Nice afternoon ride with new clients, Jen and David.

Today was my first day riding with two clients from North Carolina, Jen and David.  They planned their trip for a year, and booked the time with me 10 months ago.  When I awoke this morning, the weather forecast had played out correctly, and it was pouring rain in a thunderstorm.  David called, and we decided to hold off on our meeting time for a little bit.  Emily took them on a city tour yesterday, and we both met them for dinner the day they arrived.  At that dinner, we suggested switching the city tour and the first day of biking, based on the forecast, but they wanted to stay with the plan.  When David and I spoke first thing, he was saying we should have listened, etc., and I responded that we should wait and see.  I called back in an hour, as we have a really nice view from the apartment and can see the weather coming and going.  Anyway, it looked like it might cooperate, so we rescheduled.

We met at Pasticerria Liberta and had cafe and pastries, then went to the apartment and got the bikes fitted and ready.  The weather was indeed better, and the rain had stopped.  We started out on wet roads, but did not hit any additional rain on the day.  I picked a route that would keep us close, but allow for expansion if the weather was ok.  We did almost all the possible expansions, and they loved the route and the roads.  Jen runs a touring company in North Carolina, Velogirls, which I have followed on facebook.  It looks like a great operation, and they are doing well.  Anyway, we had a great ride, with lots of climbing, a stop for cafe and pastries / panini on the road - even on a Monday in the country - and the sun was even shining on the way in.

Jen is not comfortable in city traffic, as where they live and ride there is virtually no city traffic, so that was one of the only real difficulties of the day.  She just hung in there when we had to ride in the city, and it was fine.  We returned to the apartment and left the bikes here for tomorrows ride, as she definitely did not want to face riding through the Centro at the end of the day.  40.7 miles in 3:42 rolling time for an average speed of 11.1 mph with 4557 vertical feet of climbing at an average temperature of 63.

Nice day to the North with Jen and David by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

Here are Jen and David at the new monument created for the 

recent Mondiale (World Championships) here.

Here is David on the Vincigliata climb, working it.  

Jen and David at the turn below the Castello Vincigliata.

Jen is powering up the climb to the turn off for Molin de Piano, around Doccia.

Welcome to Monteloro, David.