Spring is here - at least for today. Loved the ride!

I decided on an easy, casual ride today, starting relatively late and doing my best to take it easy on the ride.  I am riding a raduno with the team tomorrow, so I wanted to save up some energy.  I went out through the Cascine, the biggest park in Florence, and accessed the back roads to Signa, then over to Lastra a Signa.  I have my first clients in a couple of months on Tuesday, and I am thinking this would be a good route for them.  At Lastra a Signa, you turn to climb a little pass around Malmantine, then continue climbing very gradually to La Luna, then enjoy a beautiful descent into Ginestra Fiorentina.  I hooked up with the road to Cerbia here, and had a cafe machiato at a new favorite roadside cafe.  Just after the cafe, I turned off to climb to the ridge which accesses Montagnana.  This is a tiny, but really nice road, a little steep in places, and for clients, it will be an option if all are feeling energetic.

Flowers were starting to show in increasing amounts as I rode up to the ridge and climbed along the ridge to the junction with the road to Cerbia.  I took the road down to Cerbia, a screaming descent, where I saw the speedometer hitting around 65kph.  I was watching a video of yesterdays stage of the race in Spain, and they had a graphic showing the speed of the group approaching the finish area.  It was a sprint finish, but they were coming in at around 50 kph, and increased it to over 60 kph as the got in sight of the finish line.  For me, the 65 plus kph was very fast, but it makes me realize just how strong and skilled the pros are.  Going this fast with people all around and breaking into a sprint.  Their gearing must be something like 58 / 10 to be able to pedal effectively at this speed.  Wow.

From Cerbia, I climbed to Chiesa Nuova, which was super today.  Riders were out all day, and a young and very strong looking rider passed me on this climb.  I took it up a notch, and stayed with him for a couple of kilometers, climbing in the big ring.  Eventually, I started to tire and thought about my intent of having a casual ride with not that much effort.  Well, one interval won't hurt.  I rode from Chiesa Nuova over and down to Galluzzo, then through the little park there and over to the Cinque Vie road, then home.  What fun!  Summary is:  37.2 miles in 2:37 rolling time for an average speed of 14.2 mph with 1850 vertical feet climbed at a wonderful average temperature of 63.

Great casual solo spring ride. by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

The view to the east from around La Luna, between Lastra a Signa and Ginestra Fiorentina.

A hedge of flowers just blooming on the Montagnana ridge.

A view to the north from the Montagnana ridge ride / climb.

Wow, this tree is full of flowers, on the Cinque Vie road.