13- Grand bicycle tour in Italy from 2011 (Appennino Pistoiese)

Day 10) Cutigliano - Abetone - San Pelegrino - Castelnuovo di Garfagnana Today I will have a nice climb towards Abetone which is a BIG climb. I enjoy nice scenery.

After one hour of cycling I get to Abetone which is a nice resort.

I carry on cycling on SS12 till Passo delle Radici where I turn left towards a new BIG.

The weather breaks, it will start raining soon and I will be descending towards Castelnuovo di Garfagnana on SP71 road.

In the distance I can see some villages.

Finally I reach Castelnuovo all soaked and I go to visit it. It looks like a forteress.

It seems to be a small medieval town with strong fortifications.

It will rain all the day and night and so I will take refuge, sleeping in a small tunnel where the rain can not touch me.

Day 11) Castelnuovo - Busana - Vairo In the morning I have to wait a few hours beacause it's still raining. Finally I leave this walled interesting town.

I will take a secondary road towards a new BIG. In the distance I can see nice villages.

All of a sudden I see a bird and I will catch it to play with it a little then I will set it free.

On my way I meet a nice lake with some wild ducks.

After climbing a bit on SP12 road I finally get to a new BIG, passo de Pradarena

12- Grand bicycle tour in Italy from 2011 (Appennino Pistoiese)

I have to cope with a health problem. My back is all sore because a few days before I cycled without t-shirt.

After Borgo a Mozzano I come across Ponte del Diavolo.

This ancient bridge dates back to 12th century and I climb it on foot because it's too steep.

From this bridge I can behold some nice views.

Throughout Italy even in the small villages the heroes and the preeminent persons are well commemorated.

Soon I will leave behind Serchio River and the SS12 road will follow a small stream called Lima which is a feeder of Serchio.

The scenery is quite wild.

I am cycling in the Appennino Pistoiese range.

I will spend the night near Bagni di Lucca. Day 9) Bagni di Lucca - Cutigliano I pass through interesting villages.

At village La Lima I can admire a great church.

Here I have to turn left and I will start climbing till Cutigliano.

This quite a tourist village. I am impressed by its houses and streets.

The townhall is amazing featuring plenty of stunning bas-reliefs.

Here I will linger a few minutes to admire this building.

Today I decide to remain in the area and enjoy this rustic village and have a nice hiking in the forest.

I encounter plenty of interesting monuments. I will spend the night in this village.