Dear Faithful Reader:
My most heart-felt apologies for having left you with no news for well over two weeks. I assure you that during this period I have not been “on vacation” but designing vacations: namely Puglia, the Cinque Terre, Tarbes and Spain for Pomegranate Journey’s 2011 season, among other destinations. And since my business is the vacations of others, I find it difficult to be on vacation without working or researching a special location. And I have found a gem in the Tarentaise.
The Tarentaise is the valley of the upper Isère river in the French Alps. After the publication of our article in the 
Dauphine Libéré, the hosts at Chalet Merlot and Chalet Pecchio asked me if I’d like to come see their residences in this valley. I accepted the invitation willingly, and was awed by the natural beauty of the mountains, the construction of the Chalets and the gracefulness of the hosts, Nick and Margret.
The Tarentaise is the natural environment for the Tarine cows (a highly preserved breed in the French Alps) and is also a destination for skiers in the wintertime, with the popular resorts of Tignes and Val d’Isère (among others) along the upper part of the valley (Haute Tarentaise). Yet, the summer calls for mountain biking paths, hiking trails and white river rafting. The location makes for an exceptional holiday when skiing in the winter (there are approximately five resorts within 20 minutes of the Chalet), or 
cycling in the summer. There are routes taking the advanced biker (or advanced at heart) over the Col d’Iseran, Col du Petit San Bernard, and the Cormet de Roseland, to name a few. The chalet has a traditionally tasteful decor, fitting it in perfectly to its Alpine surroundings. When thinking of chalets in the French Alps, snowy peaks and warm fiery images flicker to mind. And no doubt, the glaciers were still white in August, and there was enough chill in the air that even on a few summer nights, a warm fire was a warm welcome.
However, there is nothing that compares to the warmth of the staff during the seasons. Whether summer or winter, Nick and Margret are exceptional hosts offering pick-ups from the train station, fresh baked banana bread for an 
afternoon snack, and a cool glass of Chignin Bergeron at the evening aperitif. Nick was generous enough to barbecue for the group on the last night of my stay. Grilled pork, chilled rosé, engaging conversation, all made for an excellent stay.
My sincere thanks to the staff and friends of Chalet Merlot and Chalet Pecchio. You all made my stay an enjoyable weekend. Again, special thanks to Nick and Margret for their unparalleled hospitality, to the point where it made leaving the Tarentaise a sad moment for this author. Yet, I look forward to seeing you all again with bikes and skis.
No. There is no grammatical error in the title of this post. That is what Amici Miei means in Italian, and in this restaurant tucked away behind the stone walls in Piazza Armerina, that is exactly the kind of reception you will receive: the comforting greeting of friends. Upon walking into the restaurant, you are not a customer, but a long-lost acquaintance, returning to find good friends in a familiar place.
The three key players at Amici Miei have succeeded in conducting culinary orchestral masterpieces. Owners Andrea and Sonia have created a wonderful dinning experience that not only showcases Sicilian cuisine, but also the specialties around the Enna province. Most people salivate over seafood platters and other marine specialties when they think of Sicily’s kitchen. But they are missing the local honey and aged ricotta cheese, the cavatti and pistachio, the roasted lamb and potatoes, and the exquisite semifreddo di torroncino: a cool nougat covered with rich dark chocolate. Simone – head chef and fundamental to the final product – creates the perfect medleys of local products, fashioning them into symphonies that are music to the mouth.
Andrea, Sonia and Simone have also created an atmosphere as delicious as their menu. At Amici Miei, you are with friends. There are no stuffy shirts, no fancy dress, no lead crystal chandeliers. What you find are warm 100-year-old limestone walls, friendly staff and that comforting Sicilian hospitality that I can never get enough of. At Amici Miei, the ambiance is jovial and upbeat so the patrons can enjoy what is honestly a good time with good friends and good food.
Thanks to the folks at Amici Miei for letting me film their beautiful establishment. Thanks again to Peter and Susan for letting me use their sound bites. And thanks especially to a little-known musician from Canada (“Steely Dee”) for the background music. I hope you enjoy the video.
