Trekking Day Three & Four - Pienza and Montepulciano

Much too busy (and tired) to write the last couple of days. 

As I write this I am sitting in the Albergo Duomo Hotel situated within the fortified walls of the hill city, Montepulciano established in the 900's.  The hotel served as accommodation and film location for the first vampire movie Blue Moon.  Have never seen the movie but can easily understand its allure.  Next door is the Museo della Torture.  

This is a rest and recuperation day.  It also marks the end or our group travel.

Day Three was the most serious hike of the first three days.  It was a 12 km hilly jaunt from San Quirico D’Orcia to Pienza.  I don’t know what got into us but we were rolling along at a fairly quick pace.  The experienced trekkers say it is normal.  Folks find new adjustments to their packs, adjust their walking gait to the new loads, and simply get stronger after the first two days, or in my case I threw out a shirt.  We left San Quirico D’Orcia at 9:30 am and had over an hour for lunch in an olive orchard.  We arrived at our destination two hours earlier than we planned.  The only downside (upside?) was that with time to kill and had four bottles of wine before pre-dinner drinks in addition to the obligatory liter of beer to end the day’s trek.  

We wandered the old town, met other trekkers and cyclists from around the world and enjoyed a fabulous dinner at the hotel.  Wild Boar was the restaurant specialty.  The only weird part of the evening was that we were so exhausted we were in bed before the children stopped playing in the street outside our room.  Italian little kids stay up much too late on school nights.

Deborah had a small "owie" but it didn't stop her from covering another  30 km.

Harvest Time In The Vineyards.

The final day four hike was the longest of all.  We covered 8 km before climbing and stopping for lunch at Monticchiello.  It was a little out of our way and had some 22% gravel grades but the view and lunch were worth it.  After lunch we covered the final 8 km to Montepulciano.  Evident in the pictures, it was hard slogging on the steep uphill’s but everyone in the group made it without complaint.

Entering Pienza.

Looking Toward Tomorrow's Trail from Pienza.

Leaving Pienza - Start of Day Four 

Very Top of the Hill on the Horizon - Lunch Stop - Monticchiello

Small Winery At Work.

Lunch Break in Monticchiello

Top Of the Hill.

Montepulciano - The End Is In sight.

Harvest Time.

Today marks the end for this travelling group.  Marci and Keith left us before the trekking and today we walked Sam and Cheryl to the Bus Depot and waived good bye as they left for Chiusi.  They are travelling to Rome to meet their daughters flying in from Vancouver.  They will spend the next couple of weeks with them visiting yet even more of Italy.  Tomorrow, Nola & Glen, Phil & Linda, Warren & Diane return to Florence and then on to Vancouver the next day.  We are going to look around today for bus tickets to Chuisi and will find a train to Rome.  Leave for Seattle next Wednesday and home Thursday.

Pretty Much Spent When We Arrived.

Really Big Beers to Close the Final Trekking Chapter.

Last night at the stinky beer table (in our group you are not allowed to shower and change before beers at the end of the work), Glen asked that everyone take a moment and think about what most impressed them on this trip.  The exercise didn’t make it very far around the table when we all realized we shared the same experience.  Everyone agreed that it was the "people" that made the experience so worthwhile.  Folks were most impressed with how well our group functioned.  In a group of 10 or 12 there is bound to be some friction over a two-week period.  In our case there was none.  In addition, there was not one (even minor) complaint from anyone about participating in the physically demanding activities.  Folks led when decisions needed to be made, folks followed when decisions were made.  Everyone displayed willingness at every turn to simply get a long.

Finished our stay in Montepulciano by attending a classical music concert at the Palazzo Ricci.  We listened to Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, and a bunch of Italian composers' music performed by the European Academy of Music.  Again, not my first choice of music but it was special in the moment.  Deborah found an interesting eatery for dinner and a good time was had by all.

The group chapter is ending but the Italian experience is not over for Deborah and I yet.  Stay tuned; there is more to come.