23 May FSG 3 Cross Run – Calvana
- Distance: 22.5 km
- Elevation: 1060 meters
- Starting point: Calenzano (click for link)
- May 24, 2020 - 7:30 am
The Three Cross Run takes us through the wilderness of the bareback Calvana mountains, part of the Tuscan sub-appenine. Calvana is essentially a mountain prairie, set high up along a ridge-line with over 60 species of wild orchids, wild animals, and wild trail-runners. Three crosses means three chances to pray, three chances to turn back, or three chances to win nature. The FSG squad has done it many times before, and each time we have encountered strange but wonderful acts:
– A man with a pet parrot at 700 meters elevation
– Killer sheep dogs, wretched to the bone
– Wild horses, best tamed bareback
– The horrific bushwack of 2018 – where we slid down the mountain behind Fred’s brawn, impaling ourselves on sarlaac pit brush
The run begins at the heart of an old abandoned factory, overlooking Calenzano – the kind where evil acts are promulgated. The shell of a building is always under construction, held up with scaffolding that acts as a permanent exo-skeleton. There are several ways to make it up to the side of the mountain, trails zig-zag left and right, alongside steep pathway elevators. Half way up there is an abandoned house overlooking Prato, where on misty days you can walk on the clouds.
The first cross is 397 meters up, called Poggio Catgilione, home to the FSG board-table. Past board meetings have included ratifying the Downhill Bill of 2018, and the controversial Barefoot Act of 2019. The first cross is a big one, and from there it us up though a single-track death-star-like passageway, where X-wing fighters steer through tight foliage. It is here that killer dogs are known to inhabit.
The killer dogs live in a killer dog residence half way up the mountain, and are known to take more sedate dogs in, teach them the harsh realities of the Calvana mountains, and slowly move them to the dark side. Their primary mission is to herd sheep, their secondary mission is to instill fear and terror. Beware – if you hear sheep bells, treat the killer dogs with niceties, and if possible use someone from Faversham as bait. Killer dogs go crazy for Faversham flesh.
The second cross La Retaia is perched on at 772 meters up. It comes into view as you depart the death-star foliage, you can see it butting its head on the mountain top. It is a tough, steep climb up on Albarese limestone typical of Calvana, but offers a solid view of Prato, and the surrounding Tuscan region.
Past Retaia, you run along the Calvana Ridge, the spine of the mountains, where there are usually wild horses cavorting around the third and fourth vertebrae. If you are lucky enough to see the horses, treat them respect, do not try to pull a Putin and ride them shirtless unless you are actually Putin, in which case, go right ahead comrade, and after that, we have some killer dogs for you you heartless shit-head.
The third cross Monte Cantagrilli is 818 meters up at the neck of the spine, and overlooks the adjacent Morello mountain-chain. From here you can see the A1 steamrolling nature, separating the two mountains. This cross really is a fantastic finale, and running the ridge with views on either side is not unlike running across a giant nature bridge.
After Cantagrilli, make a 180 along the Prato-side of the ridge, and come back whence you came, re-join just below Retaia, and re-visit the FSG board-room to plan for future adventures.
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