Video is here since YouTube has decided not to cooperate with me this afternoon.
Tags: cooking, Food, Italy, Pomegranate Journeys
The Loire has been described as “the garden of France:” a velvety-green countryside speckled with an array of eye-catching castles. From up above, these castles would probably assume the allure of elaborate gazebos and elite garden sheds. Up close, they are an incredible example of the wealth and prosperity that reigned in France during the 14th and 15th centuries.
But, you don’t have to be a king to vacation in the valley. Thanks to the numerous retired couples in the area, the chambres d’hôtes are a relatively cheap and romantic way to lay your head down in the evenings. These chambres are typically old 18th and 19th century farmhouses renovated and developed by couples who have the time to dedicate to them. They are a type of romantic B&B with modest prices, and there is a great network of them here. The chambres are well kept and don’t have the cold “business” atmosphere found in typical hotels. They are, generally, a stay in someone else’s home, complete with cotton comforters, garden
tulips on the table, and fresh bread and confiture at breakfast. The highlight of it all, however, is the conversation: the owners have plenty of stories about past guests, the history of the farmhouse or unique itinerary ideas that you can’t find in any guidebook.
Les Salamandres, for example, is a sleepy farmhouse in Montlivaud – a tiny village just 15 kms away from Blois, along the Loire river. Martine and Jean-Claude make excellent hosts, and Martine’s morning brioche is just as flavorful as Jean-Claude’s comical 
spirit. Montlivaud was a stop for pilgrims along the way to Compostelle ever since the Middle Ages. The 12th century church in the middle of the village is the only structure disturbing the peace for the early hours matins and the evening vespers. No wonder why Pomegranate Journeys has chosen this quaint yet characteristic village as the beginning of their Loire Valley bike tour. It is close to Blois for a delicious meal, yet the evenings are cool and quiet to rest the legs and the mind.
No matter what your draw, give in to the Loire.
Tags: Cycling, France, Lodging, Loire Valley
Provence is soft and warm, yet cool and breezy; a mix of sun and shade. It’s the smell of the hay fields and the perfume of anisette Forcalquier Pastis in the evenings. It’s the sound of cicadas at midday, of children out of school, of the Festival de la Musique on the 15th of June, and of the Mistral: at times soft and gentle whispering through plane tree boulevards, other times harsh, wailing banshee-like through the ruins of medieval towns.
Provence has been well known for centuries as the artistic inspiration for masters such as Van Gogh and Matisse. But Munch, Monet, Picasso, Cezanne, and Renoir also found a stroke of genius in this rich and sensuous region of Southern France. If you have never been, go. And if you go, stay in Vence at the Villa Roseraie: a charming inn which delivers the veritable Provence through the decor of its rooms, the abundance of its fare, and the warmth of its hosts.
Max and Laurence purchased the Villa Roseraie five years ago when it was practically in ruin. Through their hard work and dedication to preserving the look and feel of this inspirational region, Max and Laurence have managed to turn this late 19th century aristocratic villa into one of the most extraordinary hotels in the Var. The fresh pain au raisin each morning, accompanied by warm café in the tuliped gardens by the pool, is a memorable way to begin the journée. The rooms are cozy and comforting, warm and inviting. A stay at the Villa Roseraie is more a stay with friends in the countryside than a night in a hotel. And I assure you, at the end of your séjour, Max and Laurence will become your friends, and they’ll look forward to your return.
If you spend enough time in the French Alps, you’ll see a curious sight: dolphins. Not in the Lac de Bourget or the Lac d’Aiguebelete, but instead on buses, public announcements and the coat of arms. You’ll see them in the local paper and at summer festivals. For some reason there are dolphins all over most of the Savoie region (Southwestern France) despite that this mountainous area is miles and miles from the sea.
