Out on the road , we were all moved by what we saw and awestruck by the continually evolving experience as we rode higher and higher into the remotest parts of the Appenine mountains , away from the bustling cities and out to where cows , horses , sheep , and dogs outnumber residents . With so few restaurant options in these isolated parts , the Edelweiss team even assembled an impromptu open- air picnic lunch one day amidst the remote hills .
At one point , we saddled up for a spectacular ride into “ spaghetti Western ” movie country ( any Bud Spencer fans out there ?) and on through the hills to the Grand Sasso , the jagged “ big rock ” that marks the highest point of the Appenines .
The diversity continued to unfold as more secrets of the Appenines were revealed , one turn after another . We rode deeper into the wilds of the Abruzzo National Park , tracing the meandering contours of the mountains . The scenery evolved dramatically from craggy rock faces to rolling mountain hills to wide open valleys ( think Yellowstone ) and then into thick , mature pine forests that are home to deer , bear , fox , and other wildlife . A ride along the shores of several tranquil rivers and lakes was thrown in for good measure .
Eventually , as we turned westward , tall mushroom- shaped evergreens known as “ umbrella pines ” indicated we were getting closer to the coast . Sure enough , after countless delicious turns through the hills , the scene opened to reveal the vast Tyrrhenian Sea .
The Alps were millions of years old before the Apennines rose from the sea . But when they did , they did so with gusto , jutting straight out of the water . Along these coastlines , you won ’ t find long sweeping sand beaches . Instead , the rock face of the mountain shoots nearly straight for the heavens . And a heavenly sight it is . A plaque at the gateway to Amalfi reads something to the effect of : “ When you go to heaven , you will have already been there .”
Contrasting with the quiet , empty backroads was the autostrada to Naples
1 . We stopped for lunch in Sulmona , birthplace of Roman poet Ovid . 2 . During our tour , strangers from around the world became a tight-knit group of friends . 3 . Riding through the agricultural Apulio region . 4 . It seemed every kilometer presented an entirely new and different landscape .
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