Toscana 2010

[petkostas]

DAY 1

I had my GS for a few months and the first thing I wanted to do was to mount the beast and tour throu the Tuscan fields, enjoy the landscape and combine my 2 passions, photography and motorcycles.
I spoke with my friend George (at that he owned a GSXR):
- I am planning a trip to Tuscanny
- Sounds fun...
- Are you in?
- Er...have to think about it...
After a few minutes the phone rings, when are we setting off?
Nothing else to discuss, get to see where we are going to settle over Tuscany, arrange tickets for the ferry from Patras to Ancona and hit the road...
A good friend and photographer informed me that San Quirico D'Orcia was a lovely place to stay, spotted around the center of the wide Tuscan area with access to the roads that would allow us to tour around and enjoy the places.
I found quickly through booking.com a lovely place to stay, room in a house that dates back at 1700, used to be a (and still is) a resting place for travellers, merchants and pilgrims. The booking was easy and the communication with the people running that place a pleasant experience.
We booked the tickets for the ferry, we are good to go and the only remaining part of the journey is to collect information regarding the area and the sights to visit, 1 week was the plan and we needed to be as much prepared as we could in order to enjoy most of the places around.
04 June was the departure day, feels like a dead day since the ferry was departing at 17:00, take the day off from work, since Patras is around 200Km's away from Athens and possibly the worst road to travel in Greece, since its under construction and the old road has only 1 lane!!! (yes...we do pay tolls for this crap) for every direction which is turn means that in case of traffic...you are just doomed to suffer.
We decided to head of around 13:00 from Athens, ride non-stop to Patras and enjoy a quick coffee over there before embarking on the ferry, luckily the traffic (even for Friday) was low and we managed to cover the distance quite quickly and trouble free.

Coffee stop in Patras, discussions for the things we wanted to do and see in Tuscany (although most of it was philosophical as none of us was ever there) few laughs, I really enjoy travelling with George, we know each other quite a few years but he is the kind of friend that you meet rarely because of the lack of time which makes everything even more easier, lots of things to discuss, work, motorcycles, travels etc
Soon we are inside the ferry, the motorcycle parking spots on the ferry are full of Greek Ducati's, it's the Ducati weekend and the Mugello GP in 2 days and lots of people are travelling for both events.
We have arranged VIP flying seats, since deck would be a bad decision (lots of people on the ferry, which means there was a big chance you would not find a decent spot to rest), the only mistake from our side was not to take with us sleeping mats and pillows...trying to sleep in a VIP chair is a pain...and we wanted to be as fresh as we could in order to enjoy the ride tomorrow.

 

[petkostas]

DAY 2

We arrive in Ancona...delayed (Igoumenitsa is always a pain...trucks...and more trucks even more trucks which delay the departure), it's my first trip abroad and I feel already anxious, are we going to be on time? I have no GPS and carry only a small lousy general area map which makes things not that easy, we need (well George) need fuel and we know nothing about getting out of the city, the traffic is like Athens and soon I am getting nervous, the heat, the equipment and additionally the panniers (which don't allow me to work my away out between the cars) have me pinned behind the cars.
After a few minutes...and more minutes of waiting we are finally on our way...on our way? not exactly, since we don't know yet which direction we need to take, I don't want to make a bad decision and find myself heading towards Milan or Sicily...so we stop and ask...well we stop because the ask is like trying to negotiate with body language, no English...so I open the map and start pointing, we want to go here, I try to make him understand, the guy smiles...yes...nice...but how the hell do I go there? the guy continues smiling and nods, suddenly he bursts into a Italian dialogue, which I understand...nothing, he points things, well I know I should head that road but how do I enter that road from here? finally 5 minutes later the guy asks another Italian to come over, now there are 4 heads over the map discussing in Greek, English and Italian...the other Italian guy speaks only a few words of English and tries to help, but there is no much help, so he finally tells us to follow him...follow? like what? walk? he disappears into an alley, which we found not a good idea to enter...and appears a few minutes later with his car! oh boy joy! he tells us with his hands to follow him...hey ho lets go!!!

