Sensa Paolo - Antella, San Polo, Grassina, San Gersole, Firenze

I was set to ride with Paolo this morning and was early to our meeting place in Bagno a Ripoli, when I received a text saying he could not make it.  He is a dentist, and an appointment in his office went long, and he could not get away.  No worries.  I may start doing a weekly ride and post it with the team to see if anyone wants to join me that way.  Whatever.  So, I was in Bagno a Ripoli, so I started up toward San Donato, and on the way thought, why not do the ride through Antella, then up to San Polo.  A few years ago this was one of my favorites and I had not ridden it in a while, so that is what I did.  From Antella, you ride up pretty steeply, but not for long then down into Cappanuccia, then a pretty long climb to a small pass the down to San Polo.  This is all through wine country, Chianti region, but I don't think Chianti Classico.

From San Polo, a fun big ring pedaling descent to the turn off on the very back road to Grassina, which takes you back through Cappanuccia.  It was still a little early, and the weather is not supposed to be as good tomorrow, so I added a climb from Grassina up through Vacciano to San Gersole.  I had only ridden down this road once before, and it is a spectacular climb.  In places the road is smaller than what would pass for a bike path in the US.  From San Gersole, I descended to the junction to the Pozzolatico / Impruneta road, continuing down through Pozzolatico to Galluzzo.  I climbed up Poggio Imperiale, and finished on the Viales riding by  Piazza Michaelangelo.  Great ride.  34 miles, 2700 vertical, around 2 hours 40 minutes of rolling time.  Check out the link for more information.  The pictures below are from previous rides in these areas, as I did not bring the camera, as when I ride with Paolo it is all I can do to stay with him.

Sensa Paolo - Antella, San Polo, Grassina, San Gersole, Firenze by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

San Gersole, from the other direction, on a cloudy day in May.  

Pretty similar weather to today's ride.

The road around Castello Ruggero, on a hot day in July.

Glad the heat is gone, the riding is much more pleasant with mild temperatures.