Frozen Through Marin

It was a chilly 33 degrees as we started on today's cycling venture to Sebastopol, Occidental, Valley Ford, and Marin County. After running over some glass on the Joe Rodota Trail, we quickly changed my flat tire courtesy of our new friend, the CO2 cartridge "pump". The three of us were freezing cold even with our underarmour, heavy gloves, and hot determination. Before the Graton Road climb, we stopped at the cemetery for some "relief", stretching, Gu, and water. This was Peder's first ascent up Graton and he did a killer job, particularly since his bike only has a double crank-set (Leslie and I were comfortably in our triple "granny gear" the whole time). The sun began to shine as we approached Occidental, only to find that Leslie now had a flat tire. After a quick tube replacement (thanks again CO2 pump), we were off to the Freestone Bakery for some sticky buns. These monster pastries must have weighed 3 pounds each and there was no way we could finish 'em. We crossed the Marin County line admiring the beautiful landscapes, rolling hills, and an abundance of sheep (with their little lambs). On Franklin School Road, Peder's bike had mechanical failure (the idler pulley/rear derailleur snapped off) and had to call home for SAG support. While waiting for Peder's ride, we observed several vultures devouring a baby lamb (as the mother sheep watched, how sad). Leslie and I continued the ride proceeding to climb the Whittaker Bluff and Highway 1 (Shoreline) hills. We made our way towards Sebastopol on the infamous Bloomfield Road (where Leslie crashed a few months earlier). We stopped at "the scene" to examine the road and thank the folks who helped her out that day. After a round of hugs, we continued on the laborious route and non-stop grades of Bloomfield Road and Pleasant Hill ending in Sebastopol. Before jumping on the Joe Rodota trail back home, we enjoyed croissants and biscotti at Coffee Katz. It was a crisp and beautiful day! We cycled over 62 miles (a metric Century). Wahoo!