Well it's approximately 48hours until we head off on our own Excellent Adventure but unlike Bill and Ted we won't be travelling in a phone box back through time. Instead we will do the usual trans-continental flights to Milan to soak up some Italian sun for 17 days. Some might liken the trip to the Italian Job but as we won't be anywhere near a Mini, it is probably better to call it an Italian Pursuit for the 12 days we are in Lecco, Bormio, Arraba, Bolzano and Brescia to see some of the Giro d'Italia.

The training has been done to prepare ourselves for iconic rides like the mighty Passo dello Stelvio which at 2,757 m (9,045 feet) is the highest paved mountain pass in the Eastern Alps, and the second highest in the Alps, slightly below the Col de l'Iseran (2,770 m, 9,088 feet) and is pictured below. Our training has consisted of doing climbs like Beechmont, Mt Tamborine, Mts Nebo & Glorious, Mt Mee and O'Reilly's. We are sure the views into Italian valleys from the iconic climbs we will be doing in the Alps and Dolomites will be just as worthwhile as the view down into the Numinbah Valley from Upper Beechmont - also pictured below. The only difference will be that rather than at ~600m above sea level at the top of our local climbs we will be at +2,000m with the high probably of there still being snow around the place.

Thanks to Mark, Nick, Peter, Ian, Cam, Claire, Aaron, Ash, Alix and Tom with apologies to anyone I have left out for the company on our long and hilly training rides over the last 2-3 months.

Ciao for now.

Craig Briant is a Club Mentor & Jacinta Briant is a Club Captain with the Kangaroo Point Cycling Club. Craig and Jacinta will be sharing their travel stories as they pedal through Europe over the coming weeks.