In addition to the kilometres to cover, the skill tests are an important part of the event: they really determine the winner. This year the tests were a little different, apparently in an effort to break the seeming stranglehold a few yearly entrants had on the results. Some tests were simply a question of speed while others really put ones riding skills to the test. The speed tests, like the usual 20 metres (roughly 60 feet) in a specific time like 8.8 seconds, was as easy as it got. A more challenging skill test had us going straight uphill while weaving in and out of wood poles, which were spaced so they were really hard to get around. If you knocked one over, it could get under the wheels and could potentially roll the rear wheel out from under the bike. If you’ve never ridden a single cylinder vintage bike, many don't have a ton of torque so this was really difficult on the bike as well as rider! It was quite a challenge but I gave my best at all the tests!

Each year at some point the beauty of the road overcomes me. This year that moment was as we passed under the hilltop town of Assisi, a town I had heard over but never actually seen. We came over a hill and past a field of grazing horses there and there it was. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Assisi sits on the hilltop like an immense ancient Greek temple. I had been riding with a group of journalists on Multistradas and they too were stuck by the beauty of the place. They all pulled over in such a hurry that one of the bikes tipped over as the rider scrambled off with his zoom lens camera in hand. Assisi is now at the top of my list of places I would like to return too - it went from my eyes and straight into my heart.

That’s the thing about this event, it won’t let you experience it unimpassioned. It grabs its participants by the souls and opens their hearts and minds to Italy and friendships with the people you meet during its five days. The Motogiro has changed my life, given me focus and each year reminds me that life is not a practice run. It may not be possible to spend each day in this kind of spirit but it certainly reminds me to keep trying for as many days like these as I can come up with.

Here are some of my highlights of the Motogiro 2005:
::The fun I had racing through the hills each day with an Italian journalist riding a 100 GranSport GP bike. (I even eventually got to ride the bike myself!) The GS 100 has such a loud and distinctive exhaust that I didn’t event have to look to see if he was coming. I could recognise the sound. The GS 100 and I had close start times so we were always on the road together – as soon as I heard him coming, I’d wick the throttle and hang on to his tail, grinning and laughing into the sound of a screaming 10,000 rpm Ducati single. Once, as we lined up to make a pass around a truck he looked over his shoulder at me and made the sign of the cross leaving me laughing as he left me to make the same crazy pass.

:: The day I rode with the 750 MV Agusta most of the afternoon, another musical beast, beautiful in its classic red, white and blue paint job.

:: Flying laps around the Magione Circuit where all the Vintage Class and Taglioni Class bikes let loose at once in twisting chaos.

:: Leading a group of at least 15 veterans down the sidewalk on a one-way street (the wrong way) after we all missed the arrow for a turn.

:: Waving at my touring group buddies, all dear friends, waiting in a sidewalk café eating ice cream, watching the vintage bikes pass, seeing each face light up as we recognized each other.

:: Laughing at my friend Rich’s description of his day from hell on his rented Ducati 125 as he described his adventures to me and my friend Jim until we had tears from laughing.

After all this fun, the Motogiro ended back where it began in Cattolica. I sadly returned Mr. Caracchi’s bike and waved goodbye to all the men I ride with each day that don’t speak my language or I theirs. We are truly friends in spite of this; the language of this event is shared on the roads. The event finished with a gala dinner in a castle, with lots of food and wine and music and where the planning will begin for next year and the Vicki V. It’s a pattern: as one event ends, before we even get on the plane for home, we begin planning the next one. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Vicki Smith

Read part 1