Tuscany & Electric Bikes

Julie and I had the opportunity to stay at an amazing place in Tuscany called Castello di Casole. The resort was out in the Tuscan hills surrounded by their vineyard and olive groves. Many of the things that were served in the restaurant came fresh from their property - wine, olive oil, vegetables and, yes, wild boar. It was a very memorable place.

They have many activities for their guests including bikes. There are miles of gravel roads and trails in the surrounding hills so I was excited about taking a long bike ride - especially after a week straight of eating pasta twice per day.

I got a trail map from the hotel and saw that you could take a big (25 km) or small (12 km) loop. The big loop takes you to a small village on a hilltop called Mensano. You could see it in the distance and this sounded like the perfect journey for me. I was going to Mensano and wasn’t going to be denied - ha.

When I saw the perfectly organized bike rack, I noticed that there was a collection of shiny new electric bikes with a single orange mountain bike alone on the end of the row. I knew that the orange bike was for me because I don’t do electric bikes. I mean, what’s the point of getting on an electric bike when you need exercise and something to conquer. My inner prideful voice told me that electric bikes are for the “weak.”

Fortunately for me, my lovely and wise wife walked up about that time and kindly pointed out the severity of the surrounding terrain. I reluctantly reconsidered my decision when I realized that I could just use the electric juice on an “as needed” basis. This satisfied my conquering spirit so I mounted up and off I went.

It didn’t take long for me to swallow my pride and hit the juice on the bike to get me up some of the hills. It was quite nice being able to go back and forth riding under my own power and getting some help on the steep climbs up gravel roads. Some of the hills were so steep that I would imagine that most mortals would have to walk even an electric bike up them. I will neither confirm nor deny whether I did….

In addition to the intense terrain, I became “directionally challenged” (some refer to this as lost) at various points on the trip. I even had to do the unthinkable and ask for directions (twice) - my second battle with pride. After overcoming the language barrier with directions and making the decision to ignore a well marked “no trespassing” gate, I was able to experience the exhilarating final, electric juice aided climb to Mensano. The village was not the prize but rather the experience and lessons along the way.

Pride would have prevented me from getting to Mensano. I would have never made it on a regular bike pedaling completely in my own strength. Neither would I have made it without getting directional help from others who had already made the journey. I thought about this all the way back to Castello and knew that the experience was a great life lesson and a blog waiting to happen.

How often in life do we allow pride to interfere with opportunities and great things that God has in store for us? In addition to my own personal life, I see how destructive pride can be in businesses, churches, friendships and families. There are over 60 warnings in scripture about the pitfalls of pride and God’s hatred of it. Pride is a threat to God’s supremacy in our lives.

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom

Proverbs 16:5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall

James 4:6 God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Stay humble,

Big E

Matt. 5:6