Santa Brigida, Pope's road with Todd and Melisa

I met Todd and Melisa at their hotel at 9:30 for day 2.  They wanted to keep the ride to 4 hours or so, basically elapsed time, so I changed my plan for today.  Diacetto was out.  I stayed with most of the remainder of my plan and added in the Pope's road.  We left and went back to San Domenico, taking a different back route which was nice.  On the main road to Fiesole for a while, then turning off toward Maiano.  On the way down, there were 2 RV's holding up all traffic, which luckily broke up almost right after we got there.  I have no idea what anyone is thinking driving an RV through there.  We rode past Maiano, the down to the start of the Vincigliata climb.  As always, a great climb and they both enjoyed it.

We took the road over to the road above Fiesole, and repeated a small portion from yesterday to the turn off for the Alberaccio just below the pass.  A short break up there and a warning for the downhill, and the turn for Santa Brigida, where I would wait to mark the turn.  Fun descent, and then everyone was in the small ring for the ride to Santa Brigida.  A little rough road surface, but a beautiful route and super views.  We got some water in Santa Brigida, and continued over through Fornello and Doccia to the windmill.  They loved the road.  It is super pretty, and after Santa Brigida, the road surface improves for almost the whole ride.

We turned down toward Rufina after the windmill and really enjoyed that descent.  A short discussion yielded the decision to take the Pope's road to Pontesieve where we would find some gelato.  The pope's road was great and we found the gelato spot I had gone with Don and Kay many years ago.  They no longer made their own gelato, but Melisa was fine with an ice cream bar.  We all had cafe and Todd and I had piazettas.  Nice break, then we took a nice, easy pace back down the main road to Firenze.  Great ride.

After returning, I had time to change and go to watch the pro men's time trial for the world championship.  I got to the course in time to watch 45 of the 75 riders come through.  The last 10 or so were the world's best, and I was just super happy to be there to watch them ride.  You see them on TV or the computer often, but it was nice to see them riding a time trial, passing within a couple of feet of where I was watching.  I loved it.  Ciao.

Day 2 Todd and Melisa - Vincigliata, Santa Brigida by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

Melisa and Todd riding to San Domenico.

A cool monument on the way to the Maiano 

turn off on the world championship course.

Todd riding from Doccia.

At the Molino de Vento.