Friday, September 22, "Day 7"

The next morning we woke up to filtered sunshine and packed up.  It is much nicer to put away a dry tent than a wet one! 

It took a while  to load up those of us heading back to the casino as we had more bikes and gear even than people present as some of us were bringing home the gear of others who flew or took other methods home.

Fortunately, it was only an hour back to the casino and mild traffic.  We had a bit of a set back because the battery was dead on Jerry's van, but he was prepared and had a battery charger with him.  So, not much harm done.

Finally, we hit the road some time between 11 and 11:30!  Jerry drove the first shift and I promptly feel asleep.  How great it was to wake up an hour later (give or take) to bright sun.

In order to make as much time as possible and not get home too terribly late, we had a very quick fast food lunch, something I almost never eat.

We had an easy drive home in that there were no traffic or weather problems all the way.  When we reached the town of Corning, I was ready for dinner.  We agreed to just go to the Taco Bell next to the gas station we were at but it turned out that only the drive through was open and cars were backed up on to the road.  I guess that's the place to be on Friday night at 7:30 pm. 

In trying to turn around, we found a taco truck, which was a much better option anyway.  Delicious dinner eaten while Jerry drove.

From there, it really wasn't very far to get home, thank goodness.  I was happy to be back at my house by about 10:30 pm.  What a week!

Thursday, September 21, Day 6

The night before at dinner, we found out there would be some route alterations due to a road being closed and not accessible due to heavy construction work.   As a result, we left camp later than we normally would so that we wouldn't arrive at the closest one while people were going to work.

We also heard that the chance of rain was the lowest it had been since starting day 2.  Some rolled out without rain gear but I had mine ready and wore the booties, the most challenging item to put on on the side of the road.

As our final day, our team, cycling4fun, gathered for a picture.  We were moving slowly, following yesterday's long ride as well as the others.

When I left camp, I was nearly the last one again.  We had a 70 mile day ahead and I was tired, so I planned on taking things slower and taking more pictures.  The picture below is from a dairy just a few miles outside camp.

Our campground is quite close to the nearest town, so we were in it before we knew it.  There was the first of the road construction as we approached town.  They had a flagger out, so it wasn't too bad.

On the edge of town I looked for the alpacas we had seen last year, but they weren't out.

After the detour for closed road, we came back to a more rural area with a lot of vinyards.  It's a great area to ride because there's so much variety: rolling hills, winding road, various kinds of farms, a small lake, and more.

At rest stop #1 I had a hot drink. The temperature was lower than it had been (52 degrees when pulling out our bicycles in the morning).  I also found out that we weren't going to be able to go around Haag Lake.  The road was closed part way around for construction.

I arrived at rest stop #2 which was shortly before the closure.  I took a few pictures and headed back.  A number of people went all the way to the closure, but I didn't feel the need.

We went back just the way we came.  The road around the lake has nice wide shoulders, plenty of trees, ferns and other greenery.

Rest stop #1 was now #3 on the way back.  A whole bunch of people came in just after me, so I just moved on to make space.

It was a fairly quiet ride back, saw the alpacas, and was looking forward to get back to camp.  However, the traffic getting through the road work in town just before was a little hair raising. 

The rest was quiet and the whole day was 100 percent dry!

As we entered the camp, we found it had been decorated to celebrate the completion of the tour and 400 miles.  We had a delicious dinner, some awards, and one last night together around the camp fire before going our separate ways.

Wednesday, September 20, Day 5

Within two short turns of the campground, we had to cross a large busy highway.  There was a left turn lane to help achieve that, but it was hair raising to get there.  But, we were dry.

We wound around through farming areas. Almost no one was out and about on the farms that I could see and traffic was fairly light.

Around mile 20, rain started.  I pulled off the road under a tree to put my gear on and continued.  I did less looking at the scenery with the rain. 

Pulling into rest stop #1, it seemed like the rain was stopping, but it was just a momentary lull.  The rest stop was at a winery that still had grapes on the vine.  Fall is harvest time.

Shortly after leaving the stop, the rain returned and eventually started pouring as we were approaching Salem, Oregon's state capitol.  We were on the Oregon Scenic Byway but it was hard to see a thing.  It would probably seem more scenic on a better weather day.

Once in town, I met up with two other riders at the rest stop.  We proceeded together.  The forecast at the time was for the rain to end in another hour.  The turns were a bit tricky in town and particularly when we came to what seemed like the end of a bike trail.  We missed a turn and went about 2 miles before we realized there was a problem.  With directions over the phone, we returned to the intersection and found our way.

True enough, the rain stopped within the hour.  I continued on while the other two cyclists took a short break.  

With dry roads, mostly free of traffic as we returned to a more rural setting, I turned it up to a high gear and booked for the campground.  

Including the detour, it was an 80 mile day!  It was great to finally arrive.  Our afternoon "snack" was some delicious cheese from Rogue Creamery.  Delicious.  We got to enjoy it at a winery just a 1/4 mile away, Lady Hill, where tastings were available.

By the time we returned, dinner was being served.

The picture is of a sign I have seen just here and there in people's yards, like an election sign.  I like the message and will see if I can get one.

Tuesday, September 19, Day 4

There were predictions of serious rain for today, but for the most part we only got a glancing blow.

