Ride to the north on a cloudy / rainy day.

I planned on the team ride this morning, but at 6:30 when I checked the weather it was raining, so I went back to bed and ended up getting up around 7:30, by which time the rain had stopped, but the skies were still pretty threatening.  I ended up getting out around 11:00 after a nice slow breakfast, my normal yoga / meditation routine, all of which takes around 2 hours.  It was still dark, but not raining, and I thought, go for it.  I tried a different clothing option today, and I don't think it will happen again, although it worked ok.  I wore my rain pants (gore-tex) over my riding shorts, as with what appeared to be imminent rain, it would be nice to have the rain pants, but this way I would take less stuff than wearing tights and taking the pants.  Well, the pants were fine, a little warm, as even the gore-tex does not breath as well as the warm weather tights I wear.

I decided on a ride close to home with the possibilities of expansion if the rain did not come.  I rode out through Le Cure, then up to San Domenico on my alternate route number 1, which I have not ridden in a while.  I knew that the work at the top of the road was complete, but I found out today that they are working the bottom section of this road now.  The workers let me through, and it was fine, but option number 2 is probably better.  I continued up toward San Domenico then turned off to descend down through Maiano to the start of the Vincigliata climb.  The roads were totally wet, and I take it quite easy (read slow) when the roads are in this condition.  I enjoyed the climb and experienced the first glimpse of the pants overheating.  At the top of the road, I took the left over to the Fiesole / Alberaccio road and climbed toward the Croce alle Vetta and took the road to Bivigliano just before the pass.

Between the crossroads by the pass and Bivigliano, it got quite a bit cooler and started to rain.  I could have taken a cut off to Pratolino, but with the clothes I had on (I put on my shell on the way) I was pretty comfortable.  I enjoyed the beautiful ride over to Bivigliano, then cut off below the town to loop through Viliani and Caselline, hooking up with the road to Pratolino after Caselline.  In Pratolino, I took the road over to the Monte Morello road, but took a cut off below the top that takes you down to the church above Cercina as it was raining pretty good at this time and I did not want to extend the ride.  By the time I was descending from the Church above Cercina, the rain was over and as I descended to Firenze the temperature really warmed up as well.  I did my now normal cut off around Meyer and Careggi then rode on home.  It turned out to be a really great ride even if I had a half hour or so of steady rain.  Treated myself to a cheeseburger and a beer at the place down the street I like, which was great.  30.2 miles in 2:37 rolling time for an average speed of 11.5 mph (read wet roads) with 3471 vertical feet of climbing at an average temperature of 54.

Just riding around in the close in hills to the north. by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

The dark forest on the way to Vincigliata.

The dark forest above Vincigliata.