Most Inspirational Moment
No particular moment, but I had a fabulous early morning beach run at Paestum Mare with nobody about. The ruins at Paestum are pretty impressive too - go early to avoid the hordes.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Absolutely up there with the best. Nothing was too much trouble for Alessandro - he dealt with everything calmly and efficiently but he was also informative, entertaining, sociable, kind, and generally a delight to be around. We were all amazed how he managed to constantly cycle from the front to the back of the group with ease in order to keep a check on everyone (despite the fact that he was also on a mountain bike). Our support driver/Rafaele was also brilliant - nothing was ever too much trouble for him - always attending to our needs with a smile, acquiring someone an e-bike halfway through the trip, and managing to replace my handlebars on day 2 for ones which suited me better.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Even if you're used to harder trips, it's still a brilliant trip to do anyway. The roads on the Amalfi coast can be quite busy so you do have to cycle carefully and watch out for buses and motorbikes comind round blind corners on the wrong side of the road. The walk to Amalfi on the rest day is fabulous if you don't go to Pompeii (several thousand steps up though, so not for those with dodgy knees). Make sure you bring plenty of cash at the start - ATMs are around but a bit sporadic, and most places prefer cash. There also aren't many shops in the first few days, so bring everything you need (snacks etc).
