(September 2009) TUNITAS CREEK Metric Century, 6200' climbing, w/ Ward, Dr. Dave & Chris including bonus loop, w/ Beth & Beth's friend, and Beth's friend's friends at the start.
Ward-o-data graph with fog/ pumpkin alert enhancements and Ward-o-photo really not using fake fog to cover wires/ nuclear plant/ oil derrick
This ride gets posted as one of the great "billy goat" rides where the feet climbing is about the same as the miles x 100.
Real jazzed after the great Knoxville Double ended the doubles season for me too quickly (no, I am not going back to Bishop for White Mountain.) Already psyched (mental illness??) for Alta Alpina 8 in 2010. (Self inducement--If I lose 5 lbs I get to buy new high powered LED lights, want to go into Alta Alpina 8 at - 10 lbs)
We haven't done the great San Mateo Ride, the Tunitas Creek loop all year; it is finally on the Diablo Cyclists ride schedule next week, when I'm out of town. That coupled with predicted 100 degree highs in Contra Costa had me planning to go to cooler San Mateo, out by the ocean, for the Tunitas Creek ride. Luckily Ward, Dr. Dave and Chris joined me. So did Beth and a gaggle of friends knowing other friends, though they'd go right to Pescadero instead of doing the loop out to the Coast.
Was pacelining down the Coast and we had to stop by a driveway (to use the telephoto) for different group shots in front of the lighthouse--here is Ward, Chris and I. (Dr. Dave Photographer/ Mr. Ward Supplies Camera-copyright battle ensues)
Great day. First climb, Old La Honda, usually kills me as foggy and damp in the trees, but today clear and warm from the beginning. Then the super fast (?, a mystery to me as wind usually comes in from the Coast, and we are seemingly hitting a series of uphill rollers) ride through Old La Honda where we were chasing the friend's friend's racing buddies--and up another hill-- Pescadero Road where the DC group dropped all of the friend's friends except for a woman who zoomed up the hills with us--she is doing the (ouch) Climb to Kaiser uphill self supported in a few weeks. The usual clusterfuck by the County Park on the downhill that someone always speeds past while the rest of us are using it as a great rest stop among the giants pines and redwoods.
I'm with Dave and Chris going dopwn Bean Hollow Road--Ward is going downhill in front of us snapping away
We got sorted out down the road and Ward, Dave, Chris and I continued out toward the Coast on the rustic Cloverdale-Gazos Creek Road. Not much traffic on Highway 1 on the Coast--where we had a nice shoulder and good sunshine. Best thing about the Coast--fog was just sitting on top of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse in a strange way.
Even better than Ward-o-photos are the Ward-o-captions that accompany them. After my yelling "my people" and climbing into the Pumpkin Patch, Ward took two similar photos. One not shown captioned "Jay Visits the Nursery." This one "Jay Tells the Kiddies to Run Away if Anyone Invites Them Home for Pie."
Worst thing about the Coast--fog laying over the water chilled the damn air--everyone wanted to pull the paceline to stay warm. Luckily it warmed up just 1/2 mile inland when we went over Bean Hollow Road--where Ward almost became a hood ornament while snapping photos. Then ran into some short relatives before a nice picnic lunch in Pescadero.
"Pescadero-Too Much Pink" photo and caption by Ward.
Next photo shoot was stationary by the "Machine Gun Man." Across the way one lady started giving us the history of this folk art (which can be bought for $50,000), while granny was training a border collie to keep AFLEC models in formation.
Our group by Machine Gun Man (has that timer gone off???,) with Dave and I in our favorite jersey; meanwhile watching Granny train the next AFLEC Commercial star across the way. Ward-o-photo
Two moderate climbs through San Gregorio and back to the Coast for the downhill on Highway 1 to Tunitas Creek. I feared this as it promised to be cold; it was cool but much better than I thought--and once 1/4 mile inland it suddenly was very warm. We kept together for the first half of Tunitas Creek, and when the road kicked up Dave pushed me on the 5% parts and I'd return the favor on the 10% grades. Regroup at the top, when we stop we realize it is very very hot, and the long downhill back to Woodside with Ward and Chris off the front bombing downhill.
Stage Road, it is finally warm. Photo by Ward.
Great route and great ride with no one pushing the pace for long stretches. It will be interesting to see how Ward's speed compares with the attack after attack on next weeks ride.