I headed out of camp, practically the last one and in full rain gear.  We took Peoria Road to Harrisburg.  It was mostly a long, straight road through a farming area.  Much of the ride was flat, including this section of about 23 miles, but there was a strong head wind. 

Head wind is like a climb that never ends.  All I can do is put my head down and pedal on.  I stopped at about mile 15 and took off the rain pants.  There wasn't any rain and I was getting overheated.

I was never so happy to reach a rest stop!  Our stop was sponsored by Mo's, a famous chowder place here.  They didn't have a way to keep the chowder warm, so brought other goodies instead.

What a relief to ride out in a different direction and have no head wind!  It was fabulous and I felt lighter, not having to struggle against the wind.  I finally decided that it was  safe to take the rain jacket off around mile 35.  We traveled through a lovely section with rolling hills, trees, and farms.  This was a favorite section of mine from our rides so far.

Without the wind, I arrived at stop #2 fairly quickly.  The stop was in Browsville where much of the movie Stand by Me was filmed.  It seems like a town worth checking out, including a large synagogue with stained glass windows.

Not far beyond the rest stop, I started feeling a little drizzle and thought of how lucky we were to only have drizzle on a day when serious rain was predicted.

Maybe you have already guessed where this story is going.  As I rode further, the size of the drops increased and then so did the speed at which they came.  I was hoping to ride past the clouds because I could see better skies ahead.

Unfortunately, the rain got down to business while I was going up a hill without much shoulder. At the top of the hill, I got out the jacket and started for the pants as well but it seemed to be stopping, so I left the pants in my bag and continued.   After a turn at the bottom of the descent, the rain poured full force, in fact, seemed to be flying sideways right at me. Well, too late for the rain pants now!  I was in the thick of it.  Not only was there no place to pull over and put them on, there was no use, I was already soaked.

I still had the booties on, but the force of the rain meant that the water ran inside them anyway.  Fortunately, the cloud burst was short lived.  I dried out pretty quickly except for the shoes and socks which staying sopping wet.

I continued along great terrain, saw some sheep and ducks and enjoying myself again.

Somewhere around mile 57, I made a turn and went smack into another terrible head wind.  It was taking a lot of effort to make any progress, but at least the drizzling had stopped and the sun was out.  I pulled into a driveway of sorts and took off the rain jacket and booties.  I was hoping that the strong winds would dry my sodden socks and shoes.  That was not wholly a success, but they did get drier.

At that point, all I could do was put my head down and turn the pedals and hopefully the next turn in the road would get me out of the wind. 

At the last turn, my wish was granted and it was like the wind didn't exist!  I cranked up the gears and sped down the road to camp.  I got up to 24 MPH at one point, which leads me to believe that I had a tail wind.

After the ride, I stopped by the massage therapist's tent for a massage.  My neck was quite sore and tight, which typically happens after multiple days of riding.  One's position on a bike isn't natural and it will get to you.  For me the neck can be much more uncomfortable than the legs.

Rain returned while I was getting a massage.  I'm thankful to the person who brought in the towel that I had put out to dry.

The picture is of rest stop #1.  Old fashioned gazebo next to a river.

Day 3 picture

The campground turned out to be right next to a pot farm.

Monday, September 18, Day 3

I woke up earlier than expected when the caterer cranked  up her generator to start breakfast.  I tried going back to sleep,now but it wasn't working.

After it poured on us most of yesterday and overnight, everyone geared up in all the rain wear; there were coats, jackets, pants, hats, booties and more.  We gathered around the camp fire to warm up and dry out.

My shoes were almost totally dry, which was the most important thing for me.  We put them around the fire last night.  The heel of one of my shoes got somewhat melted but it is still functional since the clip-in part is the most important part.  Mine was not the only one that got a little melty.

As we ate breakfast, the rain stopped for a bit and some wondered if we might be avoiding the rain.  About 9 miles along, I took off my jacket because I was feeling overheated and there was no rain yet, but I probably didn't even go a mile when the rain started.

With my jacket back on, I continued along the route.  There were some small family farms, plenty of trees, and a great quiet road.  It was a surprise when I rode past an area that was clear cut.  There weren't large swaths cut, but a section here and there.

After a while, I came to a mostly dirt road.  It had some gravel and a small amount of very bad asphalt.  Not counting a few areas where the mud was mushy and sucked the tires a bit, it wasn't bad at all.  I was cautious with the speed downhill and only one car came along.

After the dirt road, we continued on some tree lined roads that were lovely and green.  We passed through the tiny town of Nashville and did some climbing and rolling hills up to the town of Summit.

The rain was light and, coming off and on, so very manageable, but I was glad to keep my gear on the rest of the day.

At mile 26 we were shuttled 10 miles due to the bad condition of the road from a construction project.  As we set out from there, we were immdiately hit by a very strong rain cell, but fortunately it didn't last that long.  We rolled through farming areas until the outskirts of Corvallis where we got on a local bike path. We wound through town and had our second rest stop right in downtown just next to Oregon State University.

We took a break for lunch then rode the last 10 miles to camp, just barely beating another heavy cell.

Rain had continued on and off, sometimes pouring for long periods as we sat around the camp fire.

Weather report for tomorrow is rain overnight and through much of the day.

Day 1 picture

I had to remove this picture before the text would post for my day 1 entry.  Now, I'm posting the picture separately.  I took this between Lincoln City and Depoe Bay.

