Surly They Won't Make It

27/11/24

The pellet burner came on automatically at 5am and we woke to the tinkering of the pellets dropping. There was a beautiful large Bialetti in the cupboard and we made coffee to have with the last of our food, some peanut butter, apple and banana. 

At around nine we headed down to the garage where we found Filipo’s father, and the birds, waiting for us to head off. He pointed to the dreary conditions, it was mizzling, and jokingly queried the wiseness of our journey. We zipped up our wind jackets, it not being very cold, and set off up the wet road to Firenze.

Camurano was in the middle of a hill we’d started the day before, so we were immediately travelling uphill. We were heading higher into the Appennini (the Italians pronounce it uh-pen-nee-nee) and deeper into the clouds. The rain started falling heavier and heavier and we stopped to put our shoe covers on and remove our gloves to avoid them getting wet. We left our wind jackets on even though they weren’t waterproof as we weren’t cold in the slightest. 

As we got closer to Casaglia we seemed to break through a layer of cloud and had some respite from the rain. We were drenched through by now, and there weren’t any views to be had, but the climb was invigorating. It wound round the hillside and then into the woods. As it did so we entered the clouds again and the rain once more. This part seemed to go on forever but fortunately it wasn’t too steep. There were some roadworks where we took a break while we waited for the light to change. 

Eventually we reached the top of the pass. There was the usual sticker covered sign and what looked like an abandoned building. We stopped and pounded back some fruit juice the woman from Dulce Cassetta had given us. We only now pulled out our waterproofs and just put them straight on top of our wind jackets. The Black Surly needed the brake pads wound in. Then we began the descent. 

It was fast and windy. The rain adds an edge to the terrain. We went as quickly as we dared, our bodies getting colder and colder. The failure to keep our base layers dry was starting to set in. On the way up the layer of water against our bodies kept us cool. On the way down we were doing nothing and the wind sucked away our warmth. Halfway down we stopped and put our fleeces on, stripping off the wind proof but it was too late. The base layer was wet and so now was the inside of our waterproof jacket. Still it was a vast improvement.

At Ronta we stopped by a bench and crammed in more juice and biscuits with dates. We had consumed a lot of energy on the climb and we still had a way to go to get to Firenze. The sky had brightened and the air felt warm this side of the hills, though it wasn’t enough to stave off the moisture inflicted coldness.

Borgo San Lorenzo sits in a sort of plateau and tries to trick you that you’ve made it through the mountain range. We stopped at a coffee shop, which had an array of beautiful looking cakes, and had a cappuccino while trying to warm up. We were just about to roll away when Jonathan noticed his fork was loose in the steering tube. Fortunately it’s an easy fix, release the two stem bolts, tighten the bolt on the top of the steering tube, don’t forget to retighten the stem!

As we set off for the final pass into Firenze we passed those green signs indicating it was open. It’s great that it’s open, but it’s also a little bit concerning that it could be closed, how hard is it? It was nice and steady as it happens. An easy ascent, punctuated by traffic lights but also an amazing sight.

As a spurt of cars finished passing us we suddenly heard rustling in the hedge. We slowed down and then suddenly a wild boar pelted it across the road! We’d completely stopped now, and several more big and small followed suit. We were far too stunned to get our camera out. 

Coming down the pass on the other side was glorious. We’d warmed up from the second climb in the dry and a long swooping descent awaited us. A town called Fiesole sits above Firenze, and as we passed through we felt as though we were entering Italy for the first time. Picture perfect Tuscany laid out before us. We soon had wide views of the pink roofs of Firenze. It looked like a peaceful Roman city. 

As we descended down windier and steeper roads it became clearer that it was far from peaceful and more of a busy city. We were soon deep in the hubbub, flanked by cars, scooters and buses. We’d found the cheapest place we could stay for a couple of nights which also happened to be in the heart of the historical part of the city. We followed the Garmin and cycled down the narrow cobbled streets surrounded by tourists sauntering around. Coming across the magnificent cathedral was truly incredible. 

We were shocked by how central we were staying and only after the code opened the door did we accept we’d got the address correct. Steep stairs lay ahead of us and we unloaded all the panniers to begin the arduous task of carting them up. We were also allowed to take the bikes up, which we obviously prefer despite the hard work! We were tired and made for the shop. Being in the centre of the city, some of the prices were insane.

We made some stovetop pizza again, we still aren’t sick of it suprisingly, and afterwards went for a walk round the city. It is an incredible place, statues, towers and intricate imposing architecture at every turn. We found a gelato shop which had nocciola (hazelnut) and pistacchio as well as chocolate and marvelled at all around us.