting some pepper on those things? Deluxe, man. Of course we got some fresh fruit and meat for the meat eaters and all of this amazing fresh juice. Oh, man. Kimmy, what's up, girl? >> Hey. >> How's life? >> It's good. >> What are you getting here? >> Some yogurt. >> Oh, yeah. Look at >> Uh yogurt bianco. >> Yogurt bianco. [laughter] >> It's so yellow. >> We've got cream-filled donuts. Don't forget those, Kimmy. >> No, never. >> Sorry to interrupt your breakfasts, but man >> John's got the whole presentation. Look at the way he's got >> it's beautiful. Look at that. >> Oh, presentation is everything. >> yogurt and the vegetables. Smart guy. And our friend Kimmy is starting off the day with her lemon socks. >> [screaming] >> It's a great day to be wearing lemons. >> Bonjourno. >> Bonjourno, Miko. Yes, sir. Okay, we're ready to ride bikes, everybody? >> [singing] [music] >> Olé! >> [music] >> All right, Andrea, where are we going to ride today? >> All right, today the area where we ride is a west part of Siena and this cool Val di Merse. >> Okay. >> Is the river Merse give it the name to this area and the highlights is a beautiful cathedral in the in the in the countryside is the only Gothic style we have here around here. >> Andrew, what are you mixing in here? >> Electrolytes. >> All right. >> Cramping muscle cramping is terrible. >> And you're from Vancouver. >> Vancouver, Canada. >> One of two Canadians. The other one is your wife. As they say in Italian, andiamo! >> [music] >> There we go. Feeling good, Kimberly? >> Feeling so good. >> How we feeling, Jean? >> I'm feeling good. The way that I should. >> That's right. >> So good. >> [laughter] >> That was great. You know me, I love songs and chanting and making noise. Good way to start the day. So we're riding on very narrow twisty roads and when cars are coming up or behind us, we yell car and everybody passes it down the line, so we know what's coming and then Kimmie altered it. Kimberly. >> Unless there's a fancy car coming. So yesterday we saw a Maserati and now you yell fancy car. >> Fancy car. I like that. >> [singing] [music] [singing and music] >> Yeah, it's a Romanesque style. And the the cathedral where we visit is a Gothic. And it was uh from uh it's from uh 12th century, but the sword is in the rocks. University of Florence Siena did some study with the carbon, and they they they say that the sword is here from 12th century. >> So, this is the Gothic church? >> This is the San Galgano church. >> All right. >> Yeah. It's famous because uh it's Gothic style, different style of uh what we have in Tuscany or in Italy, and uh it's without a roof. >> Right. >> And we don't know why is it without a roof. Maybe the most common idea is because uh like in England, the the roof was built with the wood, and uh and uh and then fall down. >> [singing] >> You can do it. You can do it. Yeah. Don't do the words with Paul. Ready to go. Yeah, team. >> [singing] >> There's my new house. I'm moving in soon. You're all welcome. I'm really enjoying the ride today. Not that I didn't yesterday, but today has been pretty much all nature, in the woods. Yesterday we went through some towns, but today we're out here just beneath the trees. Birds are chirping. Life is good. Ring that bell. Woohoo! All right. Should we go in? The answer is always yes. One, TWO, THREE. WOO! NICE. >> BEAUTIFUL. >> OH, that is better than my fancy shower in the hotel room. I love your country, buddy. I love it. You know, I don't speak Italian. I'm good at Spanish. They're fairly similar. When I ride by these beautiful villages, I think, "Yeah, I should come spend some time here in this fairy tale land of Tuscany." Woohoo! I can't really believe what I'm seeing. It's just so stunning. All these little villages tucked in the hills. You can see the towers sticking up. >> [singing] [music] >> Oh boy, it's lunchtime. Whoa, buddy, look at all of this good stuff. This is once in a lifetime. No, it's I'll I'll be coming back. >> [laughter] [music] >> This feels too good to be true. Like this is not how I usually roll in life, so I'm enjoying the luxury. What about you, Paul? >> In the mid I'm chewing, babe. >> [laughter] >> Not only does everything taste good, but it tastes fresh. >> And this is classic. We deep. >> So dip it in there. Get it all nice. Yep, yep, yep. Let's see what it tastes like. >> Tastes delicious. >> Dip, dip, dip, dip, dip. Oh, yeah. Okay. Now give it a shot. Is it strong? >> Don't make me talk again. I'm chewing, baby. >> Come [laughter] on, the audience wants to know. >> Invite them to Italy. Details in the description. >> How we doing today? Everybody good? >> Let's go. >> Oh! >> [screaming] >> Let's go have some fun, huh? >> [music] [music] >> So we're in a different area now, right? >> Yeah. Today we start from the Chianti and now we are in a beautiful area Crete Senesi. Crete in Italian is clay. So we have rolling hills like this and no forest and long cypress is line. >> [music] [singing] [music] >> And now it is time for our wine tasting and lunch. Hello everybody. >> Hi, hello everybody. We are in Ombroneta here. This is our amazing estate and today we going to welcome this