When I return home, I will add the other pictures with the text.

Sunday, September 17, Day 2

Rain was predicted for day two, so we left as early as we could to try to get as far as possible before it started.  I was hoping that by carrying all my gear that would prevent the rain from coming, but that didn't happen.

We cycled to Newport and went through town and then around Yaquina Lake.  Great views of boats, tree-lined hills in the near distance, just near the end of our ride around was a climb to wake us up. That lead into the town of Toledo and rest stop #1.

From here was an out and back loop.  I had been riding with Dave and followed him out of the stop.  We got a little way out of town and Dave took off.  I rode on for about 10 miles and expected to see the fast people heading back on the loop but never did. To my surprise, I ended up at rest stop #3. Turns out, we missed the turn to do the loop and were most of the way to camp!

At that point, with rain coming down (and not expected to stop) I wasn't going to go back for it.  I put on my rain jacket and pants but not the booties because I didn't want to get overheated.  I continued on to camp in the rain. I arrived just as they were setting up, with on Dave ahead of me.

When the truck with the equipment arrived, I got my tent and set it up while there was still a dry spot under a tree.

We started a campfire and started to dry out/warm up.  Gradually, soggy riders came into camp.  We had pop up covers/tents to keep us dry so that we could huddle around the fire. 

It was very rainy and wet but we had a good time.

Rain continued almost all night. Rain coming down on a tent is quite loud, so I woke up a few times during the night and then early in the morning when the generator for the caterer started up.

I'll post pictures separately to make sure the entries are able to get up.

Saturday, September 16, Day 1 (the real post)

I tried several times to post this entry on Saturday with no luck.  I'm trying this again without any photos to see if that works any better.  In a case, the earliest it will be posted is Monday because there's no phone service at the Moonshine campground, our day two overnight.

When our route got changed at the last minute, there weren't a lot of options, but we were welcomed with open arms by the Spirit Mountain Casino in Grand Ronde.

We rode out from the casino in brisk morning air after a group photo. Initially, we were on busier highways but then moved to quieter country roads. 

The sun came out and we warmed up as we rode.  We passed some nice scenery, almost all new to this ride, but my favorite spot was Slab Creek Road, which we have done before.  This time we had a dry day and plenty of sunlight.  At one time in the distant past, it was part of old 101, now a quiet road that runs through a national forrest.

It was peaceful and relaxing despite being a climb.  Compared to climbs we do at home, it low-moderate.  Hardly a car passed in either direction and trees and ferns everywhere.

Following that we skirted most of the town of Lincoln City by going around the lake.  Good views of the lake and nice houses surrounding.

We did have a stretch on 101, but the traffic wasn't so bad considering it was a Saturday and people inland were coming west to get away from the smoke of the fires.

Although tolerable, it was great to leave 101 behind for the side road that climbs up to Otter Crest.  We have been here as well, but if you are going to repeat an overnight spot, it should be here. Fantastic view of the ocean from the cliffs above. 

I could hear the waves while I typed my original message (but also some snoring, too. 

Saturday, September 16, Day 1

I made numerous attempts to post this entry and failed.  It's going to have to wait for 2 days.  Tomorrow we won't have any service at the campground.  I'll have to post days 1-3 on day 3.

Friday, September 15, Day 0

We spent almost the entire day driving.  The new start location was about 1 hr 45 minutes further than the original, but we couldn't really alter our start time, so we arrived just before 7 pm, missing the welcome meeting.

We checked in for the ride and then ate dinner at the hotel.  Although I hoped to turn in early, after dinner and all the prep, it was 11 pm when we turned in.

Two Weeks to Go

9/2 Training ride: Cancelled due to excessive heat and poor air quality.  A heat advisory was called for the entire Bay Area through Saturday night.  Temperatures soared.  San Francisco had two consecutive days over 100 degrees!  I went to a spin class Saturday morning where the AC was on full blast and it was nice and cool.

9/4 Substitute training Ride:  Temperatures had come down to normal-warm.  Mary and I decided to do a 60 mile ride that would mostly hug the coast.  We left from Nicasio and headed over Platform Bridge and out to western Marin via Sir Francis Drake Blvd.  It was somewhat muggy and warm, but reasonable.  The further west we got, the cooler and winder it got.  We were headed for the lighthouse above Drake's Beach, but found the wind so difficult that we decided to stop where Sir Francis Drake goes off to the right (west) and Drake's Beach Road goes straight.  In addition to some strong headwinds, we were also experiencing a lot of cross winds, making it difficult to maintain a predictable line while riding, in turn making it difficult for the cars trying to go around us.  I had some concerns about this as well as being blown off the road.

The wind receded as we headed back, with a detour through Pt. Reyes Station.  On Pt. Reyes-Petaluma highway we started getting some random rain drops, which turned into full-on rain with big, fat drops on Nicasio Valley Road.  We had considered adding some miles from Nicasio on Lucas Valley Road to make up for the 10 we cut off by not going to the lighthouse, but with the rain, we decided not to.

As it turned out, the rain stopped not long after we left in the car.  Traffic-wise, it was probably better to have gotten on the road earlier than later as it would have been if we added the miles.  No pictures from this ride, but below is one from the last few weeks where I am wearing the same clothes ; )

It's me at Castro Ranch Rd and Alhambra Valley Rd.

