Sweet Chianti tour on another perfect day for riding.

Finally, more perfect riding weather.  I was thinking about a long ride, but reconsidered when I checked the time and my commitments for the day.  Tomorrow is the granfondo our team is hosting, and I am at an aid station all day.  Yesteday, the folks at the shop, our sponsor, asked if and when I could bring a cake by that Emily would make.  I was a little taken aback, as I don't remember discussing this previously, but I asked Emily this morning and she was game to make a cake.  So, I need to take it to the shop this afternoon and did not want to call things close.  First day without tights since November, so spring is really here.  Hopefully, the tights do not return to action, but we shall see.

I did part of the ride I had in mind, climbing from Grassina through Strada and La Panca to Passo de Sugame.  I don't think I had ridden this in exactly this way before, and it is a great way to get to the Pass.  I descended to Greve, then after a bit on the main valley road, took the detour to climb through Luiano to San Casciano, then across the ridge through Chiesanuova before the descent to Scandicci, then home on the main roads.  It was only 4 cloudy, slightly rainy days in a row, but it seemed like a while to me.  I really enjoyed the return of perfect riding weather with sun and a high around 65.  Sweet.  85.4 kilometers in 3:29 to average 24.5 kph with 1031 meters of climbing.

Just above Luiano, this tree frames the road.

My favorite picture in a while, this captures the essence of the road below climbing through the vineyards on the way to Passo de Sugame.  I had to stop for this picture.

A view on the way to Luiano.

One of the views on the way to Passo de Sugame.

Almost to the turn off to descend to Scandicci, I decided this view 

was picture worthy.  I was stopped anyway.