Point Reyes/Mount Vision

Peloton: Sarah, Adam, Phillip, Michael, Sarah, Renee, Steve, Graham, Jen, Michael, Will, Eric, Ben, Linda, Gayle, Phil R, John, Theresa, Mark, Jean, and Shaun.
Place: Olema, Inverness, Marshall, Tomales Bay, Point Reyes, and Mount Vision.
Particulars: It was a cool overcast day (we dodged the rain again) perfect for climbing but very windy. I was testing my new Trek Madone (with compact double gearing) and latest Garmin GPS unit. Without stopping, we passed the Busy Bee Bakery outbound as we made our way through Point Reyes National Seashore. There was lots of climbing with awesome coastal ocean views. Our crew had several technical difficulties including Phil’s traveling chain and Steve’s busted frame with a road closure (which we bypassed) on our way to the lighthouse. (luckily, we had the bike repairing talents of Eric) Sarah and I feasted on burgers and sweet potato fries on our way home through Petaluma. A great day!
Performance: We cycled for 5 hours covering 67.83 miles reaching speeds of 42.2 mph (13.5 average speed) with 8,580 feet of climbing.

Tomales Sticky Bun Ride

A dozen riders for a dozen sticky buns! Today’s peloton of Adam, Ben, Eric, Gayle, Jean, Jen Linda, Mike, Phil B, Phil R, Shaun, and Steve began our adventure from Santa Rosa’s Finley Park on College Avenue and headed towards Graton via Fulton/Hall/Sanford and Occidental Roads. At the Mills Station Road turn off, we stopped briefly to shed some extra clothing as the weather warmed up early. It was nice having Len Allaire providing premium SAG support (thanks, buddy). We began the 900 foot climb up Cherry Ridge and Occidental Roads. Eric and Ben effortlessly zoomed ahead while the rest of our pack gradually navigated the climb to the top. The resulting descent was beautiful and the cool breeze felt great as we made our way speeding into the charming town of Occidental. Jen and Steve found themselves with “pinch flats” due to a particularly sharp bump in the Union Hotel parking lot. After a quick tire changing break, our peloton continued the route with another fabulous descent on Bohemian Highway towards Freestone. Herds of cows and sheep populated the countless farms along the route past Bodega Highway into Valley Ford. The road became noticeably smoother as we crossed into Marin County. We ascended the steep incline of Middle Road and enjoyed the resulting rolling terrain and traffic-free roads as we made our way towards Dillon Beach. A final 40+ mph descent took us right into the quaint bayside town of Tomales. Their world famous bakery had prepared a dozen sticky-buns just for our group (by previous arrangement). We rested up, inhaled some pastry, rehydrated, and began another climb onto Shoreline Highway. The area views were magnificent and we enjoyed several mini climbs/descents on Fallon, Gericke, and Valley Ford Roads. We broke into a few pace line packs as we passed the town of Bloomfield on Roblar Road. A slight crosswind made our cycling on Canfield Road a bit more labored, but Phil Bourke strongly took the lead of our pack, pulling us for almost five miles (must be that good Australian blood). We made our way into residential Sebastopol via Pleasant Hill and Lynch Roads with a final, tricky turn onto Gravenstein Highway. We all met up at the Joe Rodota Trail, a beautiful multipurpose off-road pathway, which took us right into Santa Rosa. We cycled back to Finley Park just in time for lunch. Today’s ride was a blast (and delicious) covering 52 miles and 4,700+ feet of climbing though the best of rural Sonoma and Marin Counties. Life is good!

Check out today’s Garmin GPS ride details.

