Pretty standard close in ride with a fair amount of climbing.

Kate, Emily, and the grandchildren are off to the US for a couple of weeks, so my priority yesterday was to spend some time with Kate and Torrio - we had a wonderful time in the Boboli for a few hours - then with Emily - we met at Rivoire and enjoyed what may be the last hot chocolate of the season.  Em and I returned home, and I had plenty of time for a ride, as the weather for the next couple of days was forecast to be pretty dismal.  As I write this on Thursday morning, it is pouring rain, so dismal it is.  At least the forecast for Sunday, the Firenze / Modena day, is good at this point.

I took off around 3, and decided on a pretty standard ride for me when I want to climb, but stay close.  The clouds were quite threatening at times.  I rode through Le Cure, the up to San Domenico, then up to the turn off for Maiano.  I descended through Maiano, then to the base of the Vincigliata climb.  I did the climb, which I really like, and it gets the most difficult climb of the ride out of the way soon.  At the top, I turn right, and ride through Montebeni, then enjoy the descent to Compiobbi.  Here, you are on the main road for a kilometer or two, then start the Monteloro climb.  Again, one of my favorites - not too steep, relatively long, pretty deserted, and very beautiful.  At the top, I decided to continue climbing to the L'Olmo turn off, as the wind was blowing pretty good, and the side of the ridge ride down to Fiesole seemed like it would be fighting a pretty brutal head wind.  I enjoyed the descent from L'Olmo though Caldine, Pian de Mugnone, then home through Le Cure.

Ride summary:  26.3 miles in 2:06 for an average speed of 12.5 mph with 3130 vertical feet climbed at an average temperature of 69.  A great, fun, close in ride!

Quick maintenance ride with climbing close in. by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

A couple of pictures of the road climbing to Monteloro.  

Che bello!