Monday, June 2, 2014

Holiday morning ride with the team.

After being so busy for a couple of months that I could rarely join in team rides, I find myself with only three days booked in June and July.  Emily and I have booked a week in Ortesei again in late July, which is exciting.  Anyway, I will be doing a fair amount of solo riding for the next couple of months, so I decided to rally and get up early again this morning to ride with the team.  Good decision.  We were 7 to start, and kept 6 for the whole ride.  Moreno, the second oldest person on the team, after me, only did the ride to Montelupo, but last early winter he had a crash breaking ribs, cracking the femur close to the hip and a concussion.  So, it was great to see him out riding with the team today.  He has been out to meet us a few times on a town bike, then a couple of times to ride, but said he was going alone, slowly, so congratulations on today, Moreno.  He is about as nice a guy as you could know, and as he does not speak any English, we have done lots of riding together, but not a lot of talking.  On the way to Montelupo, there were a few teams riding, and a few of us put the metal down to stay with the fastest group.  Moreno stayed with two of us that hung with the very fast group all the way to Montelupo.

The rest of us decided on a nice, mellow tour and went from Montelupo through Samontanna, Villanuova, and Ortimino to Montespertoli.  We had a cafe in Montespertoli, then descended to Bacciano, then climbed to Montagnana, descended to Cerbia, then climbed to Chiesanuova.  From Chiesanuova, it was pretty much down to Scandicci, then we split up with 3 going toward Casellina and 3 of us back to the Centro.  Fun ride, team.  It is really fun to be a part of such a nice, welcoming, fun group.  All share the passion for cycling, which is what bonds us all together.  Ciao, ragazzi!

Montelupo, Ortimino, Montespertoli, Chiesanuova, Firenze con squadra by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

A couple of pictures of the team and a few others we were
passing on the way to Villanuova.  A beautiful little road
here in Tuscany, on one of the few areas that is relatively flat.





Some of the agricultural flatlands looking toward Empoli from
the road to Villanuova.




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