Return from Poggibonsi via Casellina

I previewed a tour I will be guiding next week for a friend here, Dominick, who has an established high end company that arranges who package tours.  Dom started with bike tours, and is still a passionate rider and it still can provide clients with a great highlight of their trip.  I like to think so.  There will be two other guides, both of whom are great guides and both are on my team, so it should be a fun day.  I had not done the full tour before, so I wanted to get out and check things out, as a guide, I believe I should not hesitate at an intersection, but know exactly where I am going.  I sent out an email that I was going to ride down there, check things out, and return, perhaps on the train if my energy wasn't really high.  My email started a flurry of responses, and bottom line is Dom, Robbie (who coordinates all the vehicles), and I went to preview the tour in Robbie's van and I took my bike along for the return trip.

The tour looks spectacular.  I rode most of it last year with some friends of Dom's on a great ride.  I am certainly glad I did the preview today, as now I know the stops, the people at the bar for cafe, and all the inside information needed to be a competent guide.  Both Leif and Rebecca have done the tour before, and neither of them could make it, but all is fine.  I am looking forward to the tours, which will be next Thursday and Friday.  After checking everything out, including an alternate route for the fast group, which I will guide, Robbie asked me where I would like to be dropped for my return ride.  Very accommodating.  He dropped me at the beginning of the climb from Poggibonsi to Casellina.

This is a great climb, averaging around 3% for 18 kilometers, great views, and today truly no traffic.  I did not see one car going my way during the entire climb.  Sweet.  After getting to Casellina, there is a little nasty climb, then a gradual climb to a ridge which descends to San Donato in Poggio.  After San Donato, you turn off and descend to Sambuca, then down the valley, a beautiful ride to the climb to San Casciano.  I am still trying to take my pace a little easy, and today was no exception.  A little slow, but quite enjoyable.  After San Casciano, over to Spedellato to the turn off to descend through the Machievelli estate to Tavernuzze.  Down to Galuzzo, the up Poggio Imperiale, then down the Viales past Piazzale Michaelangelo then on home.  Fun ride, and a nice day.  I even got paid for the preview effort.  41.7 miles in 2:41 rolling time for an average speed of 15.5 mph with 3058 vertical feet climbed at an average temperature of 64.

Return from Poggibonsi via Casellina by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details