A couple rides in Tuscany to the east and south of Florence.

A couple of rides accounted for here today.  Yesterday was a very busy day with errands, the Viola pick up, and I fit in a couple hours for a scouting ride.  A friend here, Leif, who has been doing cycling guiding for around 8 or 9 years here asked me to help on a tour for this Sunday.  Leif is busy elsewhere, so I will lead the ride and his wife Michelle will help at the back of the group.  Leif had a couple of different ways to get to Osteria Nuova that I had never rode, and it took some effort to find them both.  Only one really wrong turn, but a lot of back and forth taking both routes both directions.  I also found the suggested cafe / break spot around Badia a Ripoli.  The new route is really nice, and as you can see below, I will use it myself for the climb to Osteria Nuova occasionally.  Stay tuned to Sunday's post to see how the ride with 22 Swedes goes.  I am of course hoping for the best.  The ride summary is:  23.6 miles in 1:50 rolling time for an average speed of 12.9 mph with 1135 vertical feet climbed at an average temperature of 80.

Scouting ride for Leif's Swedes by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

A villa on the little road from Ponte a Ema to Osteria Nuova.

Some of the vineyards on the back road to Osteria Nuova.

I had a very nice ride alone today.  I had a few things to accomplish this morning, and was off for a ride by 12:30 or so.  I had the climb toward Passo de Sugame cutting off after Dudda for La Panca in mind. I rode out of town toward Bagno a Ripoli, and took Leif's route to Osteria Nuova.  It is a very quiet road, really pretty, and not any steeper than the normal route.  I may use it often.  It was fun today.  Back on my normal route in Osteria Nuova, I climbed to San Donato in Collina and enjoyed the descent to Incisa.  (Let's just ignore the two hills that interrupt the descent)  I was in Figline before I knew it and starting one of may favorite climbs toward Passo de Sugame.  It is just a very nice climb - good road, not really steep anywhere, curvy, and after you get a little ways away from Figline, pretty darn quiet.

I turned off a little after Dudda for the short descent, then climb to La Panca, where the big descent begins.  I love this descent.  It is just super fun, totally curvy, very little traffic, and not too steep, so you can kind of let it go.  I enjoyed it today, as always.  I rode back through Strada, then descending gradually along the ridge to the real descent to Grassina.  After Grassina, you find the cut to Cinque Vie, do a little climb and hook into the Viales back home.  Great ride.  46.5 miles in 3:06 for an average speed of 15.0 with 3205 vertical feet climbed at an average temperature of 77.

Fun solo ride before the super busy guiding time by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

The vineyards just before Dudda.

The final push to Dudda.

My favorite bar in Dudda - Flags from many countries out front.