I Want To Ride My Bicycle

When organising this trip I expressed a desire to do a bike ride. We read that our BnB had bikes available so we forwent an organised ride to do our own. Today was the day. Sunny and warm. Bikes were in major need of maintenance and Lana was a little uneasy. Rusty chains, weak brakes and the back wheel of my bike rubbed the frame, but hey! Why put a few problems in the way of a ride on a glorious day in Tuscany! We had read of a 6km ride to Poggibonsi, along a rail trail. Despite the fact that the Lonely Planet Guide described Poggibonsi as "the ugliest town in Tuscany" that's where we headed. Turned out to be just great. Within 300 metres you are in the countryside, rural views, vegetable fields, flat as a tack. There were a steady stream of walkers and joggers and some cyclists. We easily rolled into the much-maligned town and found a series of piazzas that is the town centre. With the usual small streets running from them it was like other Italian towns...maybe the author was cheesed off 'cause it did not have that Tuscan view.

When we returned to lower Colle the market for the festival had taken over the town. Lana decided to RIDE UP to Old Colle, good grief, and I sensibly and showing my age, took the convenient lift. After a quick shower it was back to lower Colle. We wandered the whole market and noticed several pet stalls selling mice, rabbits and cincilla or goldfish and Terrapins, all pets for tiny spaces. Pork rolls were the main takeaway option with the pork sliced off the whole pig complete with head. Cheeses, salamis, dried anything and spices were the main food stalls. Having ensconced ourselves at a trendy bar, we ate some yummy salads with two glasses of prosecco and a basket of bread that we kept after the meal, pouring the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over it to eat with our remaining prosecco. The waitress was amused.

Back to the apt for a few hours of chilling. Lana has just cooked a yummy chicken sundried tomato mushroom and olive pasta and we are now going back to lower Colle. The crowd was light this afternoon and from what we can deduce, the action is tonight. We will see! X

Definitely a rail trail.

Just the understated outfit to drop down to the boulangerie.

Not sure which are edible?!

 

A couple of hours of people watching.

 

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