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I did as a voluntary in a local bicyclist club for the last 12 years and I loved it! So I decided to do it for Americans in Italy and is wonderful to hear their  "WOW" when the see our landscapes or ancient and historical buildings.

2) Please describe in detail your Italian language skills.

Hey man, I’m Italian!

3) How much and where have you traveled or lived in Italy? List regions or towns that you are very familiar with and amount of time spent in each place.

I was born in Rovigo Province, in the Delta of Po river. I still have relatives there and sometimes I visit them. I made recently few beautiful bike rides there.

When I was five my family moved to Vicenza, where I still live. Since I was thirteen I ride the bicycle in the area around Vicenza and Veneto region, including my best beloved Berici hills and on the Altopiano (plateau) di Asiago. I’ve been often in Tuscany, Umbria, Marche. I consider the central Italy as the most beautiful part of our Country and Siena the most beautiful city. I’ve been for a week in Sicily, cycling for a few days in the Temples Valley of Agrigento.

My wife was born in Ostuni (Brindisi - Puglia) and we always spend part of our summer holidays in that region, taking a rest in her family small farmhouse and sometimes cycling around.

During the Military service (still mandatory in Italy) I stayed three months in Rome, and some time in Friuli, Campania, Liguria.

I’ve been twice in the Cinqueterre Area, in Liguria for some wonderful hiking days. I spent also some days in Trentino Alto Adige, cycling between Bolzano/Bozen, Trento and Verona. I can’t forget a nice winter week that I spent in Naples and how beautiful was the cycling around Ischia Island.

I know even a good part of Emilia Romagna, where are some very nice towns, like Reggio Emilia, Ravenna and the most cycling town of Italy: the quiet, beautiful, historical Ferrara.

My local bicyclist club is a member of FIAB (Italian Federation bicyclist’ friends) and, together with other forty clubs in many Italians cities, take often part to cycle meetings and rallies all over the country.

In 1999 I leaded 7 Ciclismo Classico tours in Tuscany.

1. Enthusiasm and good motivations;
2. To be able to manage troubles, firmly and quickly;
3. Tell information to everyone loud and clearly;
4. Organizational skills;
5. Patience and tolerance.

While I lead groups in my bicyclist club I’m usually serious, but hopefully not boring, always punctual and ready to communicate and to share the enthusiasm for the ride. I’m not easy to irritate and I try to have always everything under control.

Sometimes I’m too perfectionist and meticulous. My wife said that I neglect her during the rides J ‘cause I’ve the mind completely immersed in tour. I’m a hard-headed guy and isn’t easy to change my mind when I have an opinion.

4) On a scale of 1-5 please rate your strengths in the following areas (1 = weak; 5 = excellent)


a. Experience in service industry ___4__
b. Bike mechanics ___3___ (1= None . . . 5 = can fix just about anything)
c. Bicycling safety skills__4__

(I always wear an helmet with a review mirror "Third eye", that I bought in US. It looks very strange in Italy but I feel much safer if I can see behind me!)
d. Bicycling experience ___5__
e. Italian language fluency ___5___
f. Italian culture/history ___5__
g. Italian culinary/wine knowledge __4___

h. Italian travel experience __5___ 
i. Teaching or guiding experience __5___
j. Organizational skills __4___
k. Group dynamic skills (specific experience and/or skills in group dynamics) __5_
l. Experience driving van or large vehicle __3__

m. Diplomacy __4__
n. Public Speaking __5___
o. Budgeting / Accounting skills __4___
p. Sense of humor __ha ha ha, are you asking seriously? (oh well, maybe 4)____
q. Music, art or creative background __3___
r. Punctuality ___5___
s. Patience with demanding people ___5__
t. English fluency (if native Italian speaker applying) __4 ? ___