9/6 mid-week evening training ride:  I hit my usual route earlier than previous weeks so that I could get home before dark.  Due to the elevated humidity, I thought it might be a pretty warm ride, but mostly it was quite pleasant.  Skies were grey, but otherwise it was a nice night to be out.  Traffic was a little heavier, especially on Happy Valley than I have been experiencing, but that was probably because I was out a half hour or more earlier and experiencing some commuter traffic. 

After all the heat we have had recently, I expected Orinda to be warmer than it was, but still nice.  I ran into someone from my bike club as I was waiting for the signal to turn from San Pablo Dam Rd. to Wildcat.  It is a large club with over 600 members, so I don't know many of the members, but he had the Grizzly Peak Cyclist jersey on.  We chatted about the weather for a minute and I was about to ask him if he was our new club president, whom I have only seen once, but didn't get the chance.  From his tan extremities and lack of any body fat, I suspected that he would be pretty fast up the hills and he sure was.  It didn't take long for him to be out of sight.

As in the past, as soon as I rounded the last bit of the climb before Inspiration Point, I could feel the cold air crank up and see heavy fog blowing in.  It is amazing how the weather changes right at that spot.  For a brief period it was hard to see due to the dense fog!  It was also condensing on the trees and then dropping on me like rain.  Fortunately, the heavy fog didn't last too long and I was well clear of it before the Brazilian Room.  The rest was literally all down hill from there.

9/9 Training ride:  Eleanor, Ray, and I met at the steam trains in Tilden Park.  It was a little foggy when I got started, but it got pea soup foggy by the time I got to the steam trains.  Thank goodness for the little light I always have on the back of my helmet for when I stumble into situations where I need to be seen and wasn't expecting it.  I am also thankful for the cars that had their headlights on.  There was times when I could barely make out cars in the opposing land.  I also have to wonder what was going on with those folks who didn't put their lights on.  The left turn off Grizzly Peak into the steam trains parking lot was a bit treacherous with such heavy fog.  Cars traveling the other direction were so hard to see that I could have turned right in front of one.

My estimate of how long it would take to ride from my house to the steam trains was off and I was running late, but not too bad.

We descended South Park Rd. and, although cold, we were out of the fog right away.  By Inspiration Point, the sun was starting to burn through.  We proceeded to San Pablo Dam Rd. and continued into Moraga.  Along the way, some strange guy tried to attach himself to our ride.  I don't mind inviting new people that I meet along the way to join a ride I am on, but I definitely don't like someone forcing their presence on me and getting in my "personal space."  I picked up my pace enough to drop him, but he was very persistent and when I got a couple of red lights and then slowed for a turn and to locate our re-group spot, he caught me.  Fortunately, when he saw that I was getting off my bike and sitting down at a cafe, he left, but he did follow me right up onto the sidewalk in front of the cafe.

We had a nice break at Si Si Cafe on School Street and from there could easily get on a bike path and then a dirt path that took us past the closure on Canyon Rd.  We continued on Canyon and then ascended the south side of Pinehurst, continuing on Redwood Rd. and then proceeding up to Skyline for another re-group.  I haven't been on those paths ever, so that was interesting to learn and haven't been up that side of Pinehurst in years, which was a nice change of pace. 

At Skyline, we each took a different route, depending on our distance and climbing goals for the day.  I continued on Skyline through Redwood Regional Park and beyond to Grizzly Peak and then home again.

I didn't take any pretty landscape photos or shots of us riders, but I did get a few shots of things seen along the way.  This one is a picture of heavy equipment at Skyline and Grizzly Peak in the exact spot where we had our bake sale a few weeks ago.

A "Berkeley Stands United Against Hate" sign in the window of a house in the hills.

 

Just a few blocks from my house, I stopped to consider this free couch.  I'm not handy so decided not to return for it.  It needed it's back leg(s) reattached and the hole was stripped already. 

What's Happening in Oregon??!?

I haven't seen much national news in a while (like since November), so it was a shock to me that fires were ravaging Oregon and "Forty-four percent of acres burning nationally are in Oregon.  Fifty percent of individuals fighting fires nationally are in Oregon and Washington.  Eight of the highest trained firefighting teams in the nation are working on the fires in Oregon.  These fires are spread throughout the entire state, with the heaviest fires being in central and southern Oregon..."  (from Cycle Oregon website).  This would have been the 30th year for Cycle Oregon's annual bike tour but fires would have impacted almost every day of their tour, so it was canceled late last week.  Their tour was scheduled to begin this weekend (9/10).

The route the Arthritis Bike Classic-Oregon will take appeared to be safe when I checked with our tour director, but since that time we have been informed that day 1-3 are being rerouted.  Days 4-6, so far, will remain the same.  At this time the tour is not being threatened with cancellation.  Rider and crew safety are the utmost concern.


Real time wildfire map provided by the Oregonian:
http://projects.oregonlive.com/wildfires/map#6/39.198/-112.061

Keep good thoughts for the people in Oregon, including those fighting the fires.

Champion's Ale to Benefit the Arthritis Foundation

Rogue Brewery, a sponsor of our bike tour, introduced Champion's Ale in August.  Throughout the month, they will donate $1 for every pint ordered.  The only local place to find it is at Rogue Ales San Francisco Public House at 673 Union Street in San Francisco.

