Perfect spring ride on the Strada Sette Pont

The days are just getting better, with near perfect weather and lots of time for riding.  I am also getting more and more interest in tours this season, which makes me feel better about just riding around now.  All the timing is quite good for me, as I need to get some relatively long rides in to train for the granfondo, and the weather is getting me to do a number of long-ish rides on consecutive days.  I am thinking it will serve me well during the difficulties of the race.

I had the sette ponte road in mind today, and built the tour around that.  Just a wonderful tour and I enjoyed the whole thing.  Out Via Carota, up to San Donato in Collina, then down through Le Valle to the cut off toward the outlet mall, across the Arno, and over to the road to Castelfranco.  Truly spectacular weather and views were the conditions today.  After Castelfranco, you start what I call the sette ponte road, which is just a gas.  A little up, a little down, super curvy, going in and out of multiple drainage's, charging my batteries and making me smile.  What a fun ride.  A stop in Regello at a place I have become very fond of, and some time to just relax, enjoy the weather, get a little food, and some caffeine for the remainder of the ride.

A fair amount of climbing and descending to get to Donnini, then a pretty good climb to Tosi.  That is pretty much the last climb of any consequence for the day, and the descents, first to Paterno, then down to Pontasieve are super fun.  As always, just a head down and crank it from Pontasieve back to Firenze.  I surprised myself with my second fastest time from Sieci to Firenze.  Good, considering I was alone with no one to help pull or draft with.  63.9 miles in 4:15 rolling time for an average speed of 15.0 mph with 4344 vertical feet of climbing at a sun effected temperature of 69.   What more could one ask for?

San Donato, Castelfranco, Tosi, Pelago, Pontasieve, Firenze by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

Right at the start of the climb on Via Carota, I removed my vest and

noticed this beautiful scene.  I thought it deserved a picture.

Nice road going toward Faella.

The ridge above Vallombrosa is showing some snow!

On the road to Castelfranco di Sopra, the mountains are showing snow.

This is the view from my break for a slice of pizza and cafe machiato

in Regello.  Love the little bar and the vibe there.