Riding with Cosimo, custom cycling tours in Tuscany: Three days of rides with Don and Kay, including our FBB raduno.

Sorry, blog readers. I have been super busy, so I have three rides here. We have friends visiting, who are great riders, so we have been riding every day. Add to that other friends who are leaving today who we needed to have a couple of meals with, a very sad funeral of the father in law of Kate's brother in law, and a benefit that Kate put together for a great organization that funds art restoration, and you have my excuse. Anyway, if you want the ride details, please check out the garmin links. I will do some thoughts and highlights here rather than summarizing the rides.

We had spectacular weather all three days, which is nice. It is great to be riding with Don and Kay here, as we have ridden here together many times in the past and they truly love the riding. Don is kind of my cycling mentor, and it is great to be out with him. I love their enthusiasm.

Our team, Florence by Bike, ASD Veloclub, hosted our raduno on Sunday. I met Davide at the Pontasieve rotundo and pointed directions for the short versus the long course. Don and Kay met me at the rotundo, and we all waited until we thought the last of the participants came by. I told Davide to go ahead, as we would be a fair amount slower and he could easily catch some of the slower people on the long course. It was a super fun course, and we had a record number of participants at 248. Excellent job, squadra and our sponsors. The food and set up at the end was truly great, although by the time I got there it was being packed up. They did get some food out for me. Don and I left Kay to do the last part of the raduno course, the climb to Fiesole, doing the World Championship Course. On the way down to Pian de Mugnone, there is a steep downhill with a 90 degree turn at the bottom. Don was really going fast and it was all I could do to keep him in sight. He is a former pro. He was only a couple of seconds ahead of me, but by the time I got to the corner, I saw his bike on the guardrail, and Don on his back on the other side of the guardrail with one leg in the air. I thought, oh no, real trouble. Don is a great athlete, and he was pretty scratched up and sore, but was basically ok. An older man had backed out from a hidden driveway at the corner and even with Don yelling, he kept on backing, forcing Don to lock the brakes up which caused the crash. Yikes! At least he is alright. I dropped Don at the apartment, got him upstairs, then went to the end of event gathering.

Yesterday, I designed a ride for us that I thought would be pretty easy and we could go a pace to let Don's aching body recover. It worked! He felt better and better as we rode. We also needed to be back to help with Kate's benefit Easter Egg hunt for Florentine children. The only stress on yesterday's ride was getting back in time to get everything done. Kay and Emily split time as the Easter Bunny, I picked up Viola at school early and got her to the gathering, and Don and I helped with the clean up. Pizza after everything, and the end of a number of good, but exhausting days in a row. I will try to keep up now. Ciao. (The pictures are only from the last day's ride, but they are pretty representative) My facebook page and company facebook page has pictures from each day. Ciao.

Signa, Ginestra, Montagnana, Chiesa Nuova, Firenze D&K #3 by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

FBB Raduno - Tosi, Fiesole, Firenze - Don and Kay #2 by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

Don and Kay - Carota, Bombone, Monteloro, Fiesole, Pian de Mugnone, Fi. by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

Ginestra in a field looking toward Montelupo from the little pass

above Ginestra.