• Tuscany Trail or Veneto Trail?

Posted: **Sun Feb 09, 2020 6:20 pm**

Just booked return flights to Pisa, and some more Qs for those in the know:

- What’s the best way to get around with a bike - public transport, to the start (Massa) from the airport, and back to the start from the finish?
- Where can I store my bike bag near the start? I’m not dicking around with cardboard boxes.
- Flying with EJ, do I really need to book ‘bike luggage’ (£90) - sure I can get under the 23kg standard hold bag (£25), and inside the max size (L + W + H) of 275cm quoted on their website. Any experience with this?

Cheers

Posted: **Sun Feb 09, 2020 6:34 pm**

No idea about leaving bike bags etc... as I've never flown but.....

From Pisa to Massa is either an hour or so train ride (bike needs booking on separately at the machine AND it'll be insanely busy with bikepackers but always seems to work itself out in the end).....OR.....a ~50km flat, coastal ride.

Up to you.

From the end back to Pisa it's a train and the same situation again but with less traffic as obviously everyone is strung out by the finish.

First train of the day of the busiest with everyone who finished after the last train of the day before.

Posted: **Sun Feb 09, 2020 6:36 pm**

And nice one, see you there*!!!

(*assuming I have a functioning spine by then)

Posted: **Sun Feb 09, 2020 8:52 pm**

There's a relatively new light railway connecting the airport to Pisa main train station-

https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/f ... n-station/

From Pisa Centrale get the train to Massa, then either ride or taxi to the sign-in venue. As Gairy mentioned, you'll need a seperate ticket for your bike if it isn't boxed. There's usually an area for bikes on the train, but there'll certain be competition for space on there! Also don't forget to validate your train ticket for each journey.

If your bike-box is a hard case jobbie then this could restrict your options. Left luggage at the airport is imo a waste of time, Pisa train station is a marginally better option, but i wouldn't bank on them accepting a bike-box. Having your bike in a box may be an advantage on the train from Pisa to Massa & again on the return train journey after the finish, but nowhere else. If it was me, i'd be looking to store it either in the vicinity of the airport or Pisa Centrale train station.

Think a few stayed at the Blue Shades Hotel near the airport a few years ago & they let them store their bikeboxes there..

I think you'd have to check their classicification of a 'sports bag', as i think a bike, & other things like golf clubs, fall into this category just by their nature..

Posted: **Sun Feb 09, 2020 9:18 pm**

When we did it they would take you bike box from the start to the finish for a charge.

Re box size: probably depends on who’s checking you in and if the difference in price is worth the hassle?

Posted: **Sun Feb 09, 2020 10:33 pm**

Has the finish location changed this year?

Edit:
Looks like it might be finishing in Orbetello instead of Capalbio this year, but this is just a train station on the main line nearer to Pisa. I'd check train times when you get more certain of your finish time though, on a Sunday it can be a couple of hours between trains..

Posted: **Mon Feb 10, 2020 12:07 am**

Thanks all for the advice.

I think I’ll try to take the bike as hold luggage and test the system. If I have to stump up more at the airport then that will just be taken as a lesson in being cheap!

Might book a B&B in Pisa or Massa for the night before my flight home and see if they will store the bag on for me. Or pay to have it delivered to the finish and make the trip back on the train easier.

Really looking forward to this; hope my monster-cross project is ready in time. Just need some 2 x 10 speed SRAM drop bar shifters / hydraulic brake levers - not so easy to find now.

Posted: **Mon Feb 10, 2020 12:17 am**

I left my bike box at the train station last time, they were happy to take it. Its effectively a hard case so there was no chance of getting it into the airport left luggage anyway (and the train station was cheaper).

Posted: **Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:15 pm**

Anybody else concerned that the dreaded Coronavirus might impact these events?

Posted: **Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:21 pm**

ZeroDarkBivi wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2020 2:15 pm Anybody else concerned that the dreaded Coronavirus might impact these events?

No, it'll be completely everywhere by then so there'll likely be no point restricting movement

The horse has bolted as far as I can see and the rest is a PR exercise.

Posted: **Sat Apr 04, 2020 5:15 pm**

And there we have it.....

Tuscany Trail postponed until September the 26th

I tell thee what, I'll be heading to Massa with the provisional route loaded on my Garmin within a day or two of it being legally feasible (and morally defensible) - you can be sure of it!

Posted: **Sat Apr 04, 2020 6:25 pm**

I wondered if thats what they'd do.

No idea if ill make the new date, see closer to the time

Posted: **Sat Apr 04, 2020 6:57 pm**

I'll give you a shout when I plan a date and see if that works better.....

Posted: **Sat Apr 04, 2020 7:18 pm**

Top stuff, cheers

Posted: **Tue Apr 07, 2020 12:23 am**

Just need to wait and see what EJ (and airport parking) do with my original bookings. Still not heard anything about flights booked to France for the end of this month.

Posted: **Tue Apr 07, 2020 7:53 am**

About time they postponed.

Posted: **Tue Apr 07, 2020 8:36 am**

ust need to wait and see what EJ (and airport parking) do with my original bookings. Still not heard anything about flights booked to France for the end of this month.