5) If we hired you and had to assign you a co-guide, what kind of person would best balance your strengths and weaknesses? Which of the following roles would you best assume while guiding: (Rate on a scale of 1-5. 1 = weak; 5 = excellent.)
a) Route rapper 5
b) Accountant 4
c) Trip Documentor 3
d) Bike Mechanic 3
e) Gastronomic Guide 4
f) Cultural activities guide 4
g) Van loader 4
h) Italian instructor 5
i) Cycling clinics 4
f) Inventory management 3

6) Please describe your biking experience and skills (mileage per year, mechanical skills, touring experience, guide experience with other companies). If applying as a walking guide, describe walking/hiking experience.
Since I was a child, I always used the bicycle every day to go to school, to work, for shopping, …for almost everything. At Sunday and days off I take often my touring bicycle or the mountain bike for a bike ride on hills or in the country around here. When I had a few days holidays, I spent them cycling around in Italy or abroad, and in the summer vacations, … guess what!: I made extensive cycle tour in many places, in Europe and North America.

I traveled by myself alone in Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Ireland, United States and Canada, and with my wife in Switzerland and France, in several tours between 1988 an 1997. I’ve been twice in North America. The first time in summer 1988, traveling by train, from state to state, borrowing bicycles and ride whenever was possible. That happened in Vermont, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Oregon, Washington State. I came back in US in 1990, pedaling 1016 miles in three weeks, alone with a mountain bike, from Vermont to Michigan, crossing New York States and southern Ontario, sleeping in a small tent or in families. That year I joined the former "League of American Wheelman", now "League of American Bicyclists". That was wonderful, I met a lot of nice people and I’ve seen gorgeous landscapes. After that I can say that I know how cycle the Americans!

In all these tours I always managed by myself for any mechanical or physical inconvenience.

After the high school, since 1980 I work in a factory as a goldsmith, in the spare time, I worked in a radio (not paid) as a dee jay of rock music for a couple of years. That helped me to be not too shy speaking. In early eighties I started to travel, first in Italy, than I’ve been to London in 1985, alone for 10 days in winter. I realized there that my English needed to be improved, so I started again to read old school books and listening every day an American Radio, broadcast from the American military base of Vicenza.

Twelve years ago I’ve been involved in a bicyclist clubs in my town, called Pedale Verde. I was the president for that from 1989 until 1992, the year when the club closed. In the 1993 I formed a new club, called "Tuttinbici" (it means "Everybody by bicycle"), that is a member of FIAB (Italian Federation of Bicyclist' Friends). I was the president of Tuttinbici until December 1998 and the club grew up 'til more than 200 members (in a small town like Vicenza is not too bad). For the clubs I organized not less than 100 bicycle tours around my (beautiful) area and even around other towns that we reached by trains. 

I also "fight" in my town and for the Italian Federation for the policy about growing of cycling in Italy. I organized many public meeting in my town with politics, architects and experts about bike paths through the city and for increase facilities for cyclists. For the elections 1995 I asked to the 6 candidates for Mayor in Vicenza to participate at "Rischia con noi!" (take your risks with us!), a short cycle tour along the most dangerous road of the town, and all of them came with their bicycles and pedaled! That was thrilling!

I organized every summer on the third Friday of July "Pedali nella notte" (pedals in the night). 10 kilometers by night all on historical center of Vicenza pedaling along the most beautiful ancient roads and squares of the town, mostly of them closed to the motor traffic. That day we fill up the center of the town with bicycles, sometimes more than 500 (believe it or not).

Actually in FIAB I organize "Ospitabici" (private hospitality homes for touring bicyclists). If you want to know more about that take a look at the WEB FIAB page. 

Since 1988 I’m a member of Servas, a club of private hospitality for foreign travelers that is spread all around the world. During my first journey in U.S., I stayed in twelve families and I traveled by train, buses and bicycle in 9 states in only four weeks. So far I was a guest of more than 60 families around the world (18 in North America) and, to the other side, I gave hospitality to more than 60 people (a lot of them were Americans) in my apartment. To all of them I was proud to show Vicenza and its area, when it was possible, by bicycle.

