Back on the bike for a great ride in the Chianti hills.

Back on the bike today after a nice rest day yesterday.  Something is not working well with the garmin link,

and the formatting on this post is also misbehaving.  It simply wants to make the margin go horizontal forever

if I do not hit the enter key.  Oh well, sometimes you have to improvise.  I will add the emailed garmin link

at the end of the post, and hope that works well.  

It was a very nice ride today.  I really enjoyed the route and the ride, and at times pushed the pace pretty hard

for me.  I was hoping for a personal record on the climb to San Casciano, but hit only my 3rd best time.  Maybe

next time.  I rode out through Vacciano, a road I have not climbed in a while and enjoyed today.  I continued

up to Impruneta, then down toward Falciani, to the climb through Luiano.  Over to Montefiridolfi, then down 

to Sambuca.  I took the road I wanted to take, but had mistaken which road was which in my mind.  There are

around 5 roads from the valley to the ridge from Tavernelle to San Pancrazio.  I ended up in Tavernelle, then 

found my way to Romita, which is where I was planning on going all along.  I really enjoyed the ride from

Romita to San Pancrazio, which is what I planned my ride around today.  From San Pancrazio I descended to 

Ponterotto and had a great cafe and pastry.

After my little break, and charged up with caffeine and sugar, I pushed the climb to San Casciano.  I rode back

to Florence through Chiesa Nuova, then took the little road down to the middle of Scandicci, another road

I haven't ridden in quite a while.  Fun.  From Scandicci, just a keep your head down and power it on in

to the barn.  Really fun ride today.  49.9 miles in 3:32 rolling time for an average speed of 14.1 mph with 

4239 vertical feet climbed at a sun effected temperature of 61.  Great day.  Here is the garmin link, I hope.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/459113215

What a beautiful road between Mercatale and Montefiridolfi.

I love this view in the little valley before the climb to Montfiridolfi.

The beautiful Tuscan countryside on the ridge above Montefiridolfi.

A small church on the road to San Pancrazio.  I liked the stone 

work and texture, and in particular the view about 1 minute 

before I took this picture.  I did not want to turn around though.

Not the best picture, sorry, but this road is absolutely beautiful

between Romita and San Pancrazio.  This road determined my route today.