My brother was meant to be going to the States to get married in Aug. Airline have said there will be refunds but that no one should expect anything to happen quickly and it'll be as and when.

Posted: **Tue Apr 21, 2020 12:12 pm**

Veneto gone now too. No shocker.

Posted: **Wed May 20, 2020 6:47 pm**

Anyone still planning the Tuscany Trail?

Im having doubts due to the dates but would love to do something this year

Posted: **Wed May 20, 2020 9:09 pm**

I WILL ride that route at some point this year.

No idea if it'll be sooner, during or after the actual event but September actually works out pretty well (assuming there's still a functioning world and that the kids go back to school in September).

Posted: **Thu May 21, 2020 8:41 am**

gairym wrote: ↑Wed May 20, 2020 9:09 pm I WILL ride that route at some point this year.

If I'd thought about that question properly, I'd have known your answer I think

Posted: **Sat Aug 08, 2020 1:32 pm**

So did folks see the latest info from Andreas about this years Tuscany Trail???

To all members of the Tuscany Trail 2020,

this email is important, take some time to read it.

In recent months we have worked together with the institutions to make the Tuscany Trail 2020 possible. The Tuscany Trail will take place as per the previous communication, however with the changes that we illustrate in this email.

The collection of the "race pack" will be held at the "Campo Scuola" of Massa located in Via degli Oliveti 84 (where last year).

Opening:
Friday 25 September 2020

Timetables:
08.00 / 23.00

It will not be possible to stop inside the "Campo Scuola" area once you have collected your "race pack".

It will not be possible to stay overnight in the Campo Scuola.

Once you have collected your "race pack", each participant will be free to leave for his Tuscany Trail 2020.

In fact, there will be no collective departure from P.zza Aranci.

Although the situation in Italy is under control and extremely safe, we underline the important fact that the national rules that regulate the gatherings of people can undergo unexpected and unmanageable variations. It is therefore of fundamental importance that you read the emails that we will send you in the next few days / weeks.

Any communication will be provided only via email to avoid possible misunderstandings.

People who do not have the opportunity to participate must notify us by email no later than August 16th. These people will receive a voucher equal to 70% of the ticket purchased which will be usable for registration on the Tuscany Trail 2021.

Cheers

Tuscany Trail Team

I'm currently on for it.

I'm a long way from where I wanted to be fitness-wise but my back is stable at the minute and I'm upping the length, speed and difficulty of my rides each week.

I like the fact that we're free to get going after the sign-up as I'd be keen to get going and put in a half day and therefore likely mix up my sleep locations throughout the event as I usually end up doing similar mileages and therefore pass the same places at the same times of day etc...

Anyone thinking of making it (assuming that the Zombie Apocalypse v2.0 doesn't stop everything again)???

Posted: **Sat Aug 08, 2020 2:44 pm**

gairym wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2020 1:32 pm Anyone thinking of making it (assuming that the Zombie Apocalypse v2.0 doesn't stop everything again)???

I have an entry.
Im not sure though.

I think there is a lot of positives and negatives about from the UK.

I fancy the riding, dont fancy the travelling to and from the start and finish at all.

Fancy the food and happy to spend my tourist euro, dont fancy the 'difficulty' of finding supplies etc if indeed that is an issue.

I may keep my entry amd decide closer to the 'go'

Posted: **Sat Aug 08, 2020 4:12 pm**

FLV wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2020 2:44 pm
I fancy the riding, dont fancy the travelling to and from the start and finish at all.

Fancy the food and happy to spend my tourist euro, dont fancy the 'difficulty' of finding supplies etc if indeed that is an issue.

Neither of those should be a worry tbh Dave. I rode to the start from Pisa and got the train back from the finish. Big thumbs up to both experiences.

There was only one point on the route where I was starting to get concerned about hunger and thirst (last 40km or so on our penultimate day) but that was my own fault for not checking the map before leaving the last town. Everywhere else it passed through towns/villages with bars and shops on a pretty regular basis.

It's a fantastic ride but it's still going to be there next year tbf.

Posted: **Tue Aug 11, 2020 9:28 pm**

FLV wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2020 2:44 pm
gairym wrote: ↑Sat Aug 08, 2020 1:32 pm Anyone thinking of making it (assuming that the Zombie Apocalypse v2.0 doesn't stop everything again)???
I have an entry.
Im not sure though.

I think there is a lot of positives and negatives about from the UK.

I fancy the riding, dont fancy the travelling to and from the start and finish at all.

Fancy the food and happy to spend my tourist euro, dont fancy the 'difficulty' of finding supplies etc if indeed that is an issue.

I may keep my entry amd decide closer to the 'go'

Back from Italy a week ago (pre booked climbing trip)
Everything is open as much as it would usually be, and it’s just a case of wearing a mask indoors as you would here. They’re set up for alfresco dinning so it’s not really an issue.

Airports were a faff, and it was a bit of a pain having to wear a mask on the flight, but ours was half full on each haul.

Can just imagine it’s quite hot at the moment. Think when we did it, it was earlier in the year, and that was hot enough.

But as Andy says it’ll still be there next year

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