Recovery ride on a new route.

Even with a forecast calling for 90% chance of rain today, it looked pretty nice this morning.  It does appear that the weather is coming in, so it was nice to get out for a new "recovery" ride today.  I combined some different routes I had done before, but not often, for a new easy ride.  It is a little longer than my normal easy ride, and there is some climbing, but not too much.  I rode out through the Cascine then out toward Quarrata to Seano where I turned to climb to Carmignano.  I had only ridden this direction from Florence a couple of times, and one time we missed a turn, but I did it without problem today.  I had only ridden to Carmignano from Seano once before with the team and someone else was leading.  I took the same wrong turn we did as a group, but realized the mistake earlier, and then enjoyed the climb to Carmignano.  The bar I normally would go to was closed, so I found another with a great cream filled pastry to go with my cafe machiato.  Back home through Signa, then into Florence the way we normally leave from Illiopesca with the team.  Good route for an easy, relatively flat ride.  I just have to be happy dialing the intensity back for it to be a real recovery ride.  I had to remind myself that many times today.  55.6 kilometers (34.1 miles) in 2:17 for an average speed of 23.7 kph (14.9 mph) with 332 meters (1089 feet) of climbing.  18,728 k completed for the year, leaving 1,272 to make 20,000.

Pretty road and view (OK, I need to remember to clean the lens cover 

when I use the camera) on the way to Carmignano.

The road ahead on the climb to Carmignano.

Looking back toward Seano on the way to Carmignano.