Great team ride with an excellent route with some new roads.

Simply a perfect morning to be up, out, and doing a ride with the team.  One of those days for me that make me extra thankful to be alive and doing what I am doing.  We met at Illiopesca and had a nice ride out to Lastra a Signa, then rode the river road to Montelupo.  Somewhere along the river road the pace increased until it was a hang on if you can group sprint with around 1/2 the group dropped.  Really fun to stay with the fast group and we hit 50 kph on this flat road and averaged around 42.  Fast for me.  We regrouped, then rode through Montelupo, with a couple dropping out to return to Firenze.  The remainder rode a beautiful road up to Montespertoli through Pulita.  I had ridden this road the opposite direction many times, but it has been a few years and never in this direction.  With just a stunning morning, great views, challenging ups and downs, great company, it was a great ride today.

We stopped in Montespertoli, and went to a different bar for a cafe, as a couple of guys wanted to go there.  Nice bar and good cafe.  After that, we rode down to Bacciano, then up to Montagnana.  We regrouped in Montagnana, and discussed the remainder of the ride.  A plan was hatched to ride the Pisignano road, which they said was 26% for 800 meters or so.  That made 4 of 8 decide on a different finish, but we all rode together to the turn off after Cerbia.  Well, it really was steep and difficult, I would think definitely above 20%, and for 500 meters, but pretty close to what was advertised.  After getting to what is the top of the difficult climb, it continues climbing quite gently to the main road to San Casciano from Cerbia.  Great views and a beautiful road on a pretty perfect morning.  Sweet!  From San Casciano, we cranked back to the turn off for Scandicci, with the other three young fellas throwing sprints at each other every so often.  Boys will be boys, and everyone had a great time. From Scandicci, back into town and home.  Great team ride this morning, and I think with my upcoming schedule it will be three plus weeks until I ride with the team again.  Here is the garmin link for the ride:  (beware the Pisignano climb)

Montelupo, Pulita, Montespertoli, Cerbia, Pisignano, San Casciano, Scandicc by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

This beautiful road is between Montelupo and Montespertoli.

We rode the first of two ridge line back roads to Montespertoli

today.  I had ridden it many times the other direction, but it

is always different in an opposite direction.  

Almost the whole group still together after our cafe stop in 

Montespertoli.  Just a perfect morning to ride.

Great view on a beautiful day on the road through Pisignano.

A truly beautiful little road above the difficult climb to San Casciano

through Pisignano.  New road for me.