CTC Cambridge

Saturday 24 June 2023 

Alex writes: Our concerns about personal smells have been assuaged by learning we are not just smelly cyclotourists, but in the vanguard of an exciting new ecosocial movement.

With that reassuring thought in mind we set out into the morning heat, our first destination a breakfast stop where we loaded up on coffees and pastries. Today's route had none of the big climbs of the preceding days but nevertheless was rolling, with some short sharp shocks to keep tired legs honest, not least the climb up to the hilltop town of San Miniato, where we lunched on a small restaurant terrace with a magnificent view, watching a peregrine at work.

Things were going nicely until the last section of the day when suddenly the road ... wasn't there. A bridge had been completely removed with no warning signage or indication of a diversion. A rocky track to the side looked likely.

But after some comedic gravel riding we realised this way would require fording a stream and organising a relay team to lift everything up a steep bank. We judged this unwise and trudged back to the road.

Glyn, our deviation expert, then worked out a way round on roads, which was fine, except that it had several more short sharp climbs to make tired legs fed up. Still, we did get a bonus castle.

On then to Siena and its amazing narrow paved streets thronging with people. We had rather a posh meal (hare, truffles and grouper were involved) before setting out for our hotel on the outskirts. Unfortunately the effect of the canyon-like streets on our Garmins was to render them more than usually incomprehensible, and in the confusion I became separated from the others, meaning I took an extended tour of Siena's "maze" before I worked out which was up and rejoined the group at the hotel. Still, I did get some bonus pictures.

Word of the day: tribulation

>>> Next: Day 16 to Montefiascone