We should have taken some photos from the start of this day. We had to be at the tour office in Florence Centro at 9:30. We calculated that it was a 90 minute drive into Firenze (Florence). Unless we got lost. Or couldn’t find the parking garage that Allessandra recommended. Or if we couldn’t find the tour office… So we got up at 5ish, and left at 6ish.  And, it worked! More or less. We found a garage very near to the one we were looking for. 25 euros for all day. And it was right at the end of the Pont Vecchio. So across we go and get our first pic of the day. We find the tour office, and we had a few walking-around minutes before the place opened. Then upstairs to sign our lives away (yes we know scootering is a dangerous sport), into a van for a drive to the outskirts, and onto the scooters. (BTW, they were NOT Vespas. Oh sure, made by the same parent company, but no “cute” factor.

After a quick driving test we headed out, around a corner, and uphill into the “death curve”. Surviving that we made the first stop of the day at a local vineyard. Our guide Steven explained the controls over production of Chianti wines. The production, contents, and quality are controlled by the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita .

Back on the scooters. Next stop a Romanesque church (1400s?). Then into a pretty town for a bread and cheese stop (food seems to be playing a very big part in our adventures).

On to the Corsini family winery for a tour, and lunch. Some bruschetta, crustini, pasta, and of course a taste of their wine. Back on the scooters. We stopped at a very beautiful panorama. One of our crew dumped her bike on a steep gravel covered pitch. After a bout of cleaning and bandaging, she got back on the bike and continued. A trooper!

One last stop in town for gelato (ice cream!). No offense B&J, but they make great ice cream here.

We retrieve the car and after getting lost trying to exit the city eventually we find our way south to Radicondoli.  Whew!