DI 02 Greve to San Gimignano

 

Finally we’re on the road – but it’s raining as we leave Piazzetta Santa Croce.  The rain is supposed to blow over and the weather sunny later in the day but it’s a bit chilly now.  What do we wear?  I select my rain pants but a light jacket instead of my Gortex rain jacket with hood.

 

 

Brenda and I are first out around 9:30. As we climb to the first town, Panzano in Chianti, the church bell rings a single chime; it’s 10:30. There is a beautiful view from the piazza in the town square.  (photo at right). This is the town of  the “Macelleria Cecchihi”, the most famous butcher shop for the renowned rare steak named “fiorentina”. Only the Carson’s find it; and they missed it the first time and went back to find it.

And sure enough the light rain is gone and the sun is out by 11:30 when we stop for cappuccino at Rada (photo on left).

The Barton’s and Brenda and I are in Castellina around 12:30 and discover a small Osteria, mostly inhabited by locals. We got the one unoccupied – unreserved table and have a great lunch. I think my tortellini was the best of the choices. But everyone liked what they ordered.

When we come out of the restaurant it is very cloudy and cold. We have a big descent ahead of us. I put back on some of the clothes I’ve removed in the morning but as we start downhill I’m cold. In fact I’m so cold I’m shivering. It’s now raining. So we stop and I put on more clothes as well as a plastic bag between my jersey and jacket. This only helps a little and I continue cold until we come to flatter terrain and I can pedal. The rain pretty much continues until we’re outside of San Gimignano.  Here we began a most serious climb. By the way, most of today’s climbing was in the morning but it was all gentle grades and easy. The short climbs in the afternoon however were pretty steep and difficult.

 

San Gimignano is probably the most picturesque Tuscan town with it’s 14 remaining towers (out of an original 60 or 82 or 100, depending who you listen to). Rick Steve’s describes this as a town “packed with crass commercialism”. It’s also packed with tourists, wall to wall.  But most of these tourists get back on their busses and leave in the afternoon. I hear it’s pretty nice at night. – But we don’t see the town at night. After a 2.5 hour dinner with considerable Vernaccia (a white wine, possibly the oldest in civilization, dating back to the beginning of the Renaissance) we go directly to bed.

MEET THE RIDERS

Ron and Michelle Barton are from Ottawa, Ontario – but are no strangers to DATES members.  They rode with us on two Southwest Tandem Rallies and Rally pre-tours (2000 and 2005) and were in England with us in 2007.  They ride a space-age “Air Tuesday”, a unique tandem with very small wheels and titanium beam seat posts.  Their other main interest is viniculture, both are certified and experienced sommeliers. Ron works for a GM dealer as a “drivability technician“ and Michelle is a Med Tech.  Ron also commutes to work on a bike throughout the year, which means frequently in the snow.  Although they are stronger riders than us, they rode with us most of today.