Santa Brigida, Rufina, Diacetto, Tosi, Firenze 9-23-12

After a wonderful, but exhausting day yesterday at a beautiful wedding and very fun party for Shannon and Ado, I thought I would do a relatively big ride to blow out the cobwebs from the indulgence of the party.  I certainly stopped my drinking, etc., a couple of hours before the end of the party, as I was driving us home - a curvy 1 hour drive - but with age, the cobwebs were still there in the morning.  After a half hour or so of riding I was feeling energetic and great.  It is wonderful what exercise can do for you.  I climbed up my back way to San Domenico, then continued the climb through Fiesole to the very melo climb to Alberaccio.  At the Alberaccio junction, I took off East down the super fast descent to the turn off to Santa Brigida.  The route from Santa Brigida to the Molino de Vento is basically a contour, but you both gain and loose around 750 vertical on the route, sometimes in a quite steep way.  It is a great road, although a little rough in places, but is one of my favorites, as I lived up there for 3-1/2 months last winter.

From the Molino de Vento, I descended on the very fun road to Rufina, then climbed to Diacetto.  I am still enjoying the use of my new Garmin cycling computer, and I guessed the climb to Diacetto at around 400 meters or around 1300 vertical, and I was within a few meters at the top.  I dropped down to Pelago then, and made the decision to keep going to Tosi, which is a very fun climb through Paterno, then it mellows out to Tosi.  From Tosi down to Donnini, it is a great descent that you truly do not need to either pedal or touch the brakes.  Yabba Dabba Doo!  (I often still channel Fred Flinstone)  From Donnini, it is a great continuation of the descent all the way to Sant'Ellero.  There, you join the main road and contour / descend to Pontesieve, then return to Firenze.  Although predictions were for showers, it stayed dry and beautiful, although a little humid.  Another great ride in Tuscany.  As always, click the following link for a map, profile, and other various details of the ride.  Ciao.

Santa Brigida, Rufina, Diacetto, Tosi, Firenze by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

The beautiful road from Santa Brigida to Fornello.

Between Fornello and Diacetto 

Some of the vineyards on the way to Diacetto from Rufina.

Pelago on the hill.