Wonderful to see you an Al back on the road again. I am looking forward once again to be living vicariously through the lives of people like you and the Andersons. When you are around Cortina d'Ampezzo (and if you have time and energy) you must do Passo Fedaia and Passo Giau. Take care!

Looks like a great trip!

We might stop in those places, depending on how our time goes. I looked at the Classens' photos of Vicenza and it looked packed with tourists! And we'd be there in June... As for Brescia, well, it's a large city. Tabled for now.

Yay, Bergamo and Brescia! (you are going to Brescia, aren’t you? It looks like your pen slipped and missed it somehow, but it’s an easy edit correction). Also recommend Vicenza, as long as you’re right there.

How funny. This looks very similar to an early scribble of the route we’re planning for the coming fall, but in the reverse direction of course.

Well, Steve, you are a Renaissance man!

I’m working at reducing my math geek tendencies and developing my artistic side —lots of scope there.

After having read, and written, so many cycle blogs I have formed the impression that the index to a blog, if there were one, could cover any subject imaginable. Of course bicycle mechanics, routes, food, accommodation, conditioning, architecture, air travel, train travel, and such are most common, but there is also history and politics, plants and animals, and so much more - even types of road gravel by country. When you modestly defer, and write "But this is a journal about cycle travel so I'll stop with the math", I think, why stop?

So I thought I would mention that if you start with the numbers 1 and 1, sum them - so 2, and then sum 2 and 1 =3, and 3+2=5, etc., you get the Fibonacci series, which begins 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,... The ratio of adjacent Fibonacci numbers approaches a constant as the numbers get bigger. Even at 9 numbers out, you get 34/21 = about 1.62, which is a good idea of the "Golden Ratio".

If you start with two 1x1 squares side by side, and build on these a 2x2, and then on the side of that a 3x3, then a 5x5, creating a graphical image of the Fibonacci series, AND, if you draw a quarter circle inside each square, then all the lines drawn will form a spiral. That's the Fibonacci spiral. It's not quite the "Golden Spiral", but as to what is the difference- you would have to read the Wiki on it yourself!

This golden stuff occurs in nature a lot, in architecture, and even (they say) throughout the Mona Lisa. So if a cyclist ends up at the Louvre, the golden ratio could easily and legitimately be in the blog.

So spiral on in there, Jacquie, the blog is sure to be golden!

A concept map is next up, soon I hope.

Brilliant. Only you would think to describe your tour this way, Jacquie. I drew it out, and you’re right - it looks like a fair interpretation of the great spiral. You should include a concept map.