Tag: Tourissimo

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Show #608 – August 11, 2022

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Guests: Heather Dowd; Josh Poertner

Want to tour Italy?  Want to tour Italy and learn about the culture, the food, the wine, and some of the areas many tour companies don’t visit?

Heather Dowd, who along with her husband Beppe Salerno, own and operate Tourissimo – an “Italy Only” tour company that is both innovative and culture-rich, was recently featured in Forbes Magazine in an article that delved into women who own companies such as hers.

We’ll explore Tourissimo’s tour options, how Heather thinks about women and cycling, and a lot more when she joins me in a moment.




Then, we’ll speak with Josh Poertner.  Josh is the owner of Silca – yep that iconic company that makes the Silca pumps and now, a whole lot more.

Cycling Tips did an interview with Josh about what is becoming a nightmare to small businesses like his – counterfeit goods, fraud, and theft – and the new rules he had to implement in regard to returns – thousands of dollars of often fraudulent returns!

In a conversation that runs the gamut from what Silca has had to do to cope with fraud, counterfeit product, and outright theft to the future of the independent bike shop and how brands like Silca will fare as the industry continues to consolidate, Josh Poertner has some deep understanding and an ability to make it clear to anyone listening.

At mid-show, I mention two interesting events that are coming up.

First,  Classic Bicycles Auburn is a celebration of vintage lightweight bicycles that will be held at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum August 26th to the 28th.  You can register for all three days or a-la-carte for any of the many options including the exhibits, the swap-meet, and the rides that are being offered each day.  For more information, log on to classicbicyclesauburn.com

And if you can’t get to Indiana for the Classic Bicycles Auburn event, how about going to Pittsburgh for what is one of the oldest and most respected rides in the U.S.?  Pedal Pittsburgh started way back in 1994 and is the largest ride in Pennsylvania. This year, the date is August 28th and you can register for the event at pedalpgh.org/register

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Show #499 – April 11, 2020

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Guests: Mari Holden; Beppe Salerno & Heather Dowd

 

It’s been several years since I first contacted my first guest – Mari Holden. And, it took our stay-at-home orders to have her light in one place long enough to find time to chat with me.

Mari is a multiple time national champion, a world champion, has been inducted into the Bicycle Hall of Fame,  and is an Olympic champion, winning the silver medal at the games in Sydney in 2000 . She’s gutsy, smart, and takes her roles in whatever she is doing seriously. Today, she is sidelined while USA Cycling is trying to get everyone back to work, where she is the women’s road coach.

 

Then, we’ll check back in with Beppe Salerno and Heather Dowd, the husband and wife team that owns Tourissimo Travel Tours out of Italy.

First, Beppe fills us in on the situation on the ground in Italy, where is family lives and Beppe . Then, he and Heather talk about the now shortened 2020 tour season and why cycle touring is so important today.