Chuck's News: Day Seven - Tuesday, October 28, 2026 Ponte de Cappiano to San Miniato

Weather-sunny & warm, High 69, Low 49, Clear blue skies all day.

On Route 9.55 miles, Total Distance 11.35 miles, 27,276 steps

What A Difference!!

The inhabitants of Traeh were struggling. They worked as a collective. Each in their own place of residence they toiled to meet the needs of their world. Every moment new supplies came to them and each moment they transformed the supplies to the desired product. When the collective first began the supply lines were wide open, the needed new supplies flowed easily to each resident, the waste products swiftly removed and the desired products were made to equal the demand. But recently, the supplies had difficulty making it in. The main channels of distribution had become impeded by the impurities in the supplies. These impurities littered the avenues of distribution, slowing the flow and hampered production. As time went on the inhabitants created new routes for distribution, but they were small, inefficient and awkward, nothing like the main channels that used to act as magnificent carriers of supplies. The inhabitants suffered, they complained, they wailed, but no one seemed to hear their cries. Over time they began to lose their ability to meet production demands yet they soldiered on as best they could.

Finally the inevitable happened. Try as they might, they could not meet the needs. Too many impurities filled the main arteries bringing to a near halt the flow of supplies. They would need outside help if they were to survive. They were at death’s door.

This time they raised such a cry that they were heard and outside help did come. The benefactors pushed the impurities to the side, opening the original pathways. Supplies flowed freely once more. Now life was even better than at the beginning. Not only were the original ways open, but all the pathways the residents had devised were still working. The supply chain made the residents awash with supplies. Their work was easier than ever before. Production was up. Happiness filled their days. They lived happily ever after.

We woke in our Cosimo De Medici bridge apartment about 7:00 and quietly packed up and snuck out of our room so as not to disturb Mary Lou and Jan. Once my pack was assembled we dropped down to the kitchen to cook eggs for breakfast. Breakfast done, we headed out the door into the bright early morning sunshine about 8:05. Our route for the next 4 miles was up on dikea alongside canals cut through this Arno River floodplain. There was not a breeze, not a cloud in the sky. The grass underfoot was wet with dew and ground soft to tread on. Absolutely beautiful. About 3 miles along we had to cross a canal. There was a cement foot bridge for this purpose, but it had fences blocking both ends we had to climb around.

Eventually we entered the town of Fucecchio. We climbed the hill into the old town and stopped at the first cafe for a coke and fizzy water. It was in the shade and a bit chilly this time of the morning. We wove down the other side of the hill snaking between the ancient tall buildings and emerged on a modern piazza with the bustle of a bigger city. For the next half mile we walked city streets past businesses and apartment houses until we exited the city abruptly by crossing the Arno River. While in the downtown area we stopped at a Verdue and Fruita shop for a pear, 3 plums and a cluster of grapes to munch on during our walk.

The next two miles brought us to the town of San Miniato Basse at the foot of the hill that San Miniato sits atop. Here wee found trail magic in a neighborhood of houses. A table with snacks, water and a book to sign.

We started up the hill to San Miniato, mostly on paved roads, some with sparse traffic, one quite busy with zero shoulder. We had heard about an elevator to take you up to the town center but we walked all the way into town along a picturesque lane and park.

What a difference in my physical ability!!! Climbing this hill carrying 30 pounds felt fantastic!! It is the best I have felt in at least 10 years. No shoulder pain. Ease of movement. Don’t know if I can describe it other than it felt fantastic. Like so much energy a vitality. This is not to say I wasn’t tired at the end of the day. Tired yes. Accompanying pain-nonexistent! I highly recommend stents in coronary arteries. Maybe skip the heart attack and go right to the stents. Instead of blood squeezing through blocked arteries and down alternate pathways devised by my body to allow me to keep my heart beating, the blood now flows in both cleared arteries and the bypasses my body made. My heart has not seen this much blood, and thereby oxygen and fuel since my childhood. Fantastic feeling and results.

We found the Osteria we were staying at tonight, but it didn’t open until 3:00, so we had half an hour to wait. Not a problem. The view for the square outside was beautiful and the benches were a welcome comfort.

They opened precisely at three and we got our introduction to the place and its rules. We were assigned a room with four beds. With our stuff sitting by the beds or in a locker assigned to us we headed out to explore the town, find a cafe and buy some groceries. This Osteria would be our home for two nights and we needed a few supplies.

as is typical, everything was closed in town until 4 or 5. We walked the narrow streets of this town perched on the ridge. We found an open coffee shop and sat for a pastry and a coke until 5:00 when the grocery opened. The shop was reminiscent of the one we enjoyed in Spoleto last year. Tiny but full service with two attendants behind the glass refrigerated display case and packed with a variety of goods. We found what we needed and were soon cooking potatoes, sausage and onions back at the Osteria. Certainly the opposite of heart healthy, but delicious. Won’t do that dinner again.

By this time our new roommates had arrived, 52 yr old Sebastian at about 7’2” and his partner 49 yr old Sabine, both from Belgium. We talked with them for well over an hour at the kitchen table in the main community room. They were delightful.

We knew tomorrow’s stage of 16 miles was too long for us to hike in a day. We had arranged for a taxi to take us to a point where the route crossed a highway which by chance happens to be exactly at the midpoint. We will hike back from that point to here and spend another night here, then take another taxi again to the same spot and continue on. This means we will meet all the southbound walkers as we travel north tomorrow. Should be fun.