So off we go following the guy, a few turn signals further down and we are on the road towards Perugia, we need some fuel, ok here is fun part number 2 for the day, we knew about the automatic sellers in Italy (we don't have such in Greece) we knew that you enter money and blah blah but off course none of us ever used such a system, so we stop in the first gas station where a Greek truck driver is filling, nice at least we find someone who speaks out language, so we ask him how to fill up, easy he says, put the money, take the pump fill up and get the receipt, come back tomorrow morning and get your change....get your change? what do you mean? doesn't the system give us back money at the time we finish fueling? nope!
Oh nice, we have no 20's or 50's in our pockets....and we are just doomed...San Quirico is like 200 Km's away which means we are not coming back anytime soon, we try to find a solution, when the truck driver tells us to move forward, there are other gas stations down the road either human operated or with someone to give you the money back, how far? we ask, since the GS is still ok, but George is soon entering his reserve on the GSXR...well not far he answers, but still we do feel anxious if we its going to be far...
We head off on a economic speed just to make sure that we will be able to reach the next gas station. After a few Km's the big sign reliefs us, George was only about 20Km's from fuel starvation, we enter the gas station, biggie one with a small market as well, gas and water! nice idea! since the heat was also high in Italy as well. We fill up the bikes and enter the market with the receipts in our hands, to get the change back, no is the answer...what do you mean no? gas station closed, me no money for ticket...wtf???? come on spare us bella...she shrouds and tells us again that she can't do anything about it, @#!!@#$%#%$#!!!!! we go outside and we try to find someone to help us, there are cars entering the gas station, at first most of them are just waving hands in the air, trying to tell us sorry can't help you, until a guy rushes outside the car and makes a gesture to follow him, he leads us to the gas stations car wash, there is a guy there with boots soaky, the other guy tells him something in Italian pointing at us, they smile and the guy with the boots reaches his pocket and get some money, he gestures to give him the receipt! oh boy...finally we get the money back and we are back on the road.

GSXR...Would like to be on top for a few twisties

My calculations are off, I am not aware of cameras in the area and I have heard only "thrilling" stories of other Greeks having the speeding tickets mailed to their home, and thats the last thing I would like to have in my mind when I get home, so I try to understand from Italian drivers what the status is, soon the status is ala Greece, speed, watch for the sign...brake...pass like a good boy in front of the camera and then speed again, the pace is good, the road is awesome and I am really excited, I want to make sure that we get on time to San Quirico before the sun sets.
After enjoying the twisties on SS318 (if I am wrong about the roads do correct me, no GPS at that time) we stop at Lago Trasimeno for a nice coffee and what a surprise Ice Coffee woooo this is getting better!

We head off towards Montepulciano...the scenery now is just breathtaking, I am just thrilled with the view and the landscape, the medieval villages surrounding the area are just welcoming you and the fantastic roads offer the best riding experience.

We arrive in the hotel just before sunset, cooling off from the day, and enjoying for a few minutes the last rays of the sun over the famous Tuscan rolling hills...

 

[petkostas]

Allow me to be bit slow with the writing...

 

[petkostas]

DAY 3

We wake up and enjoy the fantastic view around the hotel, God loves us and the sun is shining upon us just like Greece, the place reminds me Greece only everything is more pleasantly arranged, rolling hills, the smells feels like spring and not like summer.

View from my room:
http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp289/petrakisk/Toscana 2010/7168.jpg

Breakfast is awaiting us, we have nothing planned yet, in terms of a visit, we have notes for places we want to visit but we have not arranged anything for each different day, George is quick...we are in Italy, today is the GP race...how about attending it?

