Holy Lucca

And a whole different kind of Italy... Here I found a hostel in the city center (inside the walls and next to like THREE bike shops)... I decided to be brave and try the youth hostel, despite being concerned about the word "youth" (apparently that's like an old tradition, the word youth has nothing to do with anything, lots of like 50 year olds). I'd tried to get one in Narbonne, but like everything else in France, was foiled.

Anyway, I'm here and so unbelievably happy. TIRED but so happy. I was in my room for like 2 minutes before a roommate walked in and he was a fit, my-age looking guy and said hello, and it turns out he's German and is cycling from his home in Germany to Sardinia (900k in 6 days - impressive). He's packed much lighter than I am, and I learned some things from him (like the bag situation, but I have like 5 pages written in my little book about that). But yes, he's very cool and we talked, went shopping, had dinner, and chatted about all kinds of stuff until late-ish. Today he's just got the last (and) short leg of his trip... Here to Pisa and Livorno. So I'm going to join him, then ride back here. I'm definitely going to stay in Lucca for a few days... Today will be that short trip (< 100k) and I'll get mapped and oriented and try to do a 200k or something day.

So gorgeous here... I walk around a corner and get the chills because there's some old church or square or fountain. Amazing. And the mountains - I can't wait to get Stacy back into the mountains. She's going to miss them back in Austin, but we'll make do somehow. There are SOOOO many bikes and cyclists here, I can't wait to start exploring. I woke up early and saw the sun rising over Lucca from the wall surrounding the city center. My whole perception of beauty has been totally broken by this trip.

Oh, and now I know what people mean by, "Everyone in Italy speaks English." Apparently they really mean everyone not in Liguria... It's now very easy to find English speakers, but that's no fun. I still ask for things in Italian and get a fairly even mix of responses in Italian and English... I can't wait to come back and actually speak Italian...

I'm already envisioning the Team Hump training camp next summer and planning where I think we'll be best off staying...