Today we continued to head north and out to the Mediterranean coast. Coastal waters are always a big draw for us; maybe because we live near the ocean at home. But at the same time, cycling inland in Italy has been so enjoyable and from previous experience we have found that the road networks can get very busy with cars when water and beaches are nearby. So, today we rode to the town of Cecina to dip our toes in the water so to speak. It was another exceptional ride!
There was no breakfast offered at Il Chiostro Appartamenti but we had picked up some yogurt and fruit the night before to get us going in the morning. We were rolling out of Suvereto by 10 o`clock and along with many other roadies, headed up into the hills. With all the cycle traffic out today we sensed that the road we have chosen must be a nice Sunday morning ride.
The day started with a gentle 4 or 5 percent grade along a twisty road through thick vegetation as well as the odd sunny stretch. The temperature was perfect for riding in short sleeved shirts. Twelve kilometres into the ride we reached the top of the hill, almost 300 metres up, and more than ready for the coffee we missed at breakfast.
From Sassetto, the road was a a great serpentine six kilometre run downhill to the next town - Castagneto Carducci. So much fun to ride! We pushed our bikes past the castle in Carducci and up and down the narrow alleys eventually stumbling on to the main commercial street. Spotting an ATM machine, we decided that it may be a good idea to get some more cash as the last machine had limited us to 200 euros. Success as we discovered that this machine will provide higher levels of cash! In our excitement, we did not notice that this was a loan shark machine and the exchange rate had a 15% additional charge beyond what would be considered to be the market purchase exchange. Let`s just say we paid a bit of a premium for this cash.
We stopped at Piazza Eugenio Curiel and had a snack on a bench overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea where we were headed. Checking out the road network below from our perch, we confirmed our routing for the remaining 30 kilometres before we set off for Cecina.
Pat well banked into this corner! Picture from the front for a change on a downhill run.
The remainder of the ride to Cecina was also great. We took the sharp hairpin corners down from Castagneto Carducci and passed a couple of younger ladies riding fully loaded bikes up the other way. We felt their pain and offered encouragement. Then we turned onto the reasonably quiet Strada Provinciale roads at the foot of the hills for next 25 kms before turning left and heading toward the water.
Cecina has a large town area about two kilometres above the beach area. The town also boasts a wonderful beachfront promenade lined with condos, hotels, restaurant, bars and shops. Everything you could want at beach resort town. It was a very different experience from the previous nights of our tour. Not much history or culture here but one night couldn`t hurt!
As it was Sunday afternoon or maybe just the time of year, the area was very quiet and we enjoyed a beer at a beach bar and then checked into our hotel room. We made a quick trip to the local Conad grocery store for some water and to replenish our road snack box items. Unfortunately, our hunger got the better of us. The sandwich, chips and beer that we bought to enjoy on our massive deck overlooking the beach spoiled our dinner plans. But we did enjoy a nice gelato as we strolled up and back the 1.5 km promenade in the wonderful warm evening with the smell of the sea in the air. It was a great finish to another great day of touring.
Up by the hills, this area is full of vineyards and wine tasting opportunities.
Today's ride: 52 km (32 miles) Total: 668 km (415 miles)
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David MathersSounds and looks like the perfect day👍 We experienced a similar perfect day on the south east coast of Italy 🇮🇹 Enjoying following along 👋 Reply to this comment 1 year ago