A smile is over my face...why not? so in a few minutes off we are heading towards Mugello, I enjoy the ride towards Florence where we need to enter Autostrada...and that's about the time I get bored, Autostrada, traffic, boring straight roads (at least up to Mugello) soon enough I see many motorcycles, heading towards Mugello obviously, getting a bit surprised as most of them are travelling even slower than our pace, I get skeptical and soon I start visualizing speeding tickets again...oh nice...so no GPS and I am bit anxious to which exit we should get out, I catch up with a Italian rider, signal my lights to him, he waves, hey mate, I need to talk to you...he waves again and nods..@##!$%$%#%#!!! please stop I make a gesture...he stops at the side, get off the bike and heads towards my direction, he is kind of afraid probably since 2 unknown bikers are trying to stop him...he initially checks his bike from behind, probably he thought I was signaling him for a problem...after a few minutes we are again trying to talk with hands...no English again, we say Mugello he smiles and starts talking in Italian...shit...I need to learn Italian someday...we try to make him understand that we would like to know which exit for Mugello, he nods positive and talks again in Italian...no Italiano mate...Rossi, Ducati blah blah...eventually he understand and tells us to follow him...few only took around 15 minutes, he also informs us that speed is over controlled in autostrada, so one part fast one part slow to make sure you remain on the legal side... (I start missing speed cameras)
We continue following him, take the exit and then stop at the side, he tries to ask us (thankfully we understood that quick enough) which side of the circuit we are located at, we answer to him...no ticket mate...where can we buy one?
He is skeptical, suddenly he makes a signal to a group of kids on small bikes to stop, he tells them something in Italian, and the kids offer us 2 tickets, initially they ask for 15 extra euros...hmmm....nope...we are Greeks...and we know the "procedures" of the black market...10 euros... we day...12 euros they say...7 euros we say...9 euros they say...finally we get the tickets with 5 euros extra the cost... 90 euros was the ticket 95 we paid...oh well I hope they enjoyed their beer / coffee
This was my first GP race (live attendance) and I was really shocked, the crowd, the motorcycles one big party, we head to park our motorcycles and we find a spot...which is full of Greek license plates, soon we even find the Ducati guys who where on the ferry with us...small world, out of the thousand people around us we first meet with those...

The feeling inside the circuit is fantastic, cannot compare this from TV, italians everywhere, Rossi though is not running (would like to see him...but Pedrosa is my favorite) the sound of the bikes...is out of this world, we are standing near the Ducatisti corner...people enjoying the show! the sound of the bikes is out of this world! and hey...a Greek flag in front of us...
The race ends with Pedrossa wining and me feeling jubilant...first live race, and Pedrossa wining! The sun is really hot today and makes me wish I was inside a pool watching this...we have to slowly get back and try to combine the Mugello visit with maybe some sightseeing.

Stonner...gets down...and my camera was ready

Pedrossa is the winner:

We get our bikes, some French guys come over and we have a nice chit chat, they are heading towards Milan to go back home...we ride off and get to a junction where the guy over there tries to relief the madness of people trying to ride off the place, he waves to go to the right, I ask him twice...Firenze? he says yes...are you sure Firenze? and I point my hand to the right of me...si he replies...and off we go...twisties and lots of motorcycles lots of twisties and I really enjoy the 1150...so much that after a few Km's and while at the top of a mountain...I realize that we did not pass a mountain when we got here...stop at the side...trying to figure out...darn wish I had a GPS...map is really useless since it covers a great area and you can't be sure...soon 3 italians stop next by us...we ask Firenze? and point the way in front...no no...Bolognia they reply...look at the map...oh great

Wrong way lads...

George must be...really happy with the guy who pointed us to this direction...