August has sped by very quickly for me and I can't believe it is almost over!  If you have a chance to stop by in San Francisco or one of these places in Oregon if you are in that area:
Rogue Brewer's on the Bay in Newport
Rogue Ales Bayfront in Newport
Rogue Hall in Portland

Drink up for a good cause!

One Month to Go

The last month before the bike tour takes place gets really busy.  On August 21, school started at the college where I work and that meant a lot of extra hours interpreting, making for a long week.  Once the craziness of the new semester settles down, I've really got to concentrate on keeping a reasonable training schedule, making sure I have what I need for the trip, fundraising (I'm less than $900 from my goal of $5,000), keeping up with other commitments I already have in life, etc.


After work training ride on 8/16.  A number of us had not ridden together in quite some time, so it was good that almost all of the Wild Kitties were able to participate.  We took our usual route of up Tunnel Rd (becomes Skyline), up Grizzly Peak, through Tilden Park by the Golf Course, and Wildcat down to San Pablo Dam Rd., then returning via BART at the Orinda station.  Cool and foggy on this side of the tunnel, pleasantly warm with a little sun on the other.  We did have to turn on our lights before the end of the ride, but it was not dark while on the road.  20 miles and 2200 feet of elevation gain.

Beth at the end of our ride.

Eleanor, Nancy, and Mary ready to return via BART.

Training ride on 8/19.  I had tickets to a performance in the evening, so I wanted to stay close to home and did not join the official group ride leaving from Moss Landing and doing Elkhorn Slough.  Instead Eleanor, Mary, Ray and I met at the Orinda BART station, headed out to Crockett, through Martinez and returned via Pig Farm Hill and the Three Bears.  Fortunately, not too hot.  50 miles and 3900 feet of elevation gain.

On our way past the intersection of Castro Ranch Road and Alhambra Valley Road, I stopped to check the progress on the repairs following the collapse during the winter rains.  As you can see here, lots going on, but hard to see the exact spot that is being repaired.  I believe it is supposed to be finished just as we are completing the bike tour.

Team Cycling4Fun Bake Sale 8/20!  As part of our fundraising efforts, we hosted a bake sale at the intersection of Grizzly Peak Blvd. and Skyline, right on the edge of Berkeley and Oakland, in the hills.  This is a common area for cyclists to come through.  All of us on the team have stopped at this spot many times to re-group, catch our breath, or just ponder which way to go next.  We knew there would be a lot of cyclist traffic here, but had no idea how many people really do go through this spot on a weekend morning.

We had lots of treats to choose from.  Eleanor works in a place with a commercial kitchen, so she and some co-workers really cranked out the chocolate chip cookies.  Other items included brownies, snickerdoodles, oatmeal raisin cookies, molasses cookies, apricot bars, lemon bars, mocha cake, fresh squeezed lemonade, and for those who didn't want gluten or sugar, hard boiled eggs.

Trays of chocolate chip cookies waiting to be baked at Eleanor's commercial kitchen.

Nancy and Ray flagging down cyclists and drivers.  We were not successful with car drivers, perhaps only  2 or 3 stopped, but Ray did run across the street to sell something to some motorcyclists.  Fortunately, there were plenty of bicyclists.

Mary and Eleanor at your service.

Eleanor in a sunny spot.

We could have sold more items, but it seems that many cyclists go cashless on rides.  Next time we will have to figure out a way to take electronic payments that doesn't have costly fees or require internet access.  This area is spotty for phone connections.


Mid-week after-work training ride 8/23:  Although the Wild Kitty get-together the previous week was good, there was a lot of overhead for me to be able to participate right from work.  As a result, I went out on my own for this ride and will probably do so once a week until we drive up to Oregon.  When I ride alone, I leave from my home in El Cerrito, travel through the Berkeley hills out to Bear Creek Road (AKA The Three Bears) and go up and over Papa Bear only, then take a right on Happy Valley and climb that into Orinda.  From there, I take some neighborhood streets down to the recently repaired and re-opened Miner Road and then return via Wildcat.  It is almost 28 miles and about 3,000 feet of climbing. 

I was home by 8 pm to a crock pot dinner.  Nothing like a hot meal waiting at the end of an evening ride, even if I had to prepare it the night before.  Sorry, no photos; I was in a hurry to get home by 8.  I had told I friend I was going out alone and instructed her that if I wasn't home by 8 pm to start calling my parents and my partner.  She's my back up in case anything really goes wrong.  It gives me peace of mind while out alone that someone knows where I am and is making sure I get home in one piece.  Unfortunately, I had misjudged the arrival time at the time I texted her and I didn't want an all points bulletin going out for me! 

It was cool and foggy from my side until about Inspiration Point, then blue skies and pleasant temps on the other side.  On the return, a jacket was definitely necessary after Inspiration Point since it is almost completely down hill from there and temperatures are definitely dropping at that time of night.


Local Training Ride again 8/26.  No training group ride was offered due to a competing commitment that our group leader had, but Mary, Beth and I went out for a local ride.  Whew, what a hot day it turned out to be!  And I was tired, too because I did a spin class the night before.  Anyway, we sort-of reversed our ride from the previous weekend with a few changes thrown in for variety.  I envisioned moving through the hottest parts early enough that they wouldn't be a problem and then ride close enough to the bay to have cooler temps and a breeze.  That only partly worked out.  We made good time and were at the top of Pig Farm Hill early enough that I thought we could be in Pinole by noonish, but that isn't how it played out.

