Cycling through Chianti country, Day 2

Today was another 30+ mile day, but the weather was clearer and the first part was downhill, so we started off in good spirits.

Our first stop was to the shop of a famous butcher, Dario Cecchini. He even has his own Netflix show. By 10am we were offered a small glass of wine and a taste of flavored lard spread on the delicious bread they make in Tuscany. It sounds kind of yucky, eating pure lard, but it was very creamy, like butter. We also weren’t sure about starting the day with a glass of wine, but, hey, we’re in Tuscany!

Riding on, we stopped at various viewpoints and got to stroll around another medieval village—Radda. At one point, we rode for several kilometers alongside a “river” of blooming yellow mustard—just spectacular!

We were sad to say ‘arrivederci’ to Frederica upon arriving in Siena in the late afternoon. She was such good company, and so informative, as well as interested and curious about us. She had already done a partially solo trip from British Columbia to San Francisco (she and her partner had a falling out on the road), but she rides with her greyhound dog in a trailer. Next up is a ride from Florence to Nepal—solo with dog—for two to three years. Can you imagine it? What a brave and free-spirited woman.Read more