October 1st and 2nd were fully devoted to the Eroica and the events surrounding it. My wife, Brenda, had flown in to Florence on Sept 30th to add moral support and for our more traditional vacation which was to begin after the Eroica. On Saturday morning our tour group (or at least those of us who were interested in the event, piled into the van for the ride to the start town of Gaole in Chianti. Brenda and I took our rental car knowing we would be spending considerably more time oogling the bikes than the rest could tolerate. Arriving in Gaole we went straight to the sports center were the pre Eroica bike exhibit was being held. Like last year, the hall was filled with vintage bikes too numerous to mention. I took so many pictures that I filled up most of a 512mb memory card. If I can find a place to post the good ones I will. As usual Signor Barruti (the events cover boy with the handlebar mustache) had a large collection of old Tour de France bikes, Bianchis, and other assorted gems. A gentleman from France dressed in period costume down to his top hat also had a large collection of irons beginning from the late 19th century. and then, there were the other various collectors showing their best. My favorite, as usual, was an early 30's glorious Gloria that the owner actually rode the event on the following day, and won the award for the best vintage bike actually ridden. There were lots of very old Bianchis, severa beautiful Mainas, some very old fiorellis, absolutely no Cinellis, only one Masi, and perhaps one Colnago. All in all maybe 200+ bikes. Again, as usual the walls were lined with vintage Jerseys. Soon after we arrived I hooked up with list member Bob Frietas and his wife Rita. We had exchanged pictures via the net before we left so as to be able to recognize one another. Brenda and I spent most of the rest of the day with them, looking at bikes, having lunch at the local outdoor pizzeria, and talking about the following day and other list gossip. Bob......treasure that woman!!!!! Much to my joy, I was able to buy a Vittoria Margarita derailleur system to complete a bike I am just restoring. I must comment, and will do so again in the next installment, that the Italian collectors have what seem to me a very different attitude toward there bike then we do. Although one did see the occasional full bore restoration, I would say that 90% of the bikes on exhibit were in original condition. I mean original to the extent that even the dried overflow grease surrounding a headset was not wiped off. These bikes were as they were when they were ridden (and, in many cases still ridden). In addition, and I will also comment on this further in the next day or so, there was a lack of parts correctness (as in political correctness) in evidence. Many of the bikes would have immediately been spotted by the CR parts police as incorrect, wrong date, wrong model, etc. It was not uncommon to see a Vittoria Margarita on a bike that was too early for it and that should have had a only a Margarita....or a Nuovo Record derailleur on a bike that was in old age by the time that part came out. . . etc. I just loved the combination of adoration that was clearly present for these bikes and the sense of history, a sense that they had been ridden for years. Part of that was, naturally, that history had changed them. At 3:30PM, after we four had returned from lunch and waited around a bit, registration was opened and the scrum began at the registration tables. Luckily for me, our tour leader had pre-registered the 6 of us who planned to ride, and after jostling my way to the table I was able to obtain six packets which included our jersey and bike numbers, are carnet (showing the route and allowing placing for official stamps at the required check points), pins and ties for the numbers, (once again I felt like the old days, in a panic registering for a race and trying to not be late to the start even though, this time, the start was a day away) and a free Gomitalia tube. Maybe they knew something we didnt. Although we had all intended to do the 135km route, Discretion being the better part of valor, we decided on the 75 (really 80) km giro. After a week of hard riding, and some hairy experiences on the white roads already it seems the appropriate distance. We would certainly get the flavor of the event, but not kill ourselves doing it. After registration I wandered over to the side were Brooks (one of the sponsors) was selling wool jerseys and shorts. Well....once again were they charge somewhere around $200 for these jerseys on their site, they sell them here for 50 Euros. I got one but passed on the wool shorts which, no matter what anyone says, I never liked and still cannot tolerate on my bum. We said our goodbys to Bob and Rita who were staying for the pre event dinner and made our way back to our hotel south of Siena in Vascovado. Tomorrow the event awaits and there was 28mm cyclocross tires to be clued and clip and strap campy pedals to be put on to replace the look clipless.
Edward Albert
Chappaqua, NY