BAC Le Marche - The Adriatic Coast to the Sibylline Mountains 2010

Urbino

The following is the description of the ride on the BAC website.

BAC Le Marche - The Adriatic Coast to the Sibylline Mountains

Arrive on Friday May 28, 2010 and depart Friday June 11 from Riccione, Italy. Last ride day is June 10. Max 22, Min 16. Trip is rated +2A, and will average 35 miles per day with 3,500 ft of climbing but has two 50 mile days with almost 5,000 ft of climbing.

OVERVIEW: For those attracted to central Italy, Le Marche offers a new frontier with temperate ocean breezes along the Adriatic Coast to panoramic views of the snowy peaked Sibylline Mountains. We want to introduce our new discoveries of emerald landscapes, rosy-bricked hill towns, la povera cucina cuisine (hearty peasant fare), wine and cheeses from the Malatesta and Montefeltro states. Here the culture of Medieval and Renaissance Italy abounds but the prices are lower, tourists are a novelty, and you''ll rub elbows with the local Italians. This second time this tour is offered by leaders Tom and Julie Leever, and has been thoroughly scouted.

OVERNIGHTS: The tour begins and ends in Riccione (airport in sister-city Rimini) at the 4-star Hotel Sarti. This is a bike resort overlooking the Adriatic that caters to the cyclists EVERY need. We spend the first 2 days doing loop rides from the hotel. You can ride to the Republic of San Marino, often a Giro d''Italia route, see the Rocca of Gradara, stop off for a wine and olive oil tasting at the Frontale Germolio Agriturismo or relax at the pool. There is traffic for 5 kilometers into and out of Riccione. After the first 2 days, there is significantly less traffic on the roads. From Riccione, we head down the Adriatic coast with spectacular ocean cliff views to Senigallia. Next it''s inland through small castled-villages for a stop in Jesi and then on to stay at the 4-star San Paolo Hotel in Piane di Montegiorgio for a gourmet dinner family-style. After a spectacular ride with sweeping views of the Sibylline Mountains we arrive in Ascoli Piceno, the southern gem of the Le Marche region for a rest day. Ascoli is famous for its marble piazza and anisette liquor. We head back north to Montegiorgio, then on to San Severino at the elegant Palazzo Servanzi Confidanti. The mountainous terrain offers spectacular views enroute to San Lorenzo in Campo where we have a visit with a vintner and a wine tasting over dinner. In Urbino, famous for the Palace of the Duke of Montefeltro and the home-town of painter Raphael, we spend 2 nights. It boasts some of the best views in Italy with winding cobbled streets and city walls that float above the valley below. While scouting our hotel was mobbed with Italians taking their holiday here! Our final night is back at the Hotel Sarti. From there it''s possible to take a side trip to Venice which is 4 hours by train. On 3 days there are fairly busy city roads for short periods otherwise you will ride quiet but narrow country roads.

DAILY PLAN: Arrive Friday May 28, 2010 in Riccione, Italy. Hotel courtesy van in Riccione will pick you up from either Rimini airport or Riccione train station. May 29 - Loop ride to country; May 30 - Loop ride to San Marino; May 31 – Senigallia; June 1 – Jesi; June 2 – Montegiorgio; June 3-4 - Ascoli Piceno; June 5 - Montegiorgio; June 6 – San Severino; June 7 – San Lorenzo; June 8-9 – Urbino; June 10- Riccione. Depart June 11.

COSTS: Estimated tour costs are $2,000 based on a current exchange rate of $1.45/Euro and allowing a 10% contingency. The estimated cost includes: 14 nights lodging with breakfasts and 8 dinners; activities described; luggage van & driver; maps and route sheets; a wine and olive-oil tasting; and ad-hoc “Italian language lessons for travelers” provided by your tour leader.

A deposit of $500 for the first 20 riders assures your place on the tour. Final payment of $1,500 is due by January 15, 2010. Single riders are encouraged to sign-up. We will assist with the single’s search for a suitable room mate. Space for 2 rooms with 1 person.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Any refunds are dependent on our finding a replacement from the wait list. If we can fill your position immediately you will get your refund less the $50 BAC ride fee. If we are not able to fill your position, any refund will be based on the principle that costs not be increased for those who are completing the tour. Your share of fixed costs like the luggage van, leader and van driver expenses will be deducted from your eventual refund. We will be attempt to recover lodging costs; unless it’s a very last minute ride cancellation (most places require a final count 30 days in advance). Whatever we can recover, you will get back after the tour is completed and the final accounting takes place.

Here is a copy of the welcome letter sent by the Leever's.

Below are links to lodging, Garmin GPS files, Google Earth files, Google Map files and elevation profiles. If you have Garmin's Mapsource software installed on your computer, you can open the Garmin GPS files with it. If you have Google Earth installed on your computer, you can open the Google Earth files with it. If you click on a mileage, a new window will open showing the route in Google Map format. If you click on one of the links under "Profile", you will see an elevation profile.

Google Earth will give you a better view of the topography, etc. If you have the latest Google Earth, you can use your mouse to highlight the day's track and play the tour (Tools/Play Tour).

Please be aware that all routes and maps shown on this web site are not 100% accurate. The GPS software used to create them could not recognize bicycle trails or some of the waypoints described on the route sheets.

The table below is for pre-ride planning. The actual maps, profiles etc. will be supplied by the ride leaders.