It was cold and windy with a hint of fog at the start. Before we took off, some park rangers came by and asked about our route. They said there was fog at the coast. I was hopeful that it would burn off by the time we got there, however, it was good to be somewhere that wasn't too hot. Many places were experiencing some pretty warm temperatures. I rode off with both leg and arm warmers on and a jacket in my bag due to the wind. I know I tend to over-dress, but the amount of clothes seemed reasonable given the conditions.
However, within a few miles we were on the Cazadero Highway, the sun was shining, no fog at all, and the temperature was going up. It was a nice ride through town, but there was more traffic than I would have thought on a weekday.
When we got to the small business area of Cazadero, many of us stopped to take a layer (or more) off. I didn't know the route at all, so I had no idea what was coming next. As it turned out, we were about to start climbing up Fort Ross Road, so I am glad I took off both the arm and leg warmers at that time!
The temp continued to go up and I'm not good in the heat. Living right on the bay, I'm used to cool summer time temps. The start of the climb was a very steep "wall." After about a half to 3/4 of a mile we settled into a less steep grade. We climbed for about 5 miles before reaching the first summit. About a half mile from the top (although I didn't know that at the time), I had to stop and take a break in the shade. It was really warm.
Fortunately, there was very little traffic along Ft. Ross Rd. It is much nicer to climb without cars zipping by all the time.
From the first summit, there was some fun down hill, but the a steep climb up again for the start of the second summit. This one also leveled off after a while. Total climbing here was about 2 miles. After that, there was some gently rolling hills, most of that was on Seaview Rd. At this point we were on a ridge and started to experience the marine influence from the coast. When we turned left on to Timber Creek Road, we got to go down hill, at times up to 18% grade. It was a great bit, but relatively short; about 1.5 miles to highway 1.
We turned left (south) and went a short distance down the highway to the Fort Ross Store where we stopped for a lunch break. When we sat down at the picnic tables on the back deck there were some CalTrans workers also having lunch who were surprisingly knowledgeable about the status of the Tour de France and all the racers. It was somewhat cool and foggy. The fog seemed to be acting like an insulator, so it wasn't that cold. In fact, if I got out of the wind, it was surprisingly warm.
I was feeling pretty hungry by this time, so I was happy to take a break. I had a sandwich with me, but I got some chocolate milk at the store. I haven't had chocolate milk in a long time and was surprised at how delicious it was. Chocolate milk is reputed to be a great sports recovery drink. (Why is chocolate milk a good recovery drink? "Compared to plain milk, water, or most sports drinks, it has double the carbohydrate and protein content, perfect for replenishing tired muscles. Its high water content replaces fluids lost as sweat, preventing dehydration. Plus it packs a nutritional bonus of calcium, and includes just a little sodium and sugar — additives that help recovering athletes retain water and regain energy." From http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/)
A group of us arrived at the store together, but other folks on this ride were somewhat spread out on the road. Most of those took the short cut down Meyers Grade Road, bypassing Fort Ross and cutting off about 16 miles. Those of us at the store waited for our ride leader, Phil, who had been at the back staying with the riders who were feeling overly challenged by the climb.
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| Lunch on the deck at the Fort Ross Store. |
After Phil had his lunch, we continued down highway 1 over rolling hills, a few steep, but not too bad compared to what we had been doing before lunch! There was also some fun twisting and turning on the down sides. Below the junction with Meyers Grade, we met up with the riders who had bypassed Fort Ross at a roadside cafe. Looked like some good baked treats, but I was still full from lunch.
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| The cafe where we met the other riders. |
The sun came out again as we left Jenner and turned back on to highway 116 to return to Duncans Mills.
Stats:
42.13 miles
4,083 feet elevation gain
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