Buonconvento to San Gimignano

Distance 82 km   Elevation 1,246m  Moving Time 3:41

Our final day of riding

The coldest start of the trip so far gave us a chance to wear our A’qto gilet for the first time.

It was Preliminary Final day back in Australia and Collingwood was playing the Giants. David turned up for the ride in his Pie’s jersey rather than a gilet.  We checked the footy score whenever we stopped, and the jersey was off and on depending on whether the Pies were in front.  The end result didn’t go the Pies way, so the jersey eventually came off permanently.  It’s fair to say that the majority of the tour group were not Pies supporters so were glad to see the end of that Pies “gilet”

There was much less challenging climbing today with only one category 3 climb before lunch but lots of long uphill sections with quite varying gradients.  From around the 45km mark, the majority of the ride was downhill until we reached the outskirts of San Gimignano where we had two category 4 climbs in the last 4km to reach the medieval hill town known as the Town of Fine Towers.

Riding as a group we entered the town gates and rode through the narrow and crowded lanes where we finished our ride, and the tour, in Piazza della Cisterna.

Our accommodation for the final night, Hotel la Cisterna, overlooked this this beautiful piazza.

Lot’s of smiles and even a bit of emotion as we congratulated each other on a significant achievement – 530km and 8,700m over 8 days. 

Celebratory beers at Piazza del Duomo before a bit of shopping for handmade Italian shoes and a final dinner at a wonderful terraced restaurant, La Mandragola, under a clear starry night sky.

There are always question marks in your mind when you are riding big distances in another country for the first time.  Will I be able to ride the distance?  Will I hold up the group?  Will I be last up every hill?  Never once on this trip did I feel I had to answer these questions.  Everyone, first or last, was encouraged, included, and congratulated.  This really was the best riding I have ever done and really increased my confidence and belief as a cyclist.