Nice Saturday ride - three favorite climbs included.

Today was mostly a relaxing day with our only commitment a party tonight.  I slept in, had my big American breakfast, went to the wine store for Sfuzo, then returned to suit up.  It was surprisingly warm out, and I did not overdress.  As I started, I realized my planned route included starting where I will ride with the team tomorrow, so I changed the starting plan.  I went up to San Domenico, then up to the turn for Maiano, then climbed past Vincigliata.  The first of three of my favorite climbs included in today's ride.  At the top, I turned right and enjoyed the fast descent to Compiobbi.  The roads were dry today, and the bike felt stable, so I let it go a bit.  From Compiobbi, I went out on the main road around 4 kilometers to the turn off at the east end of Sieci to climb to the windmill.

This is another of my favorite climbs.  I had not planned either of these first two when I left, but enjoyed my altered route.  At the windmill, I descended to Rufina, then started the third of my favorite climbs, the one I had in mind when I started, the climb to Diacetto.  It did not disappoint, and I enjoyed the effort of this 400 meter vertical climb.  In Diacetto, I put on my light shell, which I had done for the Rufina descent as well, as it was a little chilly when going fast.  I descended to Pelago, stopped for a cafe and a slice of pizza, then continued the descent to Pontesieve.  From Pontesieve, it is simply a power ride into Florence.

Around 1/3 the way in, I got a call from Emily, and someone had stolen her wallet.  What a bummer.  So, after returning home, I skyped all the credit card people, etc. and we are now ok with that.  She will have a difficult time with the Italian bureaucracy to replace her permesso, resident card, and the bus pass, but no one can take anything with those.  It is a drag, but things happen and there is nothing she could have done, with the exception of holding her wallet all the time, which is a place of paranoia where I do not want to go.  Anyway, I enjoyed the ride, and we are off to what should be a fun party tonight.  42.2 miles in 3:12 rolling time for an average speed of 13.1 mph with 4327 vertical feet climbed at an average temperature of 48.  Lovely.

Maiano, Vincigliata, Compiobbi, MolinodeVento, Rufina, Diacetto, Pelago, Fi by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

This is the start of the climb from Sieci to Molino de Vento, 

one of my many favorite climbs.

A little farther up the climb from Sieci, this view opens up.

On the climb from Rufina to Diacetto, this pretty, tiny road

is really fun, another one of my favorite climbs.

About 2/3 the way to Diacetto from Rufina is this super cool

water source.  The date appears to be 1395, pretty old.

A nice sinuous descent awaits from the top of the climb to Diacetto.