Fun, fast ride with a fair amount of climbing. The usual here.

I awoke this morning to some surprise rain, then checked the forecast, and of course, it had changed.  The rain stopped, and I did some errands, then decided to get out for a relatively quick ride.  The weather was still threatening, and if the forecast was to be believed, this afternoon was the best chance in a couple of days.  I started out the same as yesterday, up Via Bolognese to Pratolino, then continuing up, but turning off to ride over / down / up through Casellina and Viliano to the west side of Bivigliano.  From here, I took the right turn, and did the super fun descent to Vaglia.  At one point on the descent there are 8 switchbacks that totally link together with no straight between.  Fun.  At the base of the descent in Vaglia, I went north toward San Piero a Sieve, but turned off to go through the tunnel and take the link over to the base of Faentina close to Borgo San Lorenzo.

I started the climb up to Croce alla Vetta, and was thinking I would not be trying today to see how fast I would go up this climb.  I was pushing pretty good when a guy passed me, and with a little extra effort I held on to him for a few kilometers before he truly dropped me.  Well, the semi mellow pace was over in my mind at this point.  I continued up the climb and did not try to stay in the big ring after it got a little steeper.  I think this actually made me ride faster, as I was only 4 seconds away from a personal best on Strava.  Anyway, it was fun again to push, and I am feeling great.  I continued straight on Faentina after the Croce alla Vetta, and descended through L'Olmo, Caldine, and Pian de Mugnone, before getting back to Florence.

Fun ride with pretty good weather.  The summary is:  34.7 miles in 2:20 for an average speed of 14.9 mph with 3230 vertical feet climbed at a sun effected temperature of 71.  Ciao.

Pratolino, Bivigliano, Vaglia, Croce alla Vetta by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

The view to the North from the base of the descent in Vaglia.

The view back up the start of the climb just descended in Vaglia.