Chapter 2 Family Chronicles- Spoleto Days
We leave Rome and travel by train to Spoleto. Jim and I sit in the bike car with our bikes and an elderly Italian man strikes up a conversation. He was born in connecticut but has been in Italy for over 30 years. He a a musician and his wife is a singer. They met in Spoleto at their annual musical festival 30 plus years ago. He recommended books by an author that writes excellent historical fiction about Italy. Here was the one he was currently reading.
We arrive in Spoleto and check into our lodging. Brad and Anna are in a very cute apartment overlooking Piazza Mercato and the rest of us are in two adjacent apartments down lower in the historic center connected by a grape laden pergola shading a lovely terrace which is where we will keep the group’s bikes.
We do a bit of exploring around the town and hit a nice bar for pre dinner apertivi with wonderful views.
That night we go to the restaurant the bar keep recommended and it was a winner. For once everyone ordered first and seconds and we were all stuffed upon exiting the restaurant.
The first order of business the next day was accepting the delivery of bikes from the Spoleto Norcia in MTB rental. Azzurra arrives on time and we pick up two e-bikes and one regular mtb which is the bike that we sold to the club in 2018. They kindly gave us that one at no cost which was amazingly generous.
So we head out for our first family ride which is to ride up the Spoleto Norcia rail trail. It was a lovely day and a great change to be out in the countryside after all our city days.
Then a post ride beverage at the piccolo bar.
During the three days here in Spoleto Brad and Anna have become favored customers at a little grocery on their piazza. Each time they come in the little old man hands them a different bottle of wine which they purchase. They have all been excellent and like most wine here cost less than 8 dollars a bottle. He has also directed them to some delicious meats and cheeses which we have all enjoyed included a truffled salami which even Jim, the stubborn truffle hater, admitted was good.
That night Anna and Brad opted for another restaurant dinner and went to a Michelin starred restaurant and enjoyed a spectacular meal. Elliott, Jim and I opted for a less complex pizza dinner in the lower city and had pizza.
Next ride was to Monteluco and to the alpine vistas above. It was a wonderful ride.
Anna, Brad and I return to Spoleto on the same route but Elliott and Jim do a mountain bike route to return seeing some great vistas along their journey including this really cool cave they have to pass through.
We finally find time to just stroll around the town and we catch a stunning sunset in this fairytale town
That night we go to a restaurant that has caught our eye with its enticing entrance.
The proprietor greets us as we enter and says there is room in the cellar as we don’t have a reservation. So we are seated in a small wine packed cellar. He asks us where we are from and I list the states we all flew in from and upon hearing Utah as Anna’s state, he says, “mormona?” Isn’t Utah full of Mormons? The hilarity begins and never ended. We enter the restaurant at 7:15 and don’t leave until around 10:45.
There was no menu presented to us and the only question he asks is red or white. The first of many carafes of red wine begin. Later in the evening I am begging everyone to stop drinking so he doesn’t bring another.
Then the food begins. Pecorino cheese and bread. Soon what he presents as magic mushrooms and a pate. Then he brings out bowls of soup but first he demands that Anna look him in the eye and he says Happy Halloween. It is pumpkin soup. Then garganzola cheese with red onions from Cannara. Then sausages with a radicchio strudel. Then spelt salad. Then fried ricotta. Then a plate of grilled pork ribs and here I want to pause to give you a visual of what the whole evening was like with this crazy guy
Then the pasta, a strongozzi. Then finally dessert which is almost a relief because we are all tapped out. Tiramisu. Now I forgot to tell you, every bite of the meal was beautifully prepared and delicious and if you were counting, ten courses. You say how much could this feast with unlimited wine and food cost and the answer is 30 euros a head. Just amazing. It was a perfect ending to a wonderful three days in Spoleto.
We arrive in Spoleto and check into our lodging. Brad and Anna are in a very cute apartment overlooking Piazza Mercato and the rest of us are in two adjacent apartments down lower in the historic center connected by a grape laden pergola shading a lovely terrace which is where we will keep the group’s bikes.
We do a bit of exploring around the town and hit a nice bar for pre dinner apertivi with wonderful views.
That night we go to the restaurant the bar keep recommended and it was a winner. For once everyone ordered first and seconds and we were all stuffed upon exiting the restaurant.
The first order of business the next day was accepting the delivery of bikes from the Spoleto Norcia in MTB rental. Azzurra arrives on time and we pick up two e-bikes and one regular mtb which is the bike that we sold to the club in 2018. They kindly gave us that one at no cost which was amazingly generous.
So we head out for our first family ride which is to ride up the Spoleto Norcia rail trail. It was a lovely day and a great change to be out in the countryside after all our city days.
Then a post ride beverage at the piccolo bar.
During the three days here in Spoleto Brad and Anna have become favored customers at a little grocery on their piazza. Each time they come in the little old man hands them a different bottle of wine which they purchase. They have all been excellent and like most wine here cost less than 8 dollars a bottle. He has also directed them to some delicious meats and cheeses which we have all enjoyed included a truffled salami which even Jim, the stubborn truffle hater, admitted was good.
That night Anna and Brad opted for another restaurant dinner and went to a Michelin starred restaurant and enjoyed a spectacular meal. Elliott, Jim and I opted for a less complex pizza dinner in the lower city and had pizza.
Next ride was to Monteluco and to the alpine vistas above. It was a wonderful ride.
Anna, Brad and I return to Spoleto on the same route but Elliott and Jim do a mountain bike route to return seeing some great vistas along their journey including this really cool cave they have to pass through.
We finally find time to just stroll around the town and we catch a stunning sunset in this fairytale town
That night we go to a restaurant that has caught our eye with its enticing entrance.
The proprietor greets us as we enter and says there is room in the cellar as we don’t have a reservation. So we are seated in a small wine packed cellar. He asks us where we are from and I list the states we all flew in from and upon hearing Utah as Anna’s state, he says, “mormona?” Isn’t Utah full of Mormons? The hilarity begins and never ended. We enter the restaurant at 7:15 and don’t leave until around 10:45.
There was no menu presented to us and the only question he asks is red or white. The first of many carafes of red wine begin. Later in the evening I am begging everyone to stop drinking so he doesn’t bring another.
Then the food begins. Pecorino cheese and bread. Soon what he presents as magic mushrooms and a pate. Then he brings out bowls of soup but first he demands that Anna look him in the eye and he says Happy Halloween. It is pumpkin soup. Then garganzola cheese with red onions from Cannara. Then sausages with a radicchio strudel. Then spelt salad. Then fried ricotta. Then a plate of grilled pork ribs and here I want to pause to give you a visual of what the whole evening was like with this crazy guy
Then the pasta, a strongozzi. Then finally dessert which is almost a relief because we are all tapped out. Tiramisu. Now I forgot to tell you, every bite of the meal was beautifully prepared and delicious and if you were counting, ten courses. You say how much could this feast with unlimited wine and food cost and the answer is 30 euros a head. Just amazing. It was a perfect ending to a wonderful three days in Spoleto.
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