Day 9
- Today's ride will take us up and beyond Pienza to our
furthest destination, Trequanda and then back to Montefollonico. |
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![](Italy/Day9/176_Pienza.jpg) |
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Riding up the long winding road towards Pienza. |
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It's fall in Tuscany and with that comes hunting season.
You can just make
out a man in the stubble field using his dog to flush the birds.
It was
wonderful to ride the cypress lined roads up to Pienza. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20004.jpg) |
Vic on the final climb to Pienza. |
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A couple more switch backs and we're there. |
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One last look down the valley.
You can see the top of Mt.
Amiata that we will climb another day. |
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![](Italy/Day9/R180_Mt%20Amiata,%20Castiglione%20d'Orcia&%20S%20Quirico%20from%20Pienza%20hi.jpg) |
Mt. Amiata, Castiglione d'Orcia, & Quirico from Pienza. |
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![](Italy/Day9/R181_S.Quirico%20from%20Pienza%20hill.jpg) |
S.Quirico from Pienza. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20011.jpg) |
Bob, Vic and Jean enjoy a cappuccino in Pienza before we head on. |
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The old boys hang out in the local park in Pienza. |
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After a quick stop for cappuccino's in Pienza, we were on our way
to Trequanda. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20012.jpg) |
Looking north from Pienza. Grapes and olives
everywhere. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20014.jpg) |
You can see these olives are starting to turn
from green to a darker
color. |
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Trequanda
A small village with a simple Romanesque parish church of SS.
Pietro e Andrea in the central square. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20015.jpg) |
What came first, the tree or the wall? |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20018.jpg) |
Roy standing outside the bakery (beaded door on left).
If it wasn't for
Sandy's sleuthing abilities we never would have found the bakery. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20016.jpg) |
We're getting a piece of the pan forte which is a a delectable cake, like
a very dense xmas cake. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20019.jpg) |
Next stop,
Montefollonico. |
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Montefollonico
This was a very small little village with the usual churches
and such. The views were outstanding as the village is perched on top of a
hill. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20026.jpg) |
Locking up the bikes outside the town wall. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20027.jpg) |
Ian, Keang, Roy and Vic standing guard duty.
This is the main entrance to
the town. |
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Street scenes... |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20029.jpg) |
Time out for a little foose ball.
Heh, no cheating even if the acorn won't
roll properly. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20031.jpg) |
![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20032.jpg) |
The views were great from up here. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20033.jpg) |
Here, there was a small wooden door leading to the outside of the wall.
Usually in most of these fortified towns we saw a large arched gateway -
the main entrance, a rear gate, sometimes smaller than the front, but this
was the first side door I saw. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Picture%20034.jpg) |
Imagine dinner on this terrace. |
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Coming back from Montifollonico. |
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![](Italy/Day9/R196_Coming%20back%20from%20Montefollonico.jpg) |
From here it was back to Pienza to catch up on emails and then back to Le
Checche. Another great day. |
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![](Italy/Day9/Serving%20Rissotto.jpg) |
Tonight's chef was Doug who served up mushroom and seafood (del mare)
risotto. Great job. Good help from the sous-chef. |
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![](Italy/Day9/MyrnaWine.jpg) |
Myrna's into the wine again.
A craving for simple carbs. |
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Shift into gear for
Day 10 |
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