Film
Zoncolan: Video from the Giro 2011
A few weeks ago, I posted this blog about climbing the Zoncolan by bike. A few weeks later I posted this response to my initial post. I’ve finally gotten around to edit all the video I took on that magnificent day into a nice six-minute adventure.
I’m not here to promote cycling. I’m here for the pure adventure of what I experienced that day in the mountain, watching the Giro d’Italia. During the time we sat on the mountain, listening to the howling and screaming, I felt a sense of what it must have been like 60 years ago. The intensity of the crowd must’ve been similarly intense, and the foreboding clouds and rolling thunder only increased the drama. It was a scene unlike any I’ve ever lived. With the following video, I hope the reader can also partake in – what can only be described as – one of the most electric and dramatic days of my life.
Special thanks to Punto Tours for having placed me on assignment for this piece.
I’d greatly enjoy reading your comments if you feel so inspired by this video. I’ll be on assignment again soon, but I’ll make sure to get back to you as quickly as I can.
Sport Cameras: Take Two
Getting great video is not such an easy task. Even when manufacturers continue to make small hand-held cameras, they don’t seem to have the same effect that a good POV sport camera would provide. The market for small sport cameras has widened and the technology is getting better. Here are two reviews on the ones I’ve been using to shoot some really great HD video.
The Camera: The GoPro Hero HD is one of the most popular sport cameras on the market. It films in total HD, with the option of three different filming formats: 1080p (true HD and wide-screen ratio), 960p (wide and tall HD with 170º angle view) and 720p (Ultra widescreen HD with typical 16:9 aspect ratio) with 30 or 60 fps. Why is any of this interesting? Because it allows for high quality digital video in a small camera, at a small price. The camera itself comes in a windproof casing with a fish-eye lens to get that wide-angle view. Although the audio is muffled as a result of this casing, it doesn’t matter: the focus is on the video, and it is spectacular stuff. The basic HD camera is priced at $299, with a number of accessories available to attach the camera to a bike, helmet, or surfboard. And all of that footage you can put on replaceable SD memory cards.
The cons: It’s hard to know when the camera is on. There are only two buttons, and a special pattern of pushing them turns the camera on. When it is activated, it makes a series of beeps and flashes a dim light that makes it confusing to tell when it’s filming or simply in standby. If you don’t get it right, you won’t have any video when you get home because the camera will either be off or in another mode (which has happened to me, much to my chagrin).
The Camera: The Contour HD picks up where the GoPro leaves off. It films in the same resolutions and frame rates as its competitor, but it’s missing the fish-eye – and that’s a good thing. The Contour HD has a simple wide-angle lens (135º) that allows you to pick up 
all of the action without distorting the image. The footage is stored on micro SD cards (even smaller) and there is a real microphone built into the camera for decent audio. One of the most impressive features is the laser leveling system. When the camera is mounted on a helmet, for example, a simple push of a button lights up two small leveling lasers to guide you to level the lens. This way what you film doesn’t look like it’s on the Titanic. In addition, the on/off switch is just that: one position is on, one is off. What you film is what you get. All the accessories are available to mount it to a bike or helmet, and Contour takes it a step further: their online programming allows you to control the audio and lighting as you desire. All in a hands-free camera.
The cons: Contour has recently come out with the Contour HD GPS model running for over $400 and with geo-locating. I don’t need the camera to tell me where I am, I’ll let the video speak for itself. Apart from this, I have yet to find any problems with the Contour.
Movie Mondays: Piedmont’s Happy Trails
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.
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Movie Mondays: the Tour de France Beyond your Television Set
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).
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Living on the Edge: Life along the Côte d’Azur
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.
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Sicily: A Cool Place in the Heat of Summer
As July warms up, it’s hard to believe how cool temperatures were in Sicily in late May. The beaches, the refreshing breeze and the light seafood platters are all reminders of how lovely the weather was. Not that July is a bad month, but now Sicily is unbearably hot and this video is a quick memory of one pretty cool cyclist I was lucky enough to have in a pretty cool place. Eric is a great cyclist and it goes to show you that no matter what your cycling level, there’s something for everyone over at Pomegranate Journeys. In Eric’s case, it’s his cycling abilities as well as his open-minded approach in accepting the unknown adventure that makes travel so much fun. For Eric, “It will always be a good time.”
Eric is someone I’ve known for a few years now and he has always been a laid-back traveler: relaxed when his luggage does not arrive, at ease taking pictures and flying down the hills, he is even cool under pressure when more serious emergencies occur. He is always looking for engaging conversation and has a great sense of humor. Best of all, he keeps his sights – and taste buds – open to new discoveries. But not only is he cool on the bike, his outfits are cool too. Eric is one of the few cyclists I’ve seen who has a fashion sense that well reflects his personality.
