9 years later. A return to Pizzicletta’s roots.

Today I set off for another trip to Italy to spend two weeks cycling through Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Umbria. While I've made many trips back to the inspirational motherland that turned a hobby into Pizzicletta, this trip is different in a number of ways. First off, I'll be sharing this trip with Jenny. This is special in a number of ways. We've gotten to know one another through pizza and Pizzicletta specifically. She was a formal employee and date night now is most often at one of the two pizzerias. We also thrive and build our relationship around adventures. Biking Italy is certainly in that realm and it's the first time I'll get to share this kind of trip with someone else. In the build up to this trip I reread my journal from my 2010 trip and one of the themes there was a bit of loneliness. That trip was still the most amazing and reflective 40 days of my life but I recall many times thinking it would've been an amazing thing to share. The second big thing about this trip is already mentioned. We'll be bike touring! We actually fly into Bologna specifically to get my touring bike I left there in 2010. It's been sitting in the garage of a friend, Martina, whom I went to college with in Indiana. It's going to need some work before we hit the road but I very much look forward to hopping back on the bike that took me across Italy in 2010.

So what are our aspirations for the trip? For Jenny, it's to eat pasta everyday (amongst others) :) For me, to relax, think less about work and live each moment. I was actually a little hesitant to continue the blog as it pulls me back to work a bit. However, the joy of writing (something I don't get to do enough currently at home) and the fact that these trips have and will continue to inspire my work. As the planning of the trip began, I wondered if this blog was still live and editable. Turns out it was and had just been waiting on the internet for me to pick back up where I'd left it. So I figured what the hell, might as well share these travels with the broader audience of Pizzicletta's staff, guests and followers. I've realized that the story of Pizzicletta is more powerful and fun to share then I had thought it'd ever be and our name is truly the roots of this company.

Of course the last meal before the trip was at Pizzicletta with our friends Rivs and Steph. It was great to reconnect with them after a summer that sent all of us traveling in separate ways. Hopefully we’ll track down some pizza as good as last night but we’ll see :) Thanks to Vinny and Dylan for the photobomb.

So I hope you follow along. I won't be posting everyday but I hope what I do bring is something entertaining, insightful and vulnerable in the best of ways. I’ll definitely discuss food, travel by bike and all the small joys and logistical struggles bike touring offers.