San Donato in Collina, Sette ponte, Vallombrosa, and Tosi on a perfect September day.

I have been wanting to ride Strada sette ponte for a while, and today it worked out.  No real commitments, and a week between work tours.  I also have a 145 kilometer granfondo this Sunday, so I added Saltino and Vallombrosa for more distance and climbing to make sure I was ready.  Just a great day and a great ride.  What a pleasure it is to be here and riding in this perfect mid-September weather.  I love this ride and today I had a few of those moments that occur occasionally while I ride, where I just am sort of overcome with emotion, excitement, etc., and start to giggle while I ride.  It happened both climbing and descending today.  Just an excellent ride.  Here is the garmin link:

San Donato, Mattissino, Castelfranco, Saltino, Tosi, Pelago, Firenze by ridingwithcosimo at Garmin Connect - Details

The strada sette ponte is so beautiful, I had to take yet another

picture of this road.

One of my favorite stops for a cafe and pastry, in Regello.

Always a friendly face and good espresso and pastry.

Hmmm - the climb continues.

The view through the trees as I approach Saltino and the end

of the difficult part of the climb.

Love this water source on the wall of the Monastery in Vallombrosa.

Great water too!

From my stop in Vallombrosa, the road ahead and the real start

of the descent, with a beautiful little pond below the Monastery.