#@!$#@#$@#$@#$@!!!! we are now officially on the wrong way...nice nice...George is swearing in Greek and the Italians are probably enjoying it as they smile and are ready to laugh...ok...lets enjoy the twisties once more...twisties...throttle....brakes brakes...madness cars, motorcycles are often entering our lane and on corners, something which starts making me really anxious, the last thing I would enjoy was a collision over there...so I decide to let off my adrenaline on the side...and start riding like a chicken as close to the right side of the road as possible...
Soon we arrive in the junction where the guy we had asked for directions is still there...we ride by and he attends the usual and well known finger among with a few delicate Greek...words...
Getting off the place is a madness, cars, motorcycles everything is stuck and nothing is moving...I decide the GS is ideal...take on the grass field on the side...and start riding through it...I believe the cops who where looking at me...either felt nice because finally someone was moving...or they where trying to figure wtf was going there...George is following with his GSXR...I believe he was not enjoying my idea, and I am happy I have no blings which include intercoummications and stuff like that...
Soon we are heading again towards San Quirico but decide to use as country roads instead of the highway connecting Sienna with San Quirico...it truly pays off,since the scenery is fantastic, no cars no traffic no madness...just the sun which is now slowly setting and the fantastic Italian country roads...

Enjoying the country roads...really lovely..

 

[Aidan1150]

Great stuff. Keep it coming.

 

[petkostas]

DAY 4

Finds us wondering around the rolling fields of Toscana, I am really falling more and more in love with the place, I start slowly combining landscape photography with riding, wake up early, trip around the place, get back home a few hours before sunset and head towards the famous locations of the Tuscan fields to enjoy lovely sunsets!
For day 4 we have arranged visits at Montepulciano, Montalcino and any other villages that are close to San Quirico, distance is low for the day, something we wanted in order to have more time to enjoy the truly magnificent and famous villages of the area!

 

[petkostas]

In the evening, I grabbed the tripod and head off for a few landscape pictures...GS and photography combine so wonderfully...

 

[petkostas]

DAY 5

We wake up, Michelle who is the guy in charge of the house welcomes us pleasantly as always, he is really cool guy, relaxed, with good English so we can communicate easily, he has our breakfast ready...
After the feasting we start making plans, the sun is again shining in our face, we discuss and we decide that Orbetello would be a nice place to visit today, the sun is also an addition to the visit, since its a seaside spot it would be fun visiting it.
We open the map to check waypoints and how we would be moving.
The route is really beautiful, fields, relaxing no traffic it's just like everything was planned to enjoy the route...twisties, highways...while we are approaching the sea the landscape transforms to a more Mediterranean style, it feels like home now, nice but I feel the view is really familiar to my eyes, it relaxes me even more because the "I am home" feeling just overwhelms me, it feels like I am in Western Greek seasides.
Soon we arrive in Orbetelllo, we have a good pace and suddenly in front of us a police car starts slowing down, I get anxious (anxiety comes because in Greece motorcycles are not tightly monitored for speeds etc, we usually travel in high speeds without any police harassment, travel speeds of 180 ~ 200 Km/h are usual in Greece for motorcycles) wondering if I did bypass the speed limit (feeling like home eh??) the cop inside the car makes a gesture, I try to understand what he wants, I get close to his window...and he tells me to move a bit forward, to check my license plates...hard swallowing...I am fecked...I move a bit forward and turn around to see what is happening...both cops inside the car are waving and yelling...Grecia!!! ben fatto...well the lads where just thrilled to see bikes from Greece around their place, smile comes back to my face, a Ducati goes by, the guy takes his leg off from the peg waving us...godspeed mate!
We soon arrive at Orbetello, ok, since I am Greek I can't say I am really thrilled by the place, feels a lot like a few Greek towns, it's nicely build has a Mediterranean feel all over it, but for us...nothing exciting, the town feels really like its on a siesta mode, none is outside, no cars, no motorcycles nada...zero, just dead or sleepy, we drink a coffee and roam around, nice town, but yet nothing more special from Galaxidi (Greek town) which feels really familiar, nevertheless we did enjoy the ride and scenery...
Soon we are heading back home, we decide to cut through and tour a bit around San Quirico to get a closer look to the landscape surroundings.

As you can see...none was walking around...Ghost town...

Enjoying the return, Tuscan landscapes...

 

[franco]

Cool

Stunning pics, looks like a great ride. Might have to get over there this year

 

[petkostas]

Stunning pics, looks like a great ride. Might have to get over there this year

It is really a fantastic place to visit, the countryside is really beautiful and the people so nice!
Would travel again with no hesitations! plus the roads (well for us Greeks) are just stunning, makes the trip even more fascinating!