Pig Farm Hill has continuing road work.  Although no crews were out last weekend, they were working this time.  According to the signs, they are scheduled to be working in that area beyond mid-October.  The flagger controlling traffic was a sweet guy who wished us all a lovely day.  It was a hot climb on a steep hill, but fortunately not too long.  The flagger's sign showing "slow" was not a problem for us.

We had some misdirection where Alhambra Valley Rd. turns left.  It was not the first time that day that someone in the group wasn't sure where to go, nor the last.  In any case, after re-grouping, we continued up Franklin Canyon, which didn't have as much shade as I thought it would, but at the same time was not too exposed or hot.  We took McEwen to go down to Crockett and enjoyed the cool breezes briefly as we came through the residential area.

The section after the Dead Fish restaurant all the way to "old town" Pinole, isn't such a great stretch.  It is not that conducive to re-grouping and also moved somewhat away from the bay, so not as cool as we had hoped.  It was quite warm in Pinole, up Castro Ranch and throughout El Sobrante.  While waiting for a stoplight to change in downtown El Sobrante, I remember thinking, "I can't believe it is so hot here!  When is it going to get cool?"  With the change of the light, I headed up a steep, but not too long climb.  Approaching a ridge on the climb brought the cool breezes I had been looking forward to for some time.  While cycling home through Richmond, I could feel the temperature dropping.  I'm not usually very thankful for the cold wind that we get where I live.  Mostly I find it too cold and with the fog somewhat depressing, but it was a welcome relief today.

That was a 4 water bottle ride!  About 60 miles and around 4,700 feet of climbing for me because I rode to the start from home.  Quite a lot for such a hot day.  Also another no-picture ride.  I spent all my non-riding time standing in the shade and drinking water.


Mid-week after-work training ride 8/30:  This was a repeat of my ride alone on 8/23.  It was a beautiful night for a ride.  There wasn't even any fog when I left El Cerrito.  In fact, it was pretty warm up those climbs.  I used to hate riding alone, but last season I had to start doing it or I wouldn't have gotten the training in.  Although I still prefer to ride with others, sometimes a ride alone is relaxing and comforting, especially on a familiar route and good conditions.

I like this route because there a lot less cars, at least on a week night, than on so many routes, so it feels quieter than many rides.  At the same time, the route isn't so isolated that I feel worried if something were to happen to me or my equipment.

Lovely temps and blue skies almost the entire way.  However, Inspiration Point is the dividing line between central county weather and west county weather.  As I approached the top of the climb on Wildcat on my return, there is a slight curve in the road.  As soon as I entered the curve, I would feel cooler temperatures and wind picking up.  I stopped briefly to put on my jacket for the descending.  Unfortunately, I left work a little later than I had planned and then BART was having some delays, so I got home later than expected and started the ride later.  I still had about 25 minutes to go until home from Inspiration Point and darkness was coming on.  The difference between getting home at 8 and 8:20 was really noticeable.  Next week I'll have to leave work earlier.  Because I was losing light, I didn't stop for any photos.

This picture is from two weeks ago.  I thought I would throw it in so this last part wouldn't be all text.  I'm at the Orinda BART station.

Summer Riding Part Two

More pictures from rides this summer...

7/29  Ride from Danville up to the summit of Mt. Diablo and back.  A small but intrepid group.  Temps were warm but there was a cool breeze for much of it.  Tons of dragonflies at the summit.  My camera is not good enough to get a picture of them, but it was something to see.

View from the summit

Mary A. stretching ballet barre style at the junction.

This guy is telling Mary N. about how hot it was on the mountain last weekend and about another ride he started recently that was so hot they turned back.  (It seems the forecast for where he was going was for over 110 degrees--I wouldn't have even started that ride.)  That's Beth in the background making deer antlers.

8/2 was my final Wednesday ride with Grizzly Peak Cyclists for the summer was to Heart's Desire beach in west Marin.  I started in San Rafael, met the group in Nicasio, continued together to the beach.  Weather at the beach was lovely.

Plenty of folks enjoying the beach today.

We took a group picture after our lunch at the beach.

It was a big group.  I'm in the back with the blue cap on.

The group returned via a stop at Pt. Reyes Station and the Bovine Bakery, but since I had ice cream the night before and plans to visit a friend in Santa Rosa after the ride, I passed on the bakery and returned via the Olema Hill, through Nicasio and back to San Rafael.

On 8/5 the Arthritis Foundation training group went to the South Bay:  Los Gatos to Capitola up Mt. Charlie and back.  It started out pretty warm in Los Gatos at 8:30 am, but it was a pleasant ride out from Alma Dam at the Lexington Reservoir to the Old Santa Cruz Highway.  After the first 2 miles, it was primarily climbing up to Summit Road.  I love the Santa Cruz mountains and today was a gorgeous day.

We had a fast 10 mile down hill into Soquel and break at Gayle's Bakery.  The place is famous and has the crowds to prove it.  From here, we went through town, into Santa Cruz, along the coast and then headed away from the ocean breezes to Scotts Valley.  