To answer this slippery question as to why there are so many marine mammals in the Alps, we need to look back at the Middle Ages. Needless to say it was a time of fluctuating political boarders, as armies of Franks and Arabs fought over control of Provence. In 855, Provence became a kingdom ruled by a man named Boson, who also ruled the areas of Vienne, Lyon and the Alps. Over the next 100 years, this enormous territory was annexed to the Kingdom of Burgundy, and its lands stretched from Basel all the way to the coast of the Mediterranean. In the 12th century, the feudal struggles within this vast area left three permanent political divisions: Provence, Haute-Provence, and the area then known as Southern Viennois which belonged to the Court of of Albon. Within this Court, there lived Count Guigues IV, whose middle name was dauphin.
From the House of Albon (and later branches of the House of Savoy) the title of “dauphin” implied a blood connection to Count Guigues IV and the nickname was thus passed on throughout the
lineage. As a result, the area surrounding Vienne, Lyon and the Savoy became known as the “territory ruled by the dauphin” – or the dauphiné. Although France’s blue-blooded monarchies lost their heads in the 19th century, the politico-geographic delineation of the dauphiné is still felt in the artistic renditions of delphinus all over the public scene. Even major sporting events in the area have the same title. The Dauphiné Liberé, a popular regional newspaper, decided to sponsor a one-week bicycle race just after the end of World War II. This bicycle race, held in June every year since the ’40s, was initiated by the regional newspaper – just like the early beginnings of the bigger bike races. The cyclists would ride from town to town over the course of a week, and as a result, the locals became more familiar with the paper, and more subscriptions were sold. Yet this critérium also became a test race for riders and for the press to test their communication systems before July’s Tour de France. Naturally, many winners of the Tour de France have also competed and won the Dauphiné Liberé, such as Armstrong in 2002 and 2003. I guess for every great rider there is a greater “porpoise.”
Tags: Alps, Chambéry, France, Lac du Bourget, Savoie
You’d never expect a big city to be so beautiful. One of Turin’s many hidden treasures (besides its bicerin) is its thick, green countryside. The Po – the longest river in Italy – starts in the Cottian Alps, and works its way eastward. It cuts through a number of major towns along the way including Turin, leaving it lush and green on the outside. As soon as you leave the more developed stone and brick architecture of the beautiful historic center, you find wood groves. In fact, most of the ground surrounding Turin is gorgeous forest born from the rich waters of the Po. And within these forests, kilometers of mountain bike paths web their way among the trees. The trails are open to all, and are guided professionally by a company called Happy Trails.
Happy Trails was created by Beppe and Milena: two friends of mine from Torino. Both speak multiple languages, both have participated in the Trans-Rockies challenge (on a tandem, no less), and both have years of experience leading groups on long excursions both on and off-road. Beppe is a certified mountain bike teacher and heads the Happy Trails School, focused on engaging children in the delights of two-wheeled travel. If it weren’t for Happy Trails and their knowledge of the singletrack surrounding the city, I would never have imagined the countryside to be as beautiful as it was. These are the trails that make the urban dweller happy: an afternoon with Beppe and Milena is the perfect solution to a sweltering city weekend.
What I find most impressive about their initiative – apart from their impeccable dedication to customer satisfaction and endearing good humor – is their commitment. They are motivated to convert a car-loving public to an alternative means of transportation – starting with the city’s youth. Turin is – after all – the heart of the Italian automobile industry. The marriage of Italian design and engineering has produced some of the world’s most beautiful machines.However, Beppe and Milena have created a school that appreciates T
orino for its natural beauty, using human-powered vehicles, fueled by gelato. As they continue to offer off-road excursions like the one I traveled, I guarantee they’ll have the public leaving their Fiats for Felts.
Thanks to Beppe and Milena for their assistance in making this video, but especially to Beppe who had to put up with my not-so-off-road legs. The heavy breathing is genuine, as were the hills that produced it. Maybe next time I should shave my legs and I’ll go faster.