In 1991 I begun a class of German language, ‘cause I noticed that for travelling in Europe (above all in former east Europe) as a bicyclists, English is not enough. I kept going to study German in the 1992 and 1993, in Italy with a mother tongue teacher, than in the summer 1993 I’ve been in the town of Münster, in northern Germany, for one month to follow an intensive German class. Right now I’m still going to an evening class of German language, to improve this really hard language.

8) What is your strategy in dealing with demanding adults? What do you think is the most effective strategy for running an effective yet fun trip? How would you describe your leadership style?
The first thing is to have complete self-confidence and the best knowledge of the work I’m going to do (itineraries, opening time of cultural visit, all telephone numbers of museums, hotels etc.). It’s also important let the people know exactly where they are going, explain them the differences between rolling and flat stretches, notice them if there are short stretches with heavy traffic, where and when they are going to have lunch. Before of every dangerous crossroads or descends it’s important that everyone listen and understand the warnings. I also want be sure that the people know where they are on the map, so, if for any reason someone stay behind, they can easily reach us again.

When I lead a group I often give advises to people which I notice something wrong with their bicycle (noisy gear, saddle too low, …), and I always indicate if there is something nice along the road, even the little things like small nice farm houses, fields colored by flowers, cute scarecrows. I like, when is possible, to speak with people, while we are cycling. On our quiet small country roads is often possible ride side by side. I know that is not normal for American cyclists, but who wants to taste the effective Italian cycling, can do it, and the Italian car drivers are expecting on small roads cyclists riding two by two, so isn’t so dangerous.

9) What unique qualities, skills, hobbies, or experiences can you bring to a Ciclismo Classico Tour? 

(My friends say that) I’m a good photographer. While I am traveling alone, take pictures is my way to share emotions and experiences, not only to show to someone else how beautiful was the places I’ve seen, but trying to catch the soul of a country, that soul that only by bicycle is possible to see. In the past 10 years I was invited for public shows of my slides in many towns: Padua, Verona, Venice, Pordenone, Bolzano and of course in Vicenza province. All of them were successful and funny (I try always to be ironic on my explanation), particularly the slide shows about the journeys in North America because I mocked some of the Americans ways of life and thinking! 

10) Based on your own personal Italian experience, Italian contacts or cultural background what specific activities would you initiate to bring cyclists behind the scenes of the Italian culture? (For example: Bring a group of cyclists mushroom hunting with your Tuscan pal Luca. Arrange a private tour of a vineyard where you know the owner).

I have important contacts  with the Italian Federation of Bicycles Friends, more than 40 clubs, spread all around Italy, which can help me to prepare itineraries and visits. I know personally many of those people and will be probably possible meet some of them in many town that we can visit.

I’m  CPR certified.


12) a. What is your availability for the season? 

I’m a goldsmith since 19 years, and specialized as a clasp maker. Almost every month someone asked me if I want to change and work in their factory. Vicenza is the town in Italy where more gold is manufactured. Here there are more than 1000 companies and 10.000 people which work or make business with gold. If I resign from my actual factory I’m sure that I can easily find another job soon. October and November are the busiest months in this field and every day the newspapers are full with advertising of companies which are looking experienced workmen. That means that I really would have no problem to quit my actual job for a few months. 

To be a goldsmith it isn’t much hard for me, is a work of ability and experience, which keep my mind free to think something else. I love to listen the radio and I can do it every day, learning a lot from news or cultural programs. On the other hand is sad to stay 10 hours a day between four concrete walls, not seeing even if outside is raining or sunny! Until last year I thought that in my life I’ve always been working someone else gold, but now I have the perspective to do for a while a job that I really like, in contact with people from another culture than mine and eager to learn from my cultural background. Even for my wife could be better if I can have satisfaction with a different job which give me some days free every month, rather than now when I work all days Monday to Saturday.

Is this interview too long? I hope not.

interview # 2

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