Excellent ride in the heat - still loving it!

I got started a little after 10 today, as yesterday was a fun, but long day.  We spent the day enjoying the beach with Kate, Nicco, and the kids, but left the apartment at 6:15 and did not return until 11:00 at night.  Anyway, a long enough day that I was not up early to ride in the relatively cool temperatures.  I picked today's ride based on getting some shade along with a favorite route.  I had narrowed it down to Sette Ponte and Dudda, and picked Dudda for more shade.  I enjoyed the climb up to San Donato in Collina from the city, through Bagno a Ripoli and Osteria Nuova.  I recharged water at the top, and remembered today to add some salt to the water to help with the heat and possible cramps.  I did forget the banana, though, but one out of two is ok for me.

I enjoyed the descent through Cellai, Le Valle, Pallazzolo, to Incisa, where I again did the water thing.  I rode over through Figline to start the climb to Passo de Sugame.  It felt really good, and as long as I kept moving the heat was not so bad.  I stopped in Dudda and got more water, but passed on the Cafe Machaito, as a warm drink did not appeal.  From Dudda, a little descent, then the final real climb to La Panca.  Again, it felt good, and I was ready for the descent to Strada in the shade.  Perfect descent, although I interrupted it with some pictures, still, pretty nice.  Good decision on the shade route.  The climb toward Passo de Sugame did not have as much shade as I thought, but it was no where near as exposed as Sette Ponte would have been.

From Strada, I decided on a different return route, and climbed to Impruneta, after doing the water thing in Strada.  A nice climb, not long and not much vertical.  I continued over / up / down to Monte Oriolo, then turned off for San Gersole and Vacciano where I had climbed two days ago.  It looks totally different on the way down, and was very fun.  That drops you almost right into Cinque Vie, then the back way over to the Viale, and return home.  Super fun.  46 miles in 3:13 rolling time for an average speed of 14.3 mph with 3430 vertical feet of climbing at a hot average temperature of 96.

San Donato, Dudda, La Panca, Strada, Impruneta, Vacciano, Cinque Vie, Firen by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

Some good shade on the Passo de Sugame climb.

A nice view toward La Panca in the shimmering heat.  

Looks like a "Colorado" blue sky to me.

I enjoyed the shade on the descent toward Strada in Chianti

from La Panca.

More shade, beautiful road.