How Bicycle Travel Transforms Lives: Eli Curran

When the impossible becomes the possible. Or an unforeseen gift changes the course of your future. This is Eli Curran’s story.

Beginning with a Tuscany and Elba trip she won at auction, Eli’s future in bicycle touring just blossomed. Her life changed.

In Eli’s words:

“Fifteen years ago on a freezing cold night in Boston, I attended a fundraiser hosted by the cyclist Tyler Hamilton and his foundation to support Multiple Sclerosis. After a glass of champagne, the auction began, and my hand spontaneously went up in the air. Yikes! I was now on my way to cycling through Tuscany and the enchanted island of Elba. I had never been on a bike tour, did not own a road bike and had never been to Italy. Fast forward 5 months later – my life literally had been transformed over those 10 days in Tuscany cycling with Ciclismo Classico (and all the incredible people I met on that maiden tour). Upon my return, people literally kept saying to me… “What happened over there? You are NOT the same person!” 

Since then I have taken over a dozen of Ciclismo’s trips. I have met endless numbers of incredible friends, seen the beauty of Italy and learned the best way one can travel. On a bike. See it, smell it, taste it, climb it, descend it, swim it, swirl it. This is the only way to embrace a country, her people,  her food, her wine, her culture, nature and history. All with incredibly knowledgable and fun loving Italian guides that you want to take home with you, if you could. They are so passionate about their country and cycling, it is infectious. To be on the bike, is well…. PERFECT.

Go at your own pace, engage the locals, stop and smell the earth and the vines. Such satisfaction at the end of the day and to know you got from one town to another ON A BIKE!  Well, it is fantastic. And all the climbs, descents and switchback in between…not to mention the espresso, gelato, cold beer along the way. At the end of a long day in the saddle, we all clean up and enjoy beautiful evenings with incredible meals, wine and lots of laughter, music and stories. We are all tucked in usually by 10:00 pm and in the morning: Andiamo! Let’s go and do it all again!

To be able to combine my love of the bike, with travel, is the ultimate way to vacation. I’ll never stop traveling this way and I am thankful for Ciclismo for leading the charge and being the ones to transform my life, and the way I travel. 

They have given me all the best memories of my life and I am not done yet.”

Join Ciclismo Classico on a Bike Tour today!