This is an argument that I’ve been considering addressing for sometime : when on the bicycle, how do you take care of business? Recently the Tour de France commentators have been calling rider b-room breaks, “nature breaks,” which – in my humble opinion – is too ridiculous for the race. In all of my riding I’ve never said to my friend, “Hey, I’m going to pull over and take a nature break.” I realize it’s television but there are so many more colorful expressions describing the act of “paying the water bill.” There is “seeing a man about a horse,” of course doing “number 1″ is popular, but my personal favorite will always be “changing the olive water” (loosely translated from the Italian Cambiare l’acqua alle olive). We don’t say this last one in English, but we should.
No matter how you do it, doing it in a bike kit poses great distress for many people. More so for women than men (for obvious reasons). Men have the opportunity to pull up a pant leg or stretch down their shorts to get at what their getting at. I’m a fan of bib-shorts, and I always use the “roll-back-a-leg” technique when I need to “take a pit stop.” Of course, the seams and threading in my bike shorts take a bit of tugging after a while. They begin to fray and split, but that’s all the more reason to buy a new kit after a few years.
The reason behind this post is my concern for the ladies. I have a number of female friends who are just getting into cycling and they don’t know whether to go with bib-shorts or waist shorts. My immediate reaction is to go with waist shorts, because it allows for easier biological access. But recently I’ve seen a number of women who ride in bib-shorts. Maybe I’m naive, but isn’t that uncomfortable?
Whichever short you wrap yourself in, I hope a few of the female readers will be able to shed some light on the arguments surrounding “spending a penny”
in (or rather, “out of”) bike shorts. Since my chromosomes have dictated differently, I am of little help to my fellow female cyclists. Yet apart from all the giggling and raised eyebrows this short post may have, it is crucial to realize just how important “refreshing the body” is. Not taking enough liquids in – or expelling them properly – can lead to a urinary tract infection, which could lead to a kidney infection and a whole bunch of other nasty business. Thus while on the bike, it’s as important to take in liquids as it is to get rid of them. So I hope the lady cyclists who are out there will share their wisdom for those who need a few ideas to help them enjoy a new and exciting sport. And always remember: no matter when nature calls, never take messages.
Tags: Cycling
New Shimano Barrel Adjusters
The mechanics of bicycles aren’t perfect, but they are pretty cool. If you think for a moment about how simple a bicycle is and how far it can carry you with as little as a push of the pedal, then you’ve come to realize the beauty in their engineering. It isn’t complex: a chain, some cogs, a comfortable seat, a handle bar, two wheels and some simple physics dictate the formula for a perfect ride. Yet in some instances, the ride isn’t perfect. In fact, it’s flawed – especially when you hear that click click click click coming from your back wheel. Or worse yet, maybe the bike is somehow shifting on its own. In these cases you may have too little (or too much) tension in the derailleur cable. You can ride for the rest of the day with this annoying sound, or you can get to know your barrel adjusters.
The beauty of this equipment is that you can tune your cable while riding the bike. If that sounds uncomfortable for some of you, then stop reading here. For anyone interested in bike mechanics, you have a barrel adjuster on the back derailleur as well as on the frame, or near the shifters, depending on the make of components you may have. Here, we’re talking about the adjusters found on the front of the bike, within reach as you ride.
SRAM Barrel adjusters on the cables
If while riding you hear that sound, try a few things:
1) Right side of the bike: Unless your bike has been cabled differently, the right side cable will help you tune the rear derailleur. As you ride, turn the cable in one direction but only in quarter turn increments. You don’t need a lot to go a long way.
2) Go back the other way: If you notice no change in the clicks, or the sound has gotten worse after about three or four turns, then turn the barrel adjusters the other way. Maybe instead of loosened, the cables need to be tightened (or vice versa) and this will help quiet the noise.
3) One-handed riders: If you’re not comfortable riding with your left hand while tweaking the barrel adjusters with your right, then don’t do it. Ideally, you would do this on a flat stretch where you can pedal and adjust simultaneously. I wouldn’t suggest doing it on a downhill in a curve – better to have both hands on the handlebars or you’ll have to adjust more than your cables after the crash.