We are on a break before the climb up Mt. Charlie.  It was fairly warm, but not too bad, especially in the shade.  Fortunately, the climb had quite a bit of shade.

 Mountain Charlie Road was an early mountain road in the area.  What is left of it is in two segments.  We hit both parts.  As soon as we turned on to it, the road starts climbing.  The lower part isn't so bad, but there are some short, steep segments of up to 18% grade as one goes higher.  Fortunately, some flat sections are also interspersed up to the top.  It is a lightly traveled, narrow one-lane road, sometimes hard to tell it  from the driveways; in fact, I did mistakenly head up someone's driveway when the road turned. The surface is poor, but since we were going at such slow speeds and not one car came by in either direction, it is fairly easy to steer around the worst parts.  Going down hill requires more care, to avoid the worst sections of road.  Also, you have to get on to Summit briefly in order to continue on Mt. Charlie Rd. all the way to Old Santa Cruz Highway, from which we retraced our morning route.

Mt. Charlie Rd. is named for a real person.  A brief summary of his story is at http://www.beal-net.com/hwy17/charlie.html.

Here we are at the end enjoying some cool beverages and watermelon.

 8/12:  Saratoga--Boulder Creek--Big Basin.  This is a big ride.  It was posted on our training site like this, "big redwoods, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, big climbs, and big descents."  All of which are true.  Although a tough ride due to the overall elevation gain of 6,000+ feet, it is beautiful.  We do this ride annual near the end of the training season so that people are ready for the amount of climbing.  This year, the route had to be altered due to a collapse on Skyline (highway 35).

The ride starts with a 7 mile climb up highway 9/Big Basin Rd.  Highway 9 has had a one lane only section controlled by timed signals for the last few years due to road work.  It is still there. 

When cyclists get to the light controlling the one lane section, pushing the button will allow for extra time to get to the other side that if there were only cars.

 At the top of the climb, we crossed over Skyline and headed down highway 9 and continued down hill into the town of Boulder Creek.  Normally, we would take a more circuitous route along Skyline and Bear Creek Rd. but due to the collapse on Skyline, highway 9 is the only way to Boulder Creek.  This shaved off a few miles, but not enough to matter.  After getting really sweaty climbing up 9, the ride down the other side felt really chilly as the fog came in in some places and speeds were high.  I took a brief break and Boulder Creek to pick up a sandwich for later and then we took Big Basin Rd. 

Big Basin Rd. is fairly quiet, mildly winding road that goes all the way to the main entrance of the state park.  The main ranger station is a good place to stop for water refills and the restroom.  Also a great op location with a giant hollowed out tree right there.  Normally, we take a picture there, but not this year as about half the group took the "short cut" back via highway 9 and didn't come this way.

From the park, the road continues similarly with the road getting narrower, only one lane in some places.  It is typically fairly quiet on this section but seemed quite busy today.  Perhaps people are trying to catch a final weekend getaway before kids start school or maybe it is because Skyline does not go through and people are taking an alternate route.  Still a lovely ride. 

At the Big Basin State Park sign as we exit the park.

 After reaching the top of the climb, there is a speedy down hill back to highway 9 and then another climb up highway 9.  Although I came down this road in the morning, it had a whole different look slowly climbing up in the afternoon.  Often this section up to Skyline is quite hot, but we were blessed with a cool breeze and more shade than I remembered.

Once we crossed over Skyline, it was the big pay off, 7 miles all down hill to the car!

Group at the end of ride.

What's coming in the Fall?

Of course I will be on the Arthritis Foundation bike tour in mid-September.  More information is available at http://oregonbikeclassic.kintera.org/.  The site has route details for the tour was well as other information.

If you would like to ride for the Arthritis Foundation, but need something shorter and closer to home, try the one-day ride in Pescadero on October 8.  More information is available at: http://arthritisbikeclassicpescadero.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1169677.  Participants can choose from 4 fully supported, routes: 16, 25, 41 and 63 miles. The 16 mile route has 600+ feet of climbing. This beautiful ride features coastal views, few people, and even fewer cars. Great as an out and back to avoid riding on HWY 1. The 25 and 41 milers will take you through coastal hills, mighty redwood forests and amazing views. The 41 mile route also includes the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. The 61 mile route is a coastal classic. South from Pescadero to the coast, up HWY 1, through Pescadero to Stage Road, onto Tunitas Rad, Skyline, West Highway 84, over Haskins Hill and back to the Harley Goat Farm where a wonderful, organic meal will be waiting for you along with awards, presentations and a goat impersonation contest.

If you missed Pedalfest, you can support Bike East Bay, the Oakland Grand Fondo takes place on October 1.  Tackle the East Bay hills on the 28-, 55-, or 80-mile routes, which feature golden hills, redwood forests, and sweeping bay views. Or ride with the whole family on the 13.5 mile Fun Fondo route along the Oakland Waterfront. Ride proceeds benefit Bike East Bay's <https://bikeeastbay.org/> work to improve your ride through advocacy, education, and fun events.  This is a fully supported ride with a post-ride feast and cycling expo at Jack London Square at the end.

Or try the Mt. Diablo Challenge, put on by Valley Spokesmen also on October 8.  You can race to the top with the competitive riders and vie for a prize or join the recreational riders looking for a challenge.  More information is at http://www.mountdiablochallenge.org/.

