Vincigliata with Brenda

Brenda and Mike, clients from Gunnison and Salt Lake City respectively, arrived yesterday.  We met for a glass of wine at their room in a very nice hotel, then went out for dinner at one of our favorite spots, La Bussola.  It was a crazy night in Florence, and it was one of the world wide Vogue Fashion Nights.  The streets were jammed with people, music was playing, flags (Florentine) were being thrown, and most of the high end fashion stores had events going on.  Wow or yikes, depending on how you look at it.  The food was a little slow, which I will attribute to the event and the place getting totally slammed about 10 minutes after we sat down.  We had a nice dinner, got to know each other, and planned for a 9:30 meeting this morning.

Brenda and Mike were a little late, which I found out had to do with Mike not feeling well.  It appears that something he ate last night did not agree with him.  Sorry.  We picked up the bikes, and we decided to drop a small pack Brenda had at our apartment.  We ended up dropping Mike as well, as whatever was making him feel ill just got worse.  We left Mike at the apartment (with a phone and the number - I am not that callous) and Brenda and I did one of my favorite short rides.  We rode out my back route to San Domenico, then up toward Fiesole, taking the turn off toward Maiano.  We descended through Maiano, then around Settignano, we started the beautiful climb up past Vincigliata to the larger road over to Fiesole.  Brenda is a strong rider and had no problem with the hill.  It is one of my favorite climbs, as there is very little traffic and it is a tiny road with many, many switchbacks.  From the junction with the main road, we rode across / up / down the ridge to connect with another road to Fiesole.  We turned off at Fiesole toward Pian de Mugnone, descending down what will be one of the uphill pieces of the world championship course next year.  We then returned to the apartment.

Mike was no better, and we called a cab to take him back to their hotel.  Brenda and I rode the bikes back and met Mike there.  He seemed a little better then, but the hotel wanted the bikes at a garage, which Brenda and I then had to take them to.  We had been in and out of relatively light rain showers all day, and stayed mostly dry on the ride.  On the way to the garage, it really let loose, then kept it up on the walk back to the hotel.  Well, sometimes things do not go according to plan, but we are set to meet tomorrow at 10:00 at their hotel.  Feel better Mike!

The ride details can be accessed on the link below.  Around 1/2 hour of the ride was recorded as I went to meet them at the bike shop, then the hotel, then back to the bike shop, etc.

Vincigliata with Brenda by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

Brenda check out the view of Firenze on the way to Maiano.

Brenda descending toward Settignano after passing through Maiano.

Nice climb up the road to Vincigliata, Brenda.