4) Watch the fingers: Some of the barrel adjusters (Campagnolo and the new Shimano especially) are close to the wheel. Make sure not to get your fingers caught in the spokes – you’ll be left with fewer to grab your barrel adjusters the next time the cable gets loose.
It’s Monday. I should be doing some accounting, and (if you’re an accountant) so should you. But since the beginning of the work week is often faced with grunts and groans, I’ve decided to publish a video every Monday. This way you’ll be able to see what I’ve been up to the past week and you can click on it all week long. Maybe by Wednesday you’ll desire to get outside, or eat fresh pasta, or watch the Tour de France. Of course, you wouldn’t want to watch the Tour de France from your television set – it’s quite a rush to be on the course as the Tour comes through town.
That’s what I did last week.
Some friends and I were along the Col de la Madeleine early in the morning, before the riders came through. Then we rode down to La Chambre: a little village where the race passed before finishing in St.-Jean-de-la-Maurienne. If I could describe the atmosphere, ‘electric’ would be weak. Yet, that’s the idea. Watching the Tour de France from the side of the road is like standing out in the field as an electrical storm is approaching. You feel the buzz around you: the thunder of the helicopter blades, the winds of the Caravan and the press cars as they whiz by. The people along the road are all in jubilation: a time for locals to sing and children to play; the town is decorated in green, yellow, white and red polka-dots representing the winning jerseys. Suddenly everyone is fixated on the hillsides as the racers zig-zag down the switch backs – like a bolt of lightning – waiting breathlessly as this tempest approaches.
And then it strikes.
In a flash everyone screams and claps and pictures are snapped. The people along the side of the road squint as if in a downpour of riders to see who is in front, to find their favorite, to see how the battle will play out in the end. Again another flash of cyclists shortly behind the first, this one even bigger; the crowd cheers louder and louder as the racers fly through the middle of town. A few more hits, and then it’s over: a calm comes over the village and everyone returns to their television sets to see how the race will finish 15 kilometers down the road. An exhausting day, watching this technicolor storm pass in front of your eyes.
This video is for my brother (in-law) in Massachusetts, who is a fan of these bike races, and for Fi: who never started watching them until I made her do so. Thanks again to Leather Zoo for the use of their song “Stranger” (that’s the background song, not the accordion music).
There is something about the beauty of the Côte d’Azur that inspires more than a simple look in an easterly direction. Anyone who has walked along the crimson cliffs overlooking the emerald sea knows there is a magnetism about this ‘little’ part of the world that holds the viewer to deep meditation. It’s unlike visiting the Eiffel Tour: a man-made construction – in it’s own right a marvelous structure – yet far from the immensity that the farthest southern coast of France can offer. The Eiffel tower has a harmony that was planned by humans; the Emerald Coast has a harmony based on contrasting elements.
The red cliffs dive down into the azure sea, yet the trees grow sideways as they try, over the course of 
their lives, to battle against the Mediterranean winds. The land along the coast is flat, accommodating runners on the Esplanade des Anglais in Nice, and strollers and evening lovers on the coast in Cannes. But go inland no more than 5 kilometers and you have steep hills, protecting the villages of Grasse, St-Paul-de-Vence, and Vence. It’s no surprise that towards the end of the 19th century great impressionists like Cézanne, Renoir and Monet found inspiration in the movement of these stationary elements. Later in the mid 1900s, the surrealist sculptor and architect Chagall used these same contrasts to become one of the most influential figurative artists of the 20th century.
Murray and Lynn were equally inspired by the landscape. They spent a few days biking around some of Southern France’s most challenging – yet most beautiful – countryside. One of the most wonderful features of their vacation was the fact that they did as they saw fit, making their own choices. Whether it was a delicious meal in Nice’s historic center, or walking through the open market in Vence, they were able to see the countryside at their own speed.
Thanks goes out again to the subjects in the video: Murray and Lynn, I was warmed by your enthusiasm especially when the weather wasn’t cooperating. Your good spirits and laughter made this an excellent adventure in France. Next time I’m in Toronto, I’ll be sure to let you lead.
