Day 3 with Jodi and Keith. Great day again!

We set out today around 9:45, with thoughts for a slightly shorter day than yesterday.   We rode up Via Faentina through L'Olmo then up to the small pass at Alberaccio.  We took a little break here, then descended to the turn off for Santa Brigida.  We took that contouring road, which has quite a bit of both up and down in it, around 10 kilometers over through Santa Brigida, Fornello, Doccia, to Molin de Vento.  We stopped in Santa Brigida and got some water at one of my favorite water spots, then stopped again at a spot where I could point out where Emily and I lived the winter before last.  They really liked the road and the beauty of the ride across to the windmill.  It is great to be out there with people seeing it for the first time, as it is really beautiful, but with repeated riding, you sometimes start to take it for granted.

From Molin de Vento (the windmill) we descended down through vineyards and olive groves to the "Popes road" then took it North to Montebonello, then into Rufina.  We stopped in the beautiful town square in Rufina, then started the relatively long climb to Diacetto.  We crossed the main road there, and descended into Pelago, taking a break and having a cafe machiato before descending to Pontasieve.  Just before Pontasieve, you get on the main road, which we took all the way back to Florence.  We talked and then maintained a good group with a nice pace on the busy road from Pontasieve to Florence.

 Another great day, with both Keith and Jodi getting more enthusiastic with more rides.  It is fun and exciting.  The summary is:  44 miles in around 4 hours for an average speed of 11 mph with 4060 vertical feet of elevation gain at an average (sun effect included) of 85.  I think the actual temperature never got above 80.  Another really fun day.  Ciao.

Day 3 with Keith and Jody - Santa Brigida, Rufino, Diacetto. by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

A couple of pictures of Jodi and Keith with the valley below Doccia

below in the background.  

Keith and Jodi climbing toward Doccia from Fornello.

A view of a farm / villa and the valley below on the climb

to Diacetto from Rufina.