Trinity / Mount Veeder / Napa

Today’s motley cycling crew met at Depot Park in the town of Sonoma and included Cassie, Gayle, Jean, Jen, John, Jon, Linda, Mark, Michael, Phil, Phillip, Rene, Sarah, Shaun, Steve, Theresa, and Will (along with Gary, Sarah, and Emily Burke on SAG). We departed Sonoma via Highway 12 making a gradual climb as we passed through the charming towns of Boyes Hot Springs, Fetters Hot Springs, and Agua Caliente. We took turns leading the speedy pace line and practicing our group riding technique until we arrived at Glen Ellen. The weather warmed up early and our riding group shed the extra jackets, arm warmers, and winter gloves in preparation for a big old climb. A noisy flock of turkeys greeted us as we turned onto the backside of Trinity Road. This high-grade 2,000 foot climb was part of February’s Tour of California Stage 1 Route. As we climbed up Trinity, the names of last month’s racers were still visible (spray painted by fans) on the road. It was encouraging to read, “Go Levi”, “Cancellara”, Cozza, Cozza, Cozza”, “Zabriskie’, and “Hincapie” below our wheels while we navigated our way uphill. The very thought that these world-class racers had just been here made the climb that much more special. The view from atop Trinity was almost as stunning as the screaming descent that followed. At times our downhill speeds reached in excess of 40 mph (Cassie took a little spill navigating the quick, winding descents, but is doing fine now). Our peloton continued on Dry Creek Road and Oakville Grade making our way into Yountville via Highway 29. We enjoyed the relatively flat, well-paved Napa County roads and continued our pace line practice while heading back onto Dry Creek Road in pursuit of our next climb. The temperature warmed significantly as we headed up Mount Veeder Road. With our legs now more acclimated to climbing, the 1,500 foot ascent up this monster seemed almost reasonable. Gayle, Theresa, Jennifer, and I chatted the whole way up. After our final SAG stop, we enjoyed another rollercoaster descent before making our way back to Napa Road via Sonoma Highway. Our peloton of 15 riders reconnected for a final (and dramatic) pace line effort into Sonoma County. We arrived at Depot Park just in time for a delicious potluck lunch to celebrate our climbing victory of 5,959 feet covering 58.7 miles. I feel so privileged to be with such a wonderful group of strong riders in Northern California’s cycling Mecca. Someboday pinch me!! Check out today's Garmin GPS ride details.

Napa County Vineyard Climbing

The day started out sunny and cold as our group met at Lyman Park in beautiful St. Helena. Our Napa County riders included Adam B, Cassie F, Gayle R, Jean W, Jen J, John, John S, Linda N, Mark T, Michael B, Michael K, Phil R, Phillip B, Rene H, Sarah B, Sigrida R, Steve G, Theresa T and me. The first several miles were relatively flat as we took off onto Silverado Trail with a moderate climb up Sage Canyon Road. The gradual ascent continued on Lower Chiles Valley with scenic vineyards displaying their twisted and empty pre-season vines. The temperature began to warm as we hit our first SAG stop (perfect timing to shed some unwanted jackets). As always, Gary spoiled us with a variety of chips, powders, gels, bars, and water (along with Sarah, Emily, and Pearl). We continued our ride with a nice pace line through magnificent Pope Valley before beginning the next climb. We shifted gears to take on the gradual 3-1/2 mile ascent up Ink Grade Road. Our peloton split into several riding groups as we conscientiously cycled to an elevation of nearly 2,000 feet. I spent most of my time alongside Gayle, Michael, and Adam (who is a climbing monster). At the top, we briefly enjoyed the panoramic Napa County view before a screaming descent into the town of Angwin via White Cottage Road. The speedy downhill continued, reaching speeds of 35+ mph, as we made our way back into St. Helena over Pope Street to our starting point in Lyman Park. A few of us satisfied our appetites with a delicious lunch stop at The Red Hen Cantina in Napa (consequently replacing every calorie that we just burned). However, it was an exceptional day to cycle nearly 40 miles and climb 3,596 feet with such great riders; truly Northern California at its best! Go Team!

Check out our GARMIN GPS maps, elevation chart, and ride stats.