Eric had never ridden the Kuota Kharma before taking a guided tour with Pomegranate Journeys. As you’ll see in the video, he’s very happy with the comfortable ride that these carbon-fiber bikes provide. It’s not as stiff as he expected and that’s a plus. It’s obvious that the bikes are light so you only have to concentrate on getting yourself up the hill – the bike, more or less, takes care of itself. He enjoyed the Shimano Ultegra components and he was able to push the bike to its limits: flying downhill and climbing uphill en dansant: dancing on the pedals.
Oh yeah: and his outfits match the bike colors.
Thanks Eric for being a good sport. I know I can get annoying with the camera, but I do appreciate your candid answers to my questions. It was great having you on the trip and I look forward to seeing you again (although let’s do Southern Italy again; Portland is a bit too rainy for me).
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Almond Milk: the New Protein Drink of Champions
Anytime we take on a new adventure, the mental stress can be overwhelming. In some cases, the idea of traveling to a foreign country for a week-long bicycle vacation can create more concern than the sense of relief it’s supposed to engage. If all of the unknowns were factored into the equation, and we were let loose to worry about them – the late planes, the lost luggage, the language barrier, the long hills, the physical effort – it’s surprising we’d ever get off the ground.
The beginning of Suzann’s holiday began in a similar fashion. She had never been on a bike vacation before traveling with Pomegranate Journeys to Sicily. In fact, she hadn’t been on a bike much prior to her time in Southern Italy, however she got off the ground and arrived ready for the adventure. She had all the right tools with her: an open-mind, a good spirit and a huge smile. In the following video you’ll hear her testimony about how the beginning of her adventure in Sicily was a bit of a challenge, but thanks to her perseverance, she had a wonderful time. In fact, the objective was no longer making it to the next hill, but looking for the next glass of latte di mandorla – or “almond milk.” As the trip unfolded, her cycling skills progressed and the fun rolled along with her wheels. At the beginning she considered herself the “least experienced” rider, but by the end of the trip she was clocking 100km days and 10% grades. For someone who had begun cycling just a few years ago, she quickly found herself at ease on the bike and rode like a seasoned cyclist.
And the trick is: don’t think about the bike as a challenge, but as a means to experience a “guilt-free” vacation.
But I’ll let the video explain that.
I’d like to thank Suzann for her patience with my filming and my constant questioning. I’d especially like to thank her for her open and sincere responses and her continuous laughter and good humor. Finally I’d like to thank her for her willingness to be broadcast to over 1,000 people (maybe more?) over the web.
Thanks Suzann, keep biking and we’ll see you again very soon. And the next round of latte di mandorla is on me. – Gabe
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Siracusa and the beginning of an Amazing Experience
The sun at 7:00 a.m. caresses the buildings along the pier in its morning splendor. These rays bring out the tannish-brown and gold in the Baroque architecture and Resurgence construction along the bay. The Aretusa fountain – a fresh water spring along the edge of the ocean – bubbles and sounds with the songs of swans and ducks among the thick papyrus reeds. The fisherman make their way off of the rocks to sell their catch at market, and the bigger boats have already docked and are unloading pounds of fresh swordfish and squid. The men laugh and smoke cigarettes as some of them fold up their nets while the fruit vendors unload the three-wheeled carts, stacked seven or eight crates high of beautiful citrus and vegetable produce.
The scene is so surreal, walking through the market place on a Saturday morning, that one could imagine this same scenario playing out 50 years
ago, or 100, or even 1,000. It is no wonder why the Greeks, Romans and hundreds of other conquering nations fell in love with Sicily. Strolling through Siracusa alone for 20 minutes in the morning is enough to inspire anyone to write, paint or sing. The Greeks had their mythology about Odysseus and the Cyclops at Aci Trezza; they constructed a great temple to Apollo on the highest hill in Ortigia (the ancient city in Siracusa); an ancient cave with remarkable acoustics was attributed to Dionysus’s powers. Still today, these same marvels within the ancient city are the source for artistic and literary inspiration.
Pomegranate Journeys takes you through the sights, smells, tastes and textures of the unknown (or more properly, forgotten) Siracusa. In a day where Hollywood has transformed the image of the Sicilian into 
something cynical and sinister, Pomegranate Journeys takes its guests beyond the celluloid imagery to a tangible escapade of Siracusa. It is the Sicilian people – in their beautiful and passionate interactions – that keep the real Sicily in the island. One trip through Siracusa will have anyone singing its praises and writing epic poetry. See for yourself.