wonderful group. They are biker and we going to do a little wine tasting. >> I don't drink alcohol but I do drink fizzy water which is very good. >> Directly from Monte Amiata. >> That's right. From right over there. Local fizzy water. Hi buddy. Hello. Oh yeah, you want to play? Oh, look at this. It's time for the famous pasta. Thank you so much Nico. >> Bye. See you next time. >> Yes. It's 10:30 and I'm getting ready for bed but I wanted to show you the view out my window. Check this out. How beautiful, huh? This is my new hotel room. I love it. I love Italy. I love this group. I love riding my bike. I feel so grateful. Life is good. >> [laughter] >> All right, team. Let's go ride bikes. Who's ready? It's a BEAUTIFUL DAY, MY FRIENDS. YOU'RE ALL AMAZING. >> [music] [music] >> Mid-morning snack time. Let's do it. So, Andrew, what did you get here? >> I can't I couldn't pronounce it, so I had to point. Um but uh instead of getting one big one, I got a whole bunch of little ones. So, you can't see it really that well, but Doug's got some of the white roads on his legs. You're doing it right, man. >> All good. >> Loving it. >> What do you have here? >> It was a cappuccino. >> Strawberry. >> Strawberry >> Gelato alla fragola. That's strawberry ice cream. >> Yum, yum, yum. >> What's that from? >> A crashy. >> [laughter] >> Even though there's no flatties, no crashies, no whammies. >> You had a little crashy. >> Just a little bit, but I'm alive. >> You're alive. >> Good day to be above ground, my friend. >> Then you look for the guides. Guides are spring spring spring looks. >> Yes. >> Che bello, eh? >> Where we heading today, right now? >> Oh, we are in Val d'Orcia, one of the paradise for the gravel. Only for the gravel, but anyway, is a is a paradise. Yeah, [snorts] yeah. >> And where are we going for lunch? >> Now we go in Montalcino. Is a medieval village, famous for the most one of the most important wine, red wine in Italy, Brunello. Today we must celebrate with a very important glass of wine. >> [laughter] >> Nice. Nobody here wants to do that, huh? >> No, no, no, no, no, no. >> So, we are down here and we're heading up there, Montalcino. >> [singing] >> Very smooth grade. Not too steep yet. It's like they made it just for bikes. Hello cars. Italian vehicles, drivers, I've noticed are very cool with bikes. Obviously, they're used to people riding bikes all over these roads. This is a world-famous area to ride. Looking good, John. >> [music] [singing] [singing and music] [music] [music and singing] >> Good job, everybody. >> [cheering] >> I am going to miss these beautiful Italian mornings. Today is our last day of riding. And it's Thursday. Happy Thursday. >> [music] >> Where are we going today? Happy Thursday, everybody. >> [music] >> Look at this view we're checking out [music] here. Not bad. We are slowly making our way up these gravel hills, enjoying all the scenery as we go by. My head is on a swivel, looking left, looking right at all the fields of wheat, flowers, cypress. It's a good day to be riding a bike in Tuscany. >> [music] [music] >> This is my new favorite kind of tunnel, a cypress tree tunnel. >> [music] [music] [singing] >> There we go! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé! Hey! >> [singing] >> Since this is the last day, I'm really focusing on enjoying every single pedal stroke because tomorrow I'm going to be sitting on an airplane all day wishing I was on my bike riding up these beautiful white roads in Tuscany. This trip has been a dream. Truly. I didn't quite know what it would be like before I got here but now that I've been here for 5 days I want to come back every single year. This place truly is gravel biking paradise. And the food is amazing, the people are friendly the towns are charming the history is interesting. Yeah. I like Italy. So you can't see it from here, but if I zoom in that's where we're heading. Pienza. >> [music] [singing] >> I'm just waiting here to cheer on some riders at the top of the hill here. They should be coming soon. One of my favorite things to do is cheer people on. Yeah, buddy! Look at you! >> Yeah, yeah. >> Yeah, yeah. Way to go. Way to go. >> [music] >> Hey! Yeah, buddy. We did it! Ooh, this is quite the entry to the town here. And I'm going to walk through this alley to get to the amazing view. Wow. Yeah. This is something else. What's up, team? How you doing? >> It's going great. >> Look at this. >> Is that all is a beautiful place. Is that is included in the list of UNESCO and we have a four place in the Siena area in UNESCO. Siena city, San Gimignano in the north and all the Val d'Orcia area. You can understand why UNESCO and the little village of Pienza is in >> And this, my friends, is the end. Italy was absolutely incredible. I said it many times. This was one of the best weeks I've ever had on a bicycle >> [music] >> and obviously connecting with all of these amazing humans was a highlight. I love making new friends. So, thank you so much for watching. Stay tuned for more adventures in the future and stay tuned for more opportunities to come ride with me somewhere beautiful on this beautiful planet and I will see you down the road.