The Occidental Tourist

It was a chilly morning as our gang (Cassie, Steve, Jen, Mark, Renee, Eric, John, Jean, Shaun, Sarah, Phil, Gayle, Graham, and Mike) met at Santa Rosa’s Finley Center for an inaugural team ride. After a brief orientation on cycling skills, we departed by making a 14 rider pace-line towards Graton via Guerneville Road. The first two climbs of Green Valley and Harrison Grade were moderate and tolerable particularly with the crisp weather. We made our way into the town of Occidental via a speedy descent on Graton Road (reaching speeds of 35+ mph). The sun began to shine and many of us shed the warm clothing layers at our SAG car (thanks, Gary). After a brief rest, we left West Sonoma County with a straight shot up Occidental Road for about eight miles. The rolling hills were picturesque as we made our way past Sebastopol in team formation. We approached our Santa Rosa destination via Hall, Fulton, and West College Roads. It was a beautiful day to cycle 37+ miles and climb 2,800 feet with such a motivated crew - life in paradise! Check out the Garmin GPS ride details.

Wine Country Winter Cycling

Kudos to Leslie Gregori, Susan Noble, Linda Laudari, Peder McOmber, and Paul Stimpson for enduring the cold morning starts and chilly overcast afternoons during our winter riding. Our gang cycled over 600 miles and climbed nearly 50,000 feet during the first three months of winter biking. Wahoo! I’ve highlighted several of our more interesting jaunts along with individual links to each ride’s GPS maps, elevation charts, and ride statistics.

Beginning in mid-October, Paul and I rode a metric century to Calistoga climbing quickly up Ida Clayton to Lake County and back to Santa Rosa. With a cycling time of only four and a half hours, we were stoked to cover so much territory in such short order. It was a warm October day and perfect for Northern California cycling. Check out the GPS ride details. At the end of the month, Paul and I rode 70 miles from Santa Rosa to Cloverdale via Geysers Road. The elevation climb of over 7,000 feet was exacerbated by several Geyser road breaks and tricky descents around Mercuryville. It was a beautiful, albeit overcast, day. Check out the GPS ride details. November was a busy month for cycling. We began the month with Susan, Linda, Leslie, and I venturing to the coast via Occidental (stopping at Freestone’s Wildflower Bakery) and climbing up Coleman Valley Road. We took our time, enjoying the incredible winter scenery while bearing the temperature variations of the multiple microclimates. We made our way home via Bodega and Sebastopol ascending nearly 5,000 feet on this chilly jaunt. Check out the GPS ride details. Later that week, Linda, Leslie, and I cycled a metric century out towards Tomales via Graton. Our crew stayed close together, even through the 4,000+ feet of climbing. As we made our way to Marin County, we observed tons of newborn calves and lambs populating the rural farms. With the temperature reaching 60 degrees, it was a beautiful clear day made even better by the fresh baked fugase in Freestone. Check out the GPS ride details. At the end of November, Leslie, Linda, and I cycled out to Healdsburg for some adventure climbing up Pine Flat. We braved the cold morning fog, made our way up Chalk Hill via Old Redwood Highway and took Alexander Valley Road to Pine Flat. Through the toughest grades we maintained an average 7 mph ascent. After a brief rest at the enchanted forest (and Shaun’s flat tire) we continued until mile 11 before zooming downhill. Before heading home, we made a pit stop at Jimtown for some delectable homemade spiced pecans. Yummy! Check out the GPS ride details. During December, our crew ventured out several times amidst the worsening weather and holiday breaks. Most notable was a post-Christmas West County ride via Sweetwater Springs. Peder, Leslie, and I embarked from Santa Rosa towards Piner High school for our route out to Guerneville. The climb up Sweetwater was dauntingly slow with alternating warm/cold air pockets. We kept adjusting our clothing (removing arm/leg warmers) to accommodate the various climates. Finally, we reached the last nasty climb and descended down to Armstrong Woods. After a brief Focaccia Bread stop at Coffee Bazaar, we headed home via River Road. It was another winter day of climbing 5,000+ feet. Check out the GPS ride details. The January rainy weather made riding less comfortable. However, Paul and I continued with regular wine country and Oakmont trips. All in all, I’m so proud of the whole crew for putting on their warm gear, pumping up their tires, and getting out on the road. It was a wonderful winter sharing hundreds of cycling miles with good friends in the most beautiful place on earth. Life is good.

