Quick late afternoon ride on a chilly afternoon.

Yesterday, it was a very wet, rainy, and slightly cold day.  I was happy with motivating to get out Saturday, as the weather behaved as predicted.  We had a nice day working on spring cleaning items before our guests arrive, then had dinner at Kate and Nicco's.  Kate had done some rearranging in the kids room, and they were ready for a "big boy bed" for Torrio.  We volunteered to go to IKEA with Kate to help and get the pieces back to their apartment and assembled.  Basically, that was our day from around 10 this morning until around 4 this afternoon when I was back home.  We did have a nice pizza lunch at a favorite spot in Piazza Santa Spirito after the assembly was complete.  Tonight, Torrio will sleep in his big boy bed with rocket ship sheets for the first time.  How exciting.

After returning home, I got my act together and was out on the bike by around 4:30.  Heavy tights, real booties, and long fingered gloves were back as it was a little chilly.  I rode a standard short ride, close to home that I had not ridden in a while, and it was super.  Up Via Bolognese to the turn to Cercina in Pian de San Bartolo, then down, up, down and over to Cercina.  Over and up to the church above the tiny town, then descent option number 4, my favorite into town.  I had to stop and take a little break to allow a timid driver to get a bit ahead of me, as there was not real room to pass, and where there was he speeded up.  Anyway, it feels kind of good to catch cars on a ride.  From the bottom of the hill, I climbed back up the over to the upper way into Careggi, then around up and over a little hill to avoid any real traffic.  Really nice ride.  15.7 miles in 1:13 rolling time for an average speed of 12.8 mph with around 1627 vertical feet climbed at an average temperature of 50.

Pian de San Bartolo, Cercina, Careggi, Firenze by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

On the way to Cercina from Pian de San Bartolo, these 4 

forycthia bushes were in full bloom.  Spring is here, even on a chilly day.

I love this church at basically the top of the hill above Cercina.

The view toward Monte Morello from close to the church.