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beauty blends with the aware-
ness of thousands of years
of human habitation and all
that entails. We loved that this
carefully curated tour let us
experience that very authentic
side of Italy.
WORTH THE WAIT?
It may have taken us 20 years
to get there, but now that we've
experienced the adventure of an
Edelweiss tour, there's no way we
can wait another 20 years. And if
you've been thinking about a tour,
don't put it off. Whether you're
looking for a luxury trip high on
sightseeing, an intense off-road
ride that will put your skills to the
test, or you want the freedom to
explore on your own (but with
Edelweiss's considerable experi
-
ence and connections at your
back), there's a perfect-for-you
dream ride just waiting.
CN
ence but are customized to
make sure everyone gets the
most out of this not-insubstan-
tial investment. For instance,
on the day we rode from
Comino Valley, near the Abruz-
zo National Park, to the Amalfi
Coast, we would be passing
within about 30 miles of Monte
Cassino. Cindi and Steve, the
other two-up couple on the
tour, are huge World War II
history buffs, so, with everyone
onboard, we slightly shifted
our itinerary for the day and
visited the painstakingly re
-
constructed site of the historic
Catholic monastery that was
bombed by the Allies in 1944.
Everything in Italy seems to
be steeped in history, and the
emotional resonance is per
-
vasive. From Monte Cassino
to the trulli of Alberobello to
the cave dwellings of Matera,
so from the medieval village
of Santo Stefano di Sessanio,
we headed out to see the Gran
Sasso (Big Rock) d'Italia, a mas
-
sif in Abruzzo whose highest
peak is Corno Grande, at 9554
feet tall. It was a long day of
riding—made longer by random
road work delays—but it was
perfect in its own way. From the
horses that roamed the lonely
valleys surrounding the Gran
Sasso to the way local motor
-
cyclists used the occasional
roadblocks as an occasion to
hop off their bikes and pick
porcini mushrooms for dinner, it
felt like another world we were
privileged to experience.
As the tour progressed, we
appreciated how flexible and
accommodating our guides,
Domenico and Michaela, were.
Edelweiss tours are definitely
not a one-size-fits-all experi
-
Riding along the Amalfi Coast
heading south towards Salerno.
