Passo della Futa con Luca Lacalamita.

Really nice ride today, as Luca L SMS'd me late yesterday, and we decided on an alternative tour from what the team had planned.  We were simply planning on the Mugello, but when we met, Luca said he really wanted to go to Passo della Futa.  I said, sure, and we were off.  We went the most direct route on Via Bolognese all the way to Futa.  Great ride, excellent road and a good challenge.  At the top, one is around 45 kilometers into the ride with 1275 meters of climbing already complete.  Nice stop at the bar at the top, and the former pro whose family has owned and operated the bar / restaurant there was serving us cafe and pastries.  I would guess he is around 75, and there are many pictures of him on the walls with the likes of Bartali and Coppi, in the golden age of Italian cycling.  Pretty cool.

We returned on my route choice and went back down Via Bolognese to Santa Lucia, where we turned to descend with a little climbing through Panna, where the water comes from, the to the turn off to Bosco ai Frati.  Finished with the climb to Vetta le Croci, then back home through Fiesole.  New Italian word of the day is Vetta, which means top, used in describing a pass or mountain.  I had been using sopra for this, which is also top, but used when you are placing something on top of a table for instance.  Thanks for the help Luca.  98 kilometers in 4:15 for an average speed of 23.0 kph with 1767 (5797 feet) meters climbed.  After today, only 1464 kilometers to go for my goal of 20,000.  261,112 meters climbed for the year or 856,667 vertical feet.  I should easily make 900,000 vertical feet, but will not come close to 1,000,000 vertical feet.  Maybe next year?

Lago Bilancino and the hills beyond on the start of the ride up to 

Passo della Futa.

It really was pretty green on the way up to Futa.  Obviously my 

use of the smartphone camera is a work in progress.  I tried using

the brightness and touch up options today and they are not very successful.  

Fog in the valley below on the climb to Passo della Futa.

What a classic climb and tour.  Thanks for the suggestion

and getting me out, Luca.