Riding with Cosimo, custom cycling tours in Tuscany: Another great ride on another perfect spring day. Loving this weather!

Wow! The weather just keeps getting better. Even with a couple of fairly long rides the last two days, I planned a long ride today, as the weather is just pulling me out there. I had never connected all the parts of today's ride, and I expected it to be 20 kilometers longer than it was, but perhaps the shorter distance was good for me. Definitely tomorrow, something shorter. Out through the Cascine, then out to Signa, where I turned off on the road to go up and over to the Umbrone river valley, then climb up through Comeana, Artimino, and Carmignano to Pinone. I really like this climb and today it was very nice. I stopped for a cafe at the bar / restaurant at the top, then headed down the most direct route to Limite. What a fun descent. Lots and lots of switchbacks, and the more I ride this road, the more confident I get with it, which translates into more speed. Fun today!

From Limite, a quick 10 minutes of flat riding to Montespertoli, where I got water and took off my base layer. Only a lightweight long sleeved jersey on top - hooray! I rode out through Samontanna to the road to Ortimino which is a nice gradual climbing ride up a gentle valley. A rider was in front of me almost all the way, when I got on the road, I could barely see him, and I eventually passed him around 1/2 kilometer before the climb started to Ortimino. He stood on the pedals and quickly passed me, but I just hung in there with the gear I know works for me, and I passed him and ended up putting around 2 minutes into him by the road junction. I was surprised, as I expected him to be basically right behind me. I enjoyed the ridge climb to Montespertoli. It is a beautiful ride, a nice road, and on a day like today, if you don't like this, what are you doing out there riding?

From Montespertoli, down to Bacciano, with a 5 minute snack break on the way. I quickly caught a line of traffic following 3 large, very slow moving trucks, and I just thought, why get in this line. I finished the day up and over Montagnana, then up to Chiesa Nuova, and home via Cinque Vie and Ponte a Ema. What a sweet ride on an incredible day. 63.3 miles in 4:10 rolling time for an average speed of 15.2 mph with 3665 vertical feet climbed at a sun effected average temperature of 73. Nice!

Signa, Pinone, Limite, Montelupo, Samontanna, Montespertoli, Firenze by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

Looking back toward Firenze from just above Carmignano.