Riding with Cosimo, custom cycling tours in Tuscany: A headwind on the way home really kicked this old man's whatever around.

Really long day yesterday, leaving the house at 8 and returning home around 8. For this retired (mostly) old man, that counts as a long day. I spent the day renting a car and driving around 1/3 of the self guided routes for Dominick, whom I do guiding for. I was checking the instructions we give to the people who do the self guided tours, whom I usually meet and get started riding with them to Impruneta. After that they are on their own, and have maps and written instructions for all turns, etc. to get from place to place. There are usually 3 options for each ride, so for me to check them, it means stopping after or just before a point where instructions are given, checking them, and editing them if needed. It is actually tiring and makes for a long day. I do get to see some beautiful bike routes, and am already signed up to do some van supported tours on many of these roads for this coming cycling season. I have a couple of more days of doing this to complete the assignment, but it will probably wait until next week.

Today, I caught up with editing the notes from yesterday, went to the rental car place to pay for the rental yesterday, as I returned the car after closing, did some grocery shopping, and we had a plan to attend a lecture at 5:30, leaving me only 2 to 3 hours to ride. I checked some Strava routes, and one of my new favorites was right there at 2-1/2 hours, so I did that ride. Out Pistoiese to Seano, with a strong wind from the North or the side as I rode out there. It even seemed at times that it was slightly a head wind, so I expected not to fight a head wind on the way home. I went through Seano then climb through Bacheretto to the road above Carmignano. Feeling good at this time, as I knew I had a tail wind for much of the climb. Well, only when it turns head wind to you really realize how strong it perhaps was. I fought a strong head wind most of the way down through Carmignano and Comeana to Signa, but then the head wind really set in for the ride back to Florence. Much of the route is pretty open, and the wind just kicked my little whatever around on the way home. I surprised myself by keeping an average of a little over 25 kph for the whole ride, as it really was a struggle on the way back. The good part of the wind is the views were pretty amazing and the wind clears out any hazy skies. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a long ride. Ciao.

On my day, long day, of route checking and recon yesterday for

Dominick, I walked the old town of Radda and had this view of

the church. Really beautiful and great tower behind. What

a beautiful place for cycling.