Ward-o-data graph with fog/ pumpkin alert enhancements and Ward-o-photo really not using fake fog to cover wires/ nuclear plant/ oil derrick
This ride gets posted as one of the great "billy goat" rides where the feet climbing is about the same as the miles x 100.
Real jazzed after the great Knoxville Double ended the doubles season for me too quickly (no, I am not going back to Bishop for White Mountain.) Already psyched (mental illness??) for Alta Alpina 8 in 2010. (Self inducement--If I lose 5 lbs I get to buy new high powered LED lights, want to go into Alta Alpina 8 at - 10 lbs)
We haven't done the great San Mateo Ride, the Tunitas Creek loop all year; it is finally on the Diablo Cyclists ride schedule next week, when I'm out of town. That coupled with predicted 100 degree highs in Contra Costa had me planning to go to cooler San Mateo, out by the ocean, for the Tunitas Creek ride. Luckily Ward, Dr. Dave and Chris joined me. So did Beth and a gaggle of friends knowing other friends, though they'd go right to Pescadero instead of doing the loop out to the Coast.
Was pacelining down the Coast and we had to stop by a driveway (to use the telephoto) for different group shots in front of the lighthouse--here is Ward, Chris and I. (Dr. Dave Photographer/ Mr. Ward Supplies Camera-copyright battle ensues)
Great day. First climb, Old La Honda, usually kills me as foggy and damp in the trees, but today clear and warm from the beginning. Then the super fast (?, a mystery to me as wind usually comes in from the Coast, and we are seemingly hitting a series of uphill rollers) ride through Old La Honda where we were chasing the friend's friend's racing buddies--and up another hill-- Pescadero Road where the DC group dropped all of the friend's friends except for a woman who zoomed up the hills with us--she is doing the (ouch) Climb to Kaiser uphill self supported in a few weeks. The usual clusterfuck by the County Park on the downhill that someone always speeds past while the rest of us are using it as a great rest stop among the giants pines and redwoods.
I'm with Dave and Chris going dopwn Bean Hollow Road--Ward is going downhill in front of us snapping awayWe got sorted out down the road and Ward, Dave, Chris and I continued out toward the Coast on the rustic Cloverdale-Gazos Creek Road. Not much traffic on Highway 1 on the Coast--where we had a nice shoulder and good sunshine. Best thing about the Coast--fog was just sitting on top of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse in a strange way.
Even better than Ward-o-photos are the Ward-o-captions that accompany them. After my yelling "my people" and climbing into the Pumpkin Patch, Ward took two similar photos. One not shown captioned "Jay Visits the Nursery." This one "Jay Tells the Kiddies to Run Away if Anyone Invites Them Home for Pie."
Worst thing about the Coast--fog laying over the water chilled the damn air--everyone wanted to pull the paceline to stay warm. Luckily it warmed up just 1/2 mile inland when we went over Bean Hollow Road--where Ward almost became a hood ornament while snapping photos. Then ran into some short relatives before a nice picnic lunch in Pescadero.
"Pescadero-Too Much Pink" photo and caption by Ward.
Next photo shoot was stationary by the "Machine Gun Man." Across the way one lady started giving us the history of this folk art (which can be bought for $50,000), while granny was training a border collie to keep AFLEC models in formation.
Our group by Machine Gun Man (has that timer gone off???,) with Dave and I in our favorite jersey; meanwhile watching Granny train the next AFLEC Commercial star across the way. Ward-o-photo
Two moderate climbs through San Gregorio and back to the Coast for the downhill on Highway 1 to Tunitas Creek. I feared this as it promised to be cold; it was cool but much better than I thought--and once 1/4 mile inland it suddenly was very warm. We kept together for the first half of Tunitas Creek, and when the road kicked up Dave pushed me on the 5% parts and I'd return the favor on the 10% grades. Regroup at the top, when we stop we realize it is very very hot, and the long downhill back to Woodside with Ward and Chris off the front bombing downhill.
Stage Road, it is finally warm. Photo by Ward.
Great route and great ride with no one pushing the pace for long stretches. It will be interesting to see how Ward's speed compares with the attack after attack on next weeks ride.
As one of the usual club leaders in Getting Lost--I think this was an award I was supposed to get the following week on the club ride (photo b y Ward)
1 comment:
Hey,you finally made it over to my training ground! Not so bad, eh!
I was doing White Mountain that day, my last double. You not interested in Bass Lake, Solvang? I would be but too much time away from the better half.
Post a Comment