Most people who ride a bike can remember, with the clarity of a spring morning, the moment they fell for cycling. Two strong thoughts linger in my mind about my first real ride, about six years ago, as I was already climbing the hill of my forties. The first was: Where has this been all my life? The second: What an absolute dork I was.
I spilled a glass of red wine. The table was wild with the thrill of conversation, the room warm with the heat of friends. I was gesticulating, probably, emphasizing some exaggerated story with the exclamation point of my arm. I do this anyway, when I speak, but Italy and a few glasses of Chianti will really get me going.
The line goes out the door and around the corner. Pretty much all day, every day. And there is really only one thing on the menu: the Pastel de Nata. Sure, you can get a coffee or a soda, but who waits in line for upwards of 30 minutes for a Coke?*
Susan Immelt and her husband Steve are keen bike riders and after a week-long adventure in Portugal, they’re now big inGamba fans, too. Which is great, because we love having them around. They’re exactly the kind of people you want to spend time with, on and off the bike. They’ve traveled extensively around the world, and whatever far-flung destination they end up in, it usually involves a bicycle, either with like-minded enthusiasts or by themselves on DIY-style adventures, complete with pannier bags. We caught up with her for some guest insight on the inGamba experience.
A little cross-pollination can be a marvelous thing. You only need a quick glance at somewhere like Silicon Valley to see that. Apple, Google, and eBay are just a few of big hitters that were founded by newcomers, who discovered in America the inspiration, and the market, for something new. In cycling, too, fresh ideas from abroad have had a huge effect on how the sport has developed in this country over the last few decades. Few have had a bigger impact than Giorgio Andretta, who came to the US, via Canada, in the 1970s and he’s been leading the way in terms of cycling apparel ever since.
When Giovanni Pinarello opened a small shop in the 1950s, he could never have dreamt that more than 60 years later, his name would be proudly emblazoned on the world’s best bikes. It’s a success story that his son Fausto is very proud of – and one that he’s intent on continuing.
Often in Chianti, usually when toiling up one of the many local grades, I found myself envying the grapes. They get to sit still, after all, baking in the Gaiolian sun. And eventually they end up as wine. The luckiest ones reside in the vineyards around Lecchi, where most of the local fruit is destined for the stainless-steel fermenters at Castello di Ama, the winery just up the hill. For Ama is not just another Chianti producer, but a very special place.
