I’m not one to be defeated by a little exhaustion and a firm reminder of my limits. But I’m also not in this to drive myself to exhaustion. After getting blasted by the sun yesterday, we agreed to trim a bit off the front end of today’s hike by taking advantage of a suggested drop-off further along the route. We were going to cut off about 4km, but when our driver suggested at that spot that he could take us about another kilometer along to a spot where the path made a dramatic turn (he had to go that way anyway), we embraced his suggestion. Here we are at the signpost aiming us down a gravel path to Cantiati, ready to start our day of roughly 11 miles.

The day immediately made a sharp contrast to yesterday. We walked downhill along a gravel road that descended into a forest. That meant the day started with a lot of shady stretches, which was an obvious improvement over our Volterra ramble. The big flies (Deer flies? Horse flies? No idea.) were as pesky as they had been yesterday, but we sort of accepted it as the cost of doing business, as it were.

The woods were pretty, but in looking back at photos, I see we didn’t stop to photograph much. Here’s a few shots of an old ruined building, a little meadow, a tree root and some maybe volcanic rock. (I am such a vivid describer of detail, right?)

After shedding a huge amount of elevation, we got out of the forest (based on the chain-link fence along one side for several miles, we think it’s a forest preserve or perhaps an ecological research area) and arrived at cultivated land. Rather mysteriously, the big flies that had been hovering for a good solid hour or more disappeared. Yesterday there were cultivated field and plenty of the flies, so I am not sure that it’s a case of the vineyards and olive groves discouraging flies. As has always been the case on my walks, I am humbled by my ignorance. When are olives picked? Something to Google when I am done writing.

At the gate of the first wine and olive oil farm/lunch/shop, we heard the most charming little woof of hello from this low-to-the-ground little dog, who came out to say hello, but in the most polite ‘Is it okay to sniff your boots?’ way. It was okay, and he was delighted to be offered a hand to lick. Mission accomplished, he happily trotted back through the gateway.

The little vineyards certainly must do a thriving business in wine and oil tastings– we passed several just on our route. The day was offering a whole different look and feel from yesterday. Yesterday was parched, with lots of dry fields churned to expose unplanted soil. Tans and browns with little patches of green in the bottoms of small valleys. Today was a mix of forest and agriculture. The first one was a full-on vineyard, but after our lunch pause, we came across a place making wine from the grapes from surrounding farmers in a tiny tiny village. You could, of course, also get a nice lunch. The whole village seemed to exist to support a little restaurant and wine shop. The clinking of forks and knives as we went by did not lure (I tend not to get hungry while I am walking, and have to kind of work to make myself get enough calories on the trail), but served as a nice reminder of the promise of another good dinner one we reached San Gimignano.

This day was elevating my mood. After a hard first day, it all seemed more doable.

Of course, hikes have a way of sneaking up on you when you feel most optimistic and slapping you around. The last two kilometers into San Gimignano had an elevation gain of 100 meters. That may not sound like much if you aren’t good at visualizing hills, so just trust me. I demanded, and Karen patiently allowed, three rest stops in the last two kilometers. I just hate the uphill, and I am less prepared for it this year than I have ever been for a hike. Lesson learned; plan in place to work with a personal trainer when I get back home. Less of me, more cardio. That’ll help.

You’ll note, keen-eyed readers that you are, that there aren’t pictures of this last ascent.

Once we got the the pretty little public park just outside San Gimignano’s defensive city walls, Karen’s photographic enthusiasm resumed. Here’s a fun sculpture in the park.

San Gimignano is a revelation after Volterra. I thought Volterra was kind of touristy, but not insane. San Gimignano is a hundred shops huddled within those city walls, with hundreds of people walking up and down (the town is hilly as hell in the walled, mostly vehicle-free section) and looking at gorgeous leather goods, shoes, linens, art, and assorted tourist mementos of your visit to San Gimignano.

And finally, we arrived at the end of the trail, the Tourist Information Center. (Our hotels is beyond town from the way we approached, so going through the center made sense.) We bought two Coke Zeros to celebrate and sat in the square people watching before heading to our hotel.

We settled into the lovely Hotel Villa Belvedere, and Karen initiated one of my favorite rituals of the end of the day- AirDropping photos so we both have them. I doubt she cares about the photos I send her, but she, like my other sister Tracy, makes a great unofficial staff photographer for ramblinghank.com. After collapsing for a while and failing to write up the day, we texted each other from our rooms (yes, lazy, but so easy), and discovered we had both been looking at a restaurant that is a bit more expensive and fancy than what we’ve done so far.

And so the day ended at La Mandragola, and kicked off the meal with a celebratory Aperol Spritz, followed by two incredible courses. I had duck liver pate and pappardelle with saffron sauce and pork ragu. Karen had grilled shrimp served with pineapple, melon, peach and arugula, and incredible artichoke tortelli served with an amazingly generous portion of white truffles. Dazed from good food after a long but successful day of walking, we retired to our hotel, our moods very much elevated.