Stage 9: Monteroni d'Arbia to Buonconvento

15.5 kilometers
Elevation gain/loss: 309 meters/369 meters
Steps: 21,811
Total distance traveled: 170.7 kilometers
Distance to Rome: 247.8 kilometers

We caught the 7:19 train from Buonconvento back to Monteroni d'Arbia which got us walking back to Buonconvento at 7:38.

Because the train station is 1.5 mostly uphill kilometers from the Via Francigena trail, we walked a little further than we would have if we hadn't overnighted in Buonconvento.

The scenery for the first 6 or 7 kilometers today was beautiful, and we enjoyed watching the sun crest the horizon. The second half was far less attractive and had us walking through very roughly plowed farmland.

Other than a couple of long uphill climbs, today's trek was pretty easy, and we managed to arrive back in Buonconvento in less than three and a half hours.

Neither of us had anything to eat before heading out this morning, so we were pretty hungry by that point. We had a really good Eggplant Parmigiano after stopping for a tall cool one at the local bar. To break the food monotony, we went to the local supermarket, picked up a nice Chianti,(no liver or fava beans) some Bella di Cerignola olives, a pot of brined lupini beans, some bocconcini and a piece of focaccia. I MacGyvered a little picnic setting that contained all of the supermarket finds, and we scarfed it all down sitting on our bed.

Ahh...the small pleasures of life.Read more