Pine Flat/Geysers/Cloverdale (in the rain)

It was a rainy morning as Sarah W, Barb, Phil, Tom, Mike, Paul, Gayle, Sarah B, and I departed from Healdsburg City Hall for some Sonoma County climbing. I was not prepared for the inclement weather, but Mike loaned me a spare jacket which saved the day. The mist turned to showers as we made our way down Healdsburg Avenue and on to Alexander Valley Road to Pine Flat. The climb up Pine Flat was cool and the occasional cloud-break gave us hope that the weather would eventually improve. We met near the top for some re-hydration, food, and a round of “high-fives” (see photo). The descent was slow as we carefully navigated the slippery road downhill. Half way down, my rear gear cassette literally fell apart. Luckily Mike had the tools and expertise to repair it on-the-fly so that the ride could continue. At the bottom, we made our way toward Red Winery Road and on to our next climb, the Geysers. Without hesitation, we began climbing towards Cloverdale. The views were spectacular as the rain subsided and bright blue/green vistas opened up. Our group stayed together amidst the challenging grade and washed out roads. At Geysers Ranch, we regrouped for another round of goodies before continuing up the second peak to the summit. At the top, you could look down at the miles of winding road we had just climbed (photo). The sun began drying the pavement just in time for our 13 mile descent into Cloverdale. The spectacular views of steaming Geysers and beautiful green backdrops took our minds off of our collective throbbing legs. The descent was a well-deserved break and felt like an never-ending roller coaster ride. Once in Cloverdale, we took River Road through downtown and on to a long rolling stretch of Asti Road. We made our way towards downtown Healdsburg via Geyserville, Lytton Springs, and Healdsburg Avenues and back to City Hall. We celebrated our 7,163 feet of climbing covering 71 miles by indulging ourselves with sandwiches and garlic fries at Bear Republic (Healdsburg). Yummy!