DCGG IN ITALY

Many of you know that Hammer + Awl sponsors a group of diehard cyclists that race and ride around the globe.  This crew, affectionately known as the DGCC (Distinguished Gentlemen’s Cycling Club), packed up and made a pilgrimage to holy land of cycling in Italy to ride the routes of the Giro d’Itala.  Following in the footsteps of legends like Fausto Coppi, Mario Cipollini and Marco Pantani, the guys began their quest just outside of Bologna in a town called Faenza.  With 9 days of hard riding on tap, sunny skies and new bikes, each day provided a unique challenge for the body and a great experience for the soul.  Roaming the beautiful hillsides of the Faenza region and ascending mountains through Tuscany, the first few days provided panoramic views of the area, coupled with obligatory pasta and coffee stops mid-ride in quintessential Italian small towns.  It was all there for the crew to soak in – castles, vineyards, cobbled streets, rivers, mountains, etc. with each ride culminating in a well-deserved cold Moretti accompanied by the local specialty, a Paidina, for refueling. 

 After getting their feet wet on these “easy days”, the next stop on tap for our team was a trip to the Dolomites for a wholly different experience in the steep alpine mountains.  The legendary giant climbs of the Giro were there for the taking, each harder than the previous with views that no camera can do justice. The Marmolada, Podori, Sella, Fedaia – ascending (and descending) all the mighty climbs as the pros have done for the past 100 editions of the Giro.  As if this wasn’t enough for our guys, the race itself finished in the town they were staying in and started in the next.  Armed with VIP passes, the boys got hob nob with cycling royalty, including the man himself Didi the Devil, for a couple of days.  Sensory overload for any seasoned cyclist, the trip had so far been more than up to spec thanks to the careful planning of the good folks at Nonstop Clicisimo.

From there, the DGCC pealed their way through the hills and over Manghen Pass to Bassano, for more up close viewing of the race itself.  The payoff for this long journey……gelato!  Nothing satisfied the group better than a few scoops of icy cold goodness on an 85’ day traipsing  through the hills and valleys.  Once cleaned up, grappa tasting provided a great end to their day.  Departing early the next morning, the gents took on the famous Monte Grappa (home of the aforementioned Grappa beverage).  Rising over 5000ft from bottom top, 28 twisty corners counted down the miles while they navigated up and up and up.  The payoff for all this suffering was a roadside seat along the Giro route to watch the whole peloton speed by. Well, that and heaping plates of pasta and cold Moretti back in town.  All that climbing necessitated a bit less vertical the next day, so a long, flat 80+ miles (into a fierce headwind of course) took them back to Faenza along the banks of the sunny Po river.

One last mother of a ride awaited on the next to last day in Italy.  90+ miles of mountains in Tuscany, aided by the comment “why not one more mountain?” over lunch.  Had it not been for a late ride stop to chug cold Cokes and devour Ice Cream bars, the hot countryside may have done our warriors in.  Wrapping up the trip with the “queen stage” proved to be a perfect finale to close the book on riding for the week.  Tired legs, sunburns and depleted energy stores made it the perfect time to pack the bikes up and reflect on the week.  The epic journey led to what turned out to be the best of many amazing dinners at a quaint little spot for dinner in the walled town of Dozza, where the pasta was greeted enthuastically, the wine even more so and the limoncello tied a bow on it all. 

In all, the guys had a blast and we’re proud to support a group of great folks who can get out and experience something like this together.  They couldn’t have pulled it all off without others long the way helping out.  Fuel from Clif Bar, service from Westside Bikes and the guidance from Nonstop Clicisimo who mapped out an absolutely perfect trip. And of course a few key pieces of gear from H+A to help the squad keep up appearances while overseas.

 

Ciao for now,

H+A