Going Solo Under the Tuscan Sun.on a Bike

By Diane Kelton

Are you single, but hate the thought of exploring the world alone? Do you love to travel to exciting places, but not if it involves a tour group? Then come along with me as I share with you my adventure through Tuscany , Italy on a bicycle built for one.

Little did I know when I took up spinning classes at the Baptist East/Milestone Wellness Center early last year that I would be on a bike trip on the coast of Tuscany before the end of the summer. Through an odd set of circumstances involving failed vacation plans with one person then another, I decided to book a trip named " Tuscany by the Sea" with Vermont Bicycle Tours for the late summer. I figured if anyone wanted to join me later they could. Much to my surprise - and later to my total delight - no one did!

The tour brochure promised a tour of Tuscany's famous coastline complete with quiet lanes for cycling with manageable hills, more olive trees than I could count, sunflower fields, white beaches, medieval villages and, of course, Italian food and wines. They certainly lived up to their promise. For six days, I glided along Tuscany 's narrow country roads as if auditioning for a role in the movie, "Under the Tuscan Sun." Any minute I expected to see Diane Lane . Dusty country farms and yellow daises were custom fare. Bright, sunny days with huge white clouds provided a crisp backdrop to the rolling countryside.

I arrived on my first day in Orvieto, a small town carved out of an enormous plateau of volcanic rock high above a green valley. The following day, our trip leaders greeted and transported us to the La Parrina Hotel, a historic agriturismo (working farm) built in the 13 th century. This was the perfect place to introduce our group to Italy . During our three-night stay, everything we ate and drank - the meats, cheeses, vegetables, breads, wines - was produced on the farm. One night we tried our own hand at Italian cooking. That's when I decided olive oil goes with everything!

Later in the trip, we actually visited a family that owned an olive oil mill. Here we watched this delicate condiment being made and feasted on a five-course lunch featuring, what else, olive oil! Coupled with some great Italian chianti and brushetta mounded with fresh, chopped tomatoes, we put the finishing touches on lunch about the time most people are heading home for dinner. Only in Tuscany does one actually tackle a bike ride after a lunch of this nature, but our group was feeling so good afterwards that the ride home was merely dessert.

Oh, did I mention we went biking, too? On most days we biked approximately 30 miles, all easy terrain. One of the many advantages of traveling solo is that you can choose to do your own thing or pair up with others. Some days we went to the beach, other days into a neighboring town to shop. Our group consisted of thirteen people, about half singles and half couples or friends. Sometimes, I rode solo and simply got lost in thought. Other days, I chattered away with a mother-daughter team from Denver or an interesting elderly Turkish gentleman from Ontario while gazing at a herd of young goats. If you're in the mood for company, you've got it. I did about "half and half" mixing solo time with group time.

We had two guides available at all times. One biked along with us and the other was in a support van that followed the last person. The van stopped every ten miles or so to provide us with lemon water, fresh fruit and snacks. It was also available for emergencies such as flat tires, illness or simply exhaustion. Although we had a very detailed itinerary for the day with our route, we could opt to ride at our own pace.

As with most tour packages, this company provided several options to accommodate my "single" status, including the option of being paired with a roommate or paying a supplemental fee for a single room. I opted to pay the supplemental fee and added an optional trip to Rome , bringing the total cost of the 12-day trip to about $3,900. That included airfare from New York to Rome , transfers to and from the airport, accommodations in four-star hotels, breakfast every morning, about half of the lunches and dinners, bicycle and helmet, two bilingual trip leaders and several guided tours.

Traveling solo is not for everyone, but for me, the variety and freedom to set my own pace each day and explore the things of interest to me were just what I wanted. That, and a little more room in my bag for a few bottles of good wine.

Pass the olive oil, please!

Diane Kelton is the chief operating officer of the Baptist East/Milestone Wellness Center. Diane holds an M.B.A. from Bellarmine University and is an avid travel enthusiast. You can reach her for other solo travel tips at dkelton@baptistmilestone.com