 

[petkostas]

More to come tomorrow...

 

[Timolgra]

More to come tomorrow...

Nice to see some blue sky and sunshine

 

[franco]

It is really a fantastic place to visit, the countryside is really beautiful and the people so nice!
Would travel again with no hesitations! plus the roads (well for us Greeks) are just stunning, makes the trip even more fascinating!

Yeah the other week the boys were off skiing so the wife and I went to Venice for 5 days Italy is beautiful. Only 4 hours from here to Tuscany so may do a bike weekend there soon.

Looking forward to the rest of the photos

Rob

 

[muppix]

Nice pics Kostas, keep it up!

What equipment are you using? Some crazy wide angle stuff going on there - I admire anybody who makes the effort to travel with decent lenses, especially by motorcycle.

 

[petkostas]

Nice pics Kostas, keep it up!

What equipment are you using? Some crazy wide angle stuff going on there - I admire anybody who makes the effort to travel with decent lenses, especially by motorcycle.

Thanks mate...
My kit consists from a Canon 5D (mark I) a 17-40L a 70-200L f/4, 50mm f/1.8, a few GND grads and a Carbon Fiber tripod.
I usually carry the kit (apart from the tripod) on a Lowepro Flipside 400AW on my back (tested under extreme conditions...does it's work really good), back gets a bit tired on long journeys but I am a bit reluctant of putting those bits somewhere else apart my back (due to Vibration etc).

 

[muppix]

My kit consists from a Canon 5D (mark I) a 17-40L a 70-200L f/4, 50mm f/1.8, a few GND grads and a Carbon Fiber tripod.

Hey, not that different from me: Nikon D700, 14-24, 24-70 & 70-200 (all @F2.8) Lee filters, Manfrotto Neotec with pistol grip, RF remote and a couple of strobes, usually carted round in a Pelicase or the Slingshot 200AW if just taking the body and one lens.

Still, I've been getting fed up with the way that my photography gear is almost as bulky as all my other travelling stuff put together, so I've decided to try smaller cameras. My last couple of bike trips were done with a Canon G10 and a gorillapod, which was OK but suffered a bit in low light. Yesterday I picked up an Olympus E-P2 which should hopefully get me closer to SLR standard without the bulk. We'll see.

Keep it up, your colours are stunning!

M.
(www.muppix.net)

 

[BAKERMAN]

Eye for a picture

 

[petkostas]

DAY 6
Sorry for being slow...work and my new 1200GSA keep me occupied!
I get woken up by a Portugese fellow landscape photographer, he has travelled Europe and he is now in San Quirico, it's really early in the morning and he is inviting me to visit the fields for some sunrise photography, I am bit tired from the hour I got to bed, the clock point to 6:30am so I have to turn down the invitation, I need more sleep because I want to enjoy the ride of the day.
Nevertheless since I am already awaken I don't turn down the chance to grab a few pictures from the magnificent Tuscan sunrise over the fields, mist if apparent over the area, I get outside the room, grab my tripod and enjoy a few landscape photos as well with the sunrise.
I get back, I slept for a few hours to wake up....the program today has Florence (Firenze) and since this is going to take up the rest of the day I want to be fresh and full of energy to enjoy the famous city of Italy.
Florence is one magical city, I had heard so much about her, but I never got the chance to visit her, the first encounter is breath taking, building, architecture, wonderful spots it feels as you are travelling back in time, no wonder it was so famous then and now.
What kept me speechless was the Cathedral, Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, I have seen Notre Dame, I have seen Duomo in Milan but this one...this one was so different, the marble under the strong sun gave it a 3d look, it was really a fascinating moment, I am not into churches and religion, but I do admire magnificent architecture.

 

[muppix]

Some nice HDR there. From RAW?

 

[petkostas]

Some nice HDR there. From RAW?

RAW yes, not an HDR though, just a good Polarizer with a 17-40L lens