Bulli e Pupe alleycat

Went to Milan this past weekend for the Bicycle Film Festival, where I made connections with many bicycle people. I also took advantage of the event to get a look at some of the bicycles ridden here in Italy. Many beautiful rides, but this one is my favorite:

It's a 1960s gold Cinelli frame tricked out by the one and only Giovanni Pettenella, whose name is on the downtube. NB the 3TTT mutant stem, in my opinion a deft and tasteful modern touch on a traditional lugged frame.

Sunday hosted the Bulli e Pupe alleycat race.

I raced on a beat step-through single speed I got on loan from somebody. Suffice to say, I did not win. But my partner Daniela and I did win an award for "la coppia più bella della gara," on account of our being so finely dolled up. (my skirt and lipstick were actually requisites for the race, not another manifestation of my splendid fashion sense.)

Special thanks to Daniela (AKA coda in some circles), whose knowledge of Milan's back streets helped us make it to the finish line at least in the midpack, if not at the head of the race. Without her as my guiding star, I would probably still be wheeling around the city today, tugging on the coatsleeves of strangers to ask "Kind sir, how does one find the Duomo?"

More photos here