Well, we are babysitting most of the day, and Emily, of course, is doing most of the effort. I took a short, but great ride, which I haven't done in a while. I rode up Via Bolognese to Pian de Bartolo, where I turned off for Cercina. This is also where the Via Volognese road ramps up to 10 plus percent, so it is a nice place to turn off. The descent / contour / climb to Cercina is spectacular. Tiny road, no traffic, and for around 1/3 of it, new floor. Sweet. From Cercina, you climb to a church, where you start a great descent. Curves, switchbacks, olive groves, tiny town, everything you could want. The road drops back into Florence very close to the Carreggi hospital complex, and then I follow pretty main roads home. A total of 23 kilometers in 1 hour and 5 minutes. No pictures today, as I am sure I have posted this ride before.
8-2
Fun ride today, but really hot by the time I returned. I took off with a couple of options in mind, which is a great thing about riding here. I went out the viale to the road to Bagno a Ripoli, then climbed up through Osteria Nuova to the top at San Donato in Collina. From there, I descended through Troghi to Cellai, where I refilled my water. I continued the descent through Paalzzolo, Burchio, and Incisa. There are a few 100 to 200 vertical climbs in particular at the end of the descent, but it is basically downhill. From Incisa, I made my decision to go to Figline, then up toward Passo de Sugame, and turned off toward La Panca. At Dudda, just before the turn off, there is a spot for water, with some nice benches in the shade by a church. I refilled water, doused my head, helmet, etc., and stopped for a snack. A nun came out of the church, and sat and chatted with me. She was happy to deal with my fractured Italian, and seemed to enjoy talking with someone who was out cycling in the heat. By this time, I think it was getting toward 100, and the heat was setting in.
At La Panca, the climb is over, and a really great descent to the road to Strada in Chianti awaits. It is around 12 kilometers of almost all descent, and relatively gentle, so you do not really need to use the brakes. Super fun. A short climb into the centro of Strada, where I refilled water, doused, and had another snack. From Strada, it is a relatively straight shot to Grassina, mostly descending along a ridge line. At Grassina, I ride through to Ponte a Ema, and find the road to Cinque Vie, which hooks into very small back roads to Piazza Ferrucci, where you reconnect with the viales to ride home. Right at 75 kilometers, in 3 hours 10 minutes of riding time, with a guess of 3000 vertical of climbing.
The beautiful climb toward Dudda from Figline
The church at the water / rest / chat location in Dudda.
Another shot of the great road from Figline to Dudda.
Sting has a villa on the road, and I believe this or the next picture are his villa.
Sting's house?
8-3
A short ride day today, as we have many errands to complete, and I will ride with the Squadra tomorrow, and it appears to be a long ride. I rode up the new way to San Domenico, then to Fiesole, then climbed to the turn off for Vincigliata, then climbed to the next turn off. I descended to Vincigliata, then down to the outskirts of Florence. I picked up the back road to Maiano, then the main road back to Piazza della Cure. 20 kilometers, around 1 hour on the bike and around 1200 vertical. Beautiful roads, around 1/2 the time with no traffic, a real pleasure to have this kind of quickie ride available.
The walled road to San Domenico - Che bella strada!
The road above Fiesole before the turn off toward Vincigliata.
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