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Modica: when in need of “Bonajuto”
The Antica Dolceria Bonajuto in Modica, Sicily is reputedly the oldest chocolate shop on the island. Pomegranate Journeys recently scheduled a visit of the Bonajuto chocolate laboratory during a pedal-through last week and the results were rich and delicious. There really isn’t anything better to help you up the hills on Pomegranate’s Sicily Bike Adventure than some raw chocolate and a cupful of Xocolic – their chocolate liqueur. It’s no surprise then that “Bonajuto” means “good help.”
But it’s also the name of the founder of the chocolate laboratory. In 1880, Franceso Bonajuto followed in his father’s footsteps and opened up a cake shop, which over the years has won critical acclaim with professionals in the sweet field. Of course, all of Bonajuto’s treats come from deeply rooted traditions native to Modica.
A few months ago I posted on Ragusa, and Modica is simply 15 kilometers to the south and equally as beautiful. The first
documentation of Modica comes from Roman documents dating to the year 212 B.C. They describe a village called “Motyka” which was defiant to Roman rule (as most Sicilians still are today). It was in 844 A.D. that Modica began to flourish agriculturally after the Arab conquest of the island. Then in the fourteenth century, Sicily passed under Spanish rule for a few hundred years. Like the rest of the island, Modica has been consecutively conquered by different nations. However, it’s within this “layering” of foreign nations over thousands of years that Modica retains its own rich traditions and culture.
Thus the aranciata and cedrata are sweets of Arab origin with orange peel and citron, purified with water to remove alcohol and then baked with honey. The orange and citron have the consistency of nougat and should be eaten in slivers. Meanwhile the ‘Mpanatigghi (the cookies you’ll see in this video) are biscuits typical to the city of Modica and were introduced by the Spaniards in the sixteenth century. The local name of these biscuits is probably derived from the Spanish empanadas-empadillas, where the unusual combination of meat and chocolate is frequently used in Spanish cuisine. In past centuries game meat were used for the preparation of ‘Mpanatigghi; these days beef sirloin is employed since it is less sinuous and easily acquired.
Regardless, Bonajuto needs no help in the chocolate department. This visit was one of a number of great discoveries along a magnificent bike adventure through Southern Sicily.
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Good Winter Riding
Just a year ago I was living my adolescent dream of playing in a British punk band. I met Leather Zoo while managing a Snowsport Team in Livigno, Italy. We were trapped in a three-bedroom apartment located above a stall housing about 300 cows. The smell was very natural and organic, but after four months, a little fresh air was needed. So the Zoo (the band not the cows) invited me to Sheffield, England where I filled in for their drummer who was unable to make some of their UK venues. For two weeks I lived a dream. One of the venues – The Packhorse in Leeds – was a major venue for little-known up-and-coming bands of the ’60s and ’70s such as The Who and Led Zeppelin. After flying into Midlands Airport, I had five 
hours of rehearsal before our first gig that evening. Fleur de Lys was the first song we played that night and it has stuck with me ever since. Leather Zoo often tours around Europe every summer and fall so try to catch them when they come by. Their sound is organic and raw, drawing on a number of personal experiences and talents that the band possesses – especially the allusive “Mr. Woddy.” They are excellent people, awesome musicians and amazing athletes. Mel and Biff have quite a history of cycling behind them – but both are too modest to talk about it.
Thus, when I was out the other day on my classic ride, this song came to mind. It reminds me of spring and the sudden liberty felt after a long, smelly winter. This route is simply a spin around the Lac du Bourget just outside of Chambéry, France. The climbs aren’t too severe (not like the Col de Colombière or Col de Galibier for example), yet the Col du Chat and the Col de la Chambotte are challenging enough after a winter of downhill skiing. Little known is the fact that the Lac du Bourget is the largest and deepest natural lake located entirely within France. The 
poet Alphonse de Lamartine was inspired the lake’s magnificence in 1820 and wrote “Le Lac, addressing questions such as the futility of the past, human memory and love; only the beauty of the countryside can conserve these “souvenirs” better than any poet. I couldn’t agree more. This bike ride around the lake retains some of the greatest memories of my life. Often I’d bike it with a friend who has since moved back to Massachusetts, but the ride itself is always a trip down memory lane – I’m never riding it alone even when I’m by myself. And so I hope you enjoy this film of the ride and my Leather Zoo soundtrack.
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