Safe Return Doubtful

59 km (37 miles) – Total so far: 543 km (337 miles)

Great feeling to get into a beautiful Tuscan village, off the beaten track and have a rest day tomorrow. Chianti tasting on the agenda tonight or sure.

Many hills today, frequently up to 450 meters and down to 200 again. The biggest ascent day so far; gps calculating just over 1300 metres. 3 kilometres from destination I spotted Radda perched high up on the top if a hill, 150 metres more up. Ludicrous to build in such places – nearer thy God maybe – but what about the cyclists?

Several downhills of course as well. During one if these at 50 km/hr plus, the Etrex gps broke free and bounced down the road. Screech of my brakes, I hopped off and athletically kicked it off the road into a shrubbery, just out of the path of an approaching juggernaut – well, Fiat 850 van. Incredibly it was undamaged. It is housed in a rubber type shell which certainly did the job. I can’t recommend these devices highly enough. If it had been damaged I would have been in difficulty as the only other maps I have are on the iPad. The Ram mounting is also great. It broke free because I had not fixed it securely.

There is few better feelings than finishing a big day (6 big days) and knowing there’s a rest day tomorrow. Indulgence large, but not in the same field as Bike France, Corsica and New Zealand.

Few pizzas to be had here – top Tuscan cooking. I recall in Corsica where the boys (age 14-18) had pasta to start and pizza as main. I can’t do that – but the restaurants here are very different than the standard ones so far – all decent, but no variety.

Distance today was 59.2 km, tough though with 1323 meters ascent. Altitude here is 555 meters asl. Maximum speed 54.6 km/hr. Moving time was 4 hrs and 58 mins. Moving average was 12.1 km/hr. Left at 10:00 (breakfast was excellent!), lunch at Greve in Chianti at 13:20 hrs for 45 minutes. Arrived at 15:50 hrs.

Up the second hill and into the wineries – dominated the views from then on.

Village of Impruneta, at 380 meters asl – water break in cafe, one of three today

The downhill scene of the “GPS Spillage Incident” – just outside the Fattoria of Gobble.

ETrex 20 with scratches – but nothing more! Not bad for a tumble at more than 50 km/hr, several bounces and my left foot into the vinery.

Vineyard of Castello Vicchiomaggio – Chianti of course – rest day tomorrow so some tasting afoot.

Piazza in Greve in Chianti at lunch – cafes busy with tasting menus – I sensibly downgraded myself to a cafe on a side road with the riff-raff

Passing through another village on top of a high hill, Panzano in Chianti – where in the Bible did it say “blessed are the cyclists” as indeed it should have done.