WCC (world championship climb) and a good loop as well.

Again, today, I rode and tested the video camera, trying to work out the bugs.  I have been charging the battery, as today I found out how you know the battery is dying.  Later, I will download and make a video from today's ride, and will include it in this post.  Depending on today's results, I think the handlebar mount is definitely most comfortable for me and easiest to use.  I do need to put the Garmin Edge 500 in my pocket while using the camera, but maybe that is good for me.  I also only plan on doing seasonal video's to promote the business.  Unless I get much better at the editing process, which hopefully will happen, I don't think it is reasonable to offer video to clients for an additional fee.  Perhaps I can show some of my results and give them the option.  One of the good things about the handlebar mount is it is easy to put on and use.

Sometime in the past week, the organizers of the World Championships have put up signs marking the course, so I followed the course from the apartment to Fiesole, again, giving me a benchmark for my own times as well as comparing with the world's best.  What do you think - will they cut my time in 1/2? - I only record my time on one climb, usually at the start, and they will be doing 11 laps.  However, I am an aging wannabe and they are the best riders in the world.  It will be fun to see how it plays out.  I felt a little sluggish, so I was surprised to see on Strava that I posted my best time for the climb - a whole 2 seconds faster than a week or so ago.  I felt better a week ago, but the mind does play it's tricks on us all.  I really believe that the ability to climb and perform for endurance is at least 50% mental, and I work on it all the time.  Roger, a client and former pro, told me that the best thing he heard, from Levi, was to always try to feel stronger at the top of the climb.  I pretty much always keep that in mind.

Enough rambling.  After the climb to Fiesole, I continued on the road up to the turn off toward Sieci at a little pass the locals call Alberaccio.  I then descended to the Santa Brigida turn off, and enjoyed the ride up and down over to the town.  I enjoyed some of the best water in the area, and hopefully will have some footage of the source.  I then kept riding over to the Molino de Vento, which is definitely up and down through Fornello and Doccia.  At the windmill, I turned to the left and took the super beautiful road down to the "Pope's road", and did some video of the descent and the fun ride on the road.  Doing some video on the Pope's road was what I had in mind designing today's route.  I rode into Pontesieve, and then down the main road to Compiobbi, where I turned off to climb to Montebeni and to the turn off for Vincigliata.  The climb to Montebeni is every bit as hard as I recalled, and I think it averages over 10% for 250 vertical meters.  It is a good road though, and has very little traffic.

I enjoyed the descent down through Vincigliata, which is a route I climb often.  Fun descent as well.   This basically brings you into the lower parts of Settignano, and I then rode home hooking up with the WC course again.  Super fun.  I managed to concentrate and enjoy the ride today more than the last few rides, as I let the video piece become more of a focus than it needs to be.  The summary is:  38.6 miles in 2:57 rolling time for an average speed of 13.1 mph with 3580 vertical feet climbed at an average temperature of 88.

Here is the video:

WCC (world championship climb) & much more by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details