Tunitas Creek Redux (2014)

(July 12, 2014) Tunitas Creek Redux, w, Dr. Dave, Christine, Don, Jack, Sara, Young Andy, Southern California Kristine with a K*, Vlad, New Recumbent Dave**, Zig Zag Dave, 68 miles, 6,300' climbing.

People with the same. similar names so it was time to break out the nicknames
*Yes, I know we have to shorten this nickname, I alternated between Kristine with a K and Southern California Kristine.
**Dr. Dave is the original Recumbent Dave.  The new recumbent Dave followed in Dr. Dave's footsteps and rode nicely in the group.

Significant Climbs
Old La Honda-3 miles, 8%, on it almost immediately at the start of the ride
Stage Road Climbs-1.1 miles, 4%, downhill, .8 mile 7%
Tunitas Creek-9 miles, 4%, in heavily shaded Redwoods, 1st and 4th quarter are gentle, middle section is 6 miles at 5% including one 1.2 mile section at 9%

This is one of the classic (hilly) metric (hilly) loops, and great to do when its 95 in the East Bay as usually 20 degrees cooler on the Coast.  Trouble was that it was only supposed to be an East Bay high of 80 so 60 and foggy predicted for the Coast, and my backside still feeling the effects of getting paddled at school--I mean flipping off the bike two weeks back.  Additionally, CA Mike, Mr. Tunitas Creek, is on injured reserve so he wasn't going to do this ride, no email chatter about the ride during the week and I felt like skipping it.  No good alternatives so I did the ride and glad I did. 

We had a big group turnout.  Dr. Dave kept zooming up the hills, Young Andy wasn't far behind Dr. Dave.  Our group had a great paceline on the Pescadero-Hwy 1/ Ocean-Gazos Creek loop, with Recumbent Dave and Vlad leading us through the flat sections and a bunch of us leading over the rollers.  Weather was far from foggy.

Top of Old La Honda, Sara puts the hex on (New) Recumbent Dave

Regroup where Old La Honda meets Hwy 84 (New La Honda Road).  Sara puts the whammy on the Fremont Freewheelers who are massed in front of us for the speedy trip through La Honda, Fixed Gear Don sees that his bike has gears today, and he is trying to remember how to shift

Vlad is wistfully hoping for lots of hills today

 

At Memorial Park Young Andy sees if he is taller than a 490 year old.

Christine on the charge up at the start of Bean Hollow Road; we'll loop to the Coast and ride south along the Pacific before cutting back inland

Southern California Kristine wants to go to the Red Barn sale

Dr. Dave doing the Alberto Contador gun at my beautiful Alta Alpina Club jersey.

Christine po'd that we are stopping for photos  while on the Bean Hollow-Hwy 1-Gazos Creek loop.   Even with us bs'ing for @5 minutes, and a crosswind coming in when we got closer to Pescadero,  Christine is the #5 fastest (Strava) woman on the 16 1/2 mile loop

Recumbent Dave, Kristine with a K, and Don on a roller on the Gazos Creek loop.

Young Andy (r) heard the story about how Jack (l) wouldn't let Big Mike eat lunch on the Sierra Century years ago--so he didn't order the super sized on freshly baked artichoke bread sandwich at the Pescadero general store picnic spot.

Andy #1 on the Stage Road stage, climb out of San Gregorio.

Jack and Don finish the Stage Road climb surrounded by neutral support vehicles (they lost our spare wheels.)

Christine and I stop on Hwy 1 for photoshoot with great Pacific Ocean background.

You don't know how quickly a conversation while riding will go down the toilet.   After Kristine had to donate 50 cents to use the Red Bike Hut bathroom we started talking about not stopping while on the bike and taking care of business.   Hmmmm, wonder what 'bent riders with fully enclosed fairings could do.   Oh, never mind.

Dr. Dave and Andy on the Tunitas Creek climb podium.