WideOpen Magazine Visit Punta Ala Trail Center
A few weeks ago we were joined by British online magazine Wide Open for a week of early-season sunshine and prime Punta Ala Trail Center trails.
The duo of Monet Adams (journalist) and Tom Grundy (photography & video) flew over from their UK base and hired a car at Pisa Airport, before making the short journey south to our base on the beach. Having suffered a heavy winter of British rain, the characteristically dry Tuscan springtime came as a pleasant surprise. They even said they struggled to adjust to the warm Italian sun after such a long winter!
We rode a great variety of trails, including a day of shuttling, and spent the majority of working time focused on two video edits. Tom is a professional film maker for the Global Mountain Bike Network so naturally he was in his element as we took in coastal rollercoasters and backcountry epics, all within riding distance from PuntAla Camping Resort.
One day, we were up at the crack of dawn and before long were cruising across the open water to the neighbouring isle of Elba – visible from the PuntAla beach and a great daytrip for some alternative trails. Getting to port on the other side of the short ferry crossing we were greeted by Dario of Gravity Bike Elba, a partner company to Punta Ala Trail Center with a daytrip programme set up for a jam-packed day of shuttles, beautiful views and small village life on Elba.
From the high peaks of Elba, the views back to PuntAla are mesmerising, and the singletrack sublime. Dario’s warm welcome and clear passion for the sport makes for a brilliant experience, one that clearly made an impression on Monet and Tom.
Look out for the write up and two video reports from the trip, coming soon.