The Tour of the Sacramento River Delta, also by Valley Spokesmen, which I mentioned in my fall post will take place October 14 & 15.  More information is available at: http://valleyspokesmen.org/event-2454976

New Cycling Activities this Summer

I have two new activities this summer that also contribute to my training for the fall Arthritis Foundation Tour in September.
 
If you saw the blog entry about spring riding, you will see that I took up riding a tandem with my neighbor, Kit.  She and I took a break in May, but resumed tandem riding in June.  BORP (Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program) at Aquatic Park in Berkeley loans adaptive bikes to those who need something a little special.

Getting ready to take off from BORP for a tandem ride.

View from Yerba Buena Island back toward Bay Bridge.  I took this photo on one of the rides Kit and I have done this summer.  If you didn't know, the Bay Bridge bike path now connects to Yerba Buena Island!

BORP’s Adaptive Cycling Center in Berkeley has the country’s largest and most diverse collection of cycles for use by people with physical disabilities. BORP offers orientation and training to new riders, independent use of our cycles, and group rides.  BORP's mission is to advance the lives of people with physical disabilities through sports and recreational activities.  They provide services for all kinds of sports.

For more information about BORP's cycling program or to become a captain for a rider with a visual impairment, check out their site: http://www.borp.org/programs/adaptive-cycling/

Also this training season I've added spin classes at CycleBar in Berkeley, a new experience for me.  I have enjoyed adding this activity to my regular riding.  No need to be a cyclist to take their classes.  Plenty of people there never hit the road on a bike.  If you have been thinking about trying it, they offer a good package for new students.

With Cycle Bar instructor Cat after a work out

Summer Riding

In mid-May, I took a trip to Paris for a little over a week.  I visited a friend who had taken an apartment there for 6 months to study French.  I missed two weekly Saturday rides and then got sick when I returned, so missed another weekend.  I didn't do any real riding in Paris although they have an excellent short-distance bike rental for people to get from place to place when the bus, metro or walking doesn't suit.  Not many people in Paris own cars.  I thought about using one of these bikes, but in the end, it seemed like navigating would be a challenge since the bikes are meant for locals who know where they are going and not tourists.  I did ride a short amount when I visited Versailles.

Velib rental bikes available throughout Paris.  If you see a seat turned backward, it means there is some kind of mechanical problem.

On the grounds at Versailles.

By late May cyclists were eagerly awaiting the repair of roads that were damaged or destroyed during the winter, but in fact some were just becoming off limits such as the bridge between Moraga and the town of Canyon.  Closed roads included Alhambra Valley, Calaveras, Palomares, Canyon, and Redwood.  For more information about these roads and to get road condition information, the Bike East Bay site is helpful: https://bikeeastbay.org/classic-east-bay-rides-washed-out-winter-rains

 Summer Rides so far:

Training group meeting at Mike's Bikes in Sausalito.

After climbing up through Mill Valley and Panoramic Highway.  We are about to enter Mt. Tam State Park.

View from top of Pan Toll Rd.  Frequently clouds and fog roll in from the beach.

Kim at Alpine Dam.  Just one more climb before arriving in Fairfax.

Road work in process near the top of Pig Farm Hill.  It was open, but traffic was limited to one lane for a short distance.  Temporary signals were controlling the flow of traffic.  This work was to improve sight lines near the top of the hill and reduce collisions, not due to rain.

Picture are Team Also Touch (past and present) and friends.  For many years Dwight and Maria (on the left) have led team Also Touch in honor of their daughter Christiana who died at the age of 10 from complications related to arthritis.  This will be their last year riding for the Arthritis Foundation, but will be involved in other ways to continue to support the cause.  They hosted a ride in early July and then a BBQ following at their house.

Members of the training group plus Dr. Christine, a local rheumatologist and former Olympic cycling champion.  We completed a one-day ride in Marin to support the Arthritis Foundation.  It was a hot day, but much of the route was at or near the coast.  The last 10 miles inland, however, was a doozy.  Good work, Patt, for a successful event.

It is hard to tell, but those are water buffalo behind me.  Their milk is used to make buffalo mozzarella cheese (common in Italy but not so much here).  We had a rest stop at Ramini ranch in Tomales.  Look for their cheese of the same name.

View from our start/end point, Stafford Lake in Novato.  The regional park also has a small pump track with jumps for those who like those kinds of bicycle activities.

Another view at Stafford Lake.

In addition to our training group, I also do rides with the Grizzly Peak cyclists during training season.  I typically go out every Wednesday while I am off duty from work and other weekend rides.

View from a lunch/birthday cake stop on a Wednesday ride in Tiburon.

Also in Tiburon.

Group picture from a recent ride in the Santa Cruz area.  It was a lovely day.  One road that we planned to use was totally out of commission and we had to find a new road to get back on track, which involved some steep climbing followed by a steep descent on a neglected road.

Here is the group doing the longer route taking a break in Corralitos before the long climb up Eureka Valley Rd and Highland Rd.

In support of Bike East Bay (formerly East Bay Bike Coalition) we took a trip to their Pedalfest at Jack London Square in mid-July.  There were lots of interesting bike related booths, demonstrations, performances, and other hard to categorize activities.

Mary trying a cargo bike.

A bike covered in crochet.