Cavedale/Trinity/Napa/Spring Mountain

Winter is definitely coming! Dressed in multiple layers to protect us from the 40 degree starting weather, Paul, Leslie, and I cycled to Channel Drive via Howarth park, making our way through Oakmont and Pythian Roads. Our legs began to warm as we climbed Highway 12, Lawndale, and Schultz Road, where Paul got managed to get the day’s only flat tire (thanks to Leslie for the spare tube and CO2 cartridge). After a quick change, our peloton rode through historic Glen Ellen via the Warm Spring ascent to Arnold Drive. We stopped for scones and brownies at the corner coffee shop where we also met up with MJ (Paul’s wife) who graciously agreed to come and deliver his forgotten camelback. Special kudos to MJ for the super SAG support. Our gang continued towards Highway 12, turning left onto Cavedale Road. We shed our layered cycling clothes as we embarked on this 2,000+ foot climb. The sun came out revealing gorgeous views of Sugarloaf Ridge as we made our way past several 14% grades. The three of us stayed together for the duration of the 7 mile climb, comparing heart rates, chatting, and enjoying the now-beautiful weather (see photo). We arrived at Trinity Road for a minor uphill before enjoying the smooth descent to Dry Creek Road. We passed hoards of exhausted cyclists pedaling in the opposite uphill direction as we enjoyed the screaming descent of Oakville Grade. The Napa valley views were spectacular as we achieved speeds of nearly 40 mph towards Highway 29. We stopped at the corner restaurant (former the Ugly Cow Café), where we shared a delicious Mexican Torta and refilled our water bottles (see lovely picture of Leslie). The rich, thick Napa vineyards on Oakville Cross Road were full of deep blue ripe grapes (photo). We continued onto the flats of Silverado Trail, where we pace lined averaging 20+ mph passing countless wineries and other cyclists. We arrived in St. Helena, stopping at the local park for water. Leslie, Paul, and I rode through charming downtown St. Helena before hitting Madrona Road onto Spring Mountain. This nasty 5.5 mile ascent, climbs thousands of feet through two counties. However, we cycled with strong resolve up the winding roads, hairpin turns, and crazy 15% grades. With a great sense of accomplishment, we enjoyed the cool six mile downhill of St. Helena Road before it turned into the tricky navigation of Calistoga. We finished our ride via Sonoma Highway back home. According to my Garmin GPS computer, we climbed exactly 7,481 feet and traveled 66.94 miles. It was another incredible day cycling with great friends in Northern California. Wahoo!

Sweetwater Springs Sunday Scramble

Susan, Paul, Trudy, Wes, Firouzeh, and I celebrated this first day of autumn with a Sunday afternoon metric century. It was perfect fall day beginning with overcast skies and moderate temperatures. We departed Railroad Square via the Prince Memorial Greenway to the Santa Rosa Creek Trail exiting at Fulton Road. We made our way past Piner High School when Trudy caught a “goat head” resulting in the day’s only flat tire (not bad for this time of the year). We traveled on Olivet and Oakwild in the direction of the Sonoma County Airport. Our peloton of five embarked on the first climb up Trenton Healdsburg Road. We cycled in wicked pace line down Eastside (see photo) making our way to Wohler and turning right on Westside Road for another ascent. Due to time constraints, Trudy & Paul headed off on the Warm Springs Dam route while the rest of us continued to Sweetwater Springs Road. This 10 mile climb of 2,000+ feet was made more difficult due to several washed out gravel sections. Despite the road conditions, Wes and Firouzeh were climbing champs, outpacing the group, even through the 18% grade at Sweetwater’s summit. Susan and I stopped to admire the blue sky stunning views at the very top and to catch our collective breaths (see photos). The sun was now fully exposed and the warmth was reminiscent of summer. After some