Giorno Uno-Updated w/ Photos

Giorno Uno

Sunday Sept 11, 2011


Celle sul Rigo to Albergo Le Terme
36.7 km (22.7 miles) Elevation gain 810 feet


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http://connect.garmin.com/activity/114281590


Restored by a full night of sleep we awoke to our first full day in Italy.  Let me start with a description of our Hotel room.  It is not an understatement to describe this accommodation as Lilliputian.  

Note Large Font Necessary

The bathroom was over-furnished, considering it was under 4 square feet, with sink, bidet, toilet and a folding partition that formed a shower which is the only reason for inclusion of the photo above.  


Refreshed from a restful night we enjoyed a lovely breakfast, packed our gear and headed to the train station. 

Breakfast room at Desiree

 

Gustavio and Philippe at Desiree

Nace on luggage guard at Santa Maria Novella Train Station-Florence

 

Meeting our Backroads group

Emily-One of our energetic trip leaders

Backroads Shuttle to starting point of trip

Getting off to the right start with the first of many Tuscan meals at Celle sul Rigo

  We arrived at a hilltop restaurant and found our bikes and enjoyed a fantastic Backroads lunch of cured Italian meats, cheeses, fruits, salads and chocolate.  Our leaders Emily and Andreas provided orientation and we headed off on our first day of riding. 

Andres provides safety orientation

 We began with a nice winding descent and then faced the first of many challenging hills.

Gustavio and Karina

Roadside castle

Hydration stop to check directions

Welcome Apertivo at Albergo le Terme Nace, Emily and Kim

Andres

Nace, Elise and Gus

Gus and Jim

Dinner at Albergo

We stay in Albergo le Terme for two nights.  It sits beside a hot spring that was the bathing spot of St. Catherine of Sienna.   We had an hour to shower before appertivo under a viniferous pergola and enjoyed the first of many Brunellos.  Dinner was under the Tuscan moonlight.  The meal was outstanding and we blew through another three bottles of vino rosso before calling it a night.