Andrew R Stewart 

One of the benefits of using this medium is the flow of the discussion. Much like when people are talking in person and ideas come out that were not part of the initial comment/question that started the discussion. My first post was very direct to your initial question. And is was short as my views at that point were pretty basic. But then another poster, replying to your op shifted the flow of this thread enough to jog my thoughts more, hence the second post of mine and it's length. This isn't a key stroke limited medium. We here generally appreciate the nuance and scope of our topics and that these reflections are often not simple and short thoughts.

When you offered your second post and you seemed to reject our opinions and views I felt you were a bit off base. And i suggested this. We are a framebuilding forum and we tend to think and reply with this theme . Were we a vacation forum I suspect Eric's second post's comments might have come earlier.

Do understand that when you ask interested experienced people about their passions and craft and then you complain that they take you seriously that you might get some feedback that is not nice to hear.

Having said all that I agree with Eric that spending time in Italy would be really fun and being able to ride a bike there would only add to that. I, too, have had a dream of much the same. But as this is a framebuilding forum I didn't think this view of mine was what you were looking for. Or if it was I would have thought your first post would have been more clear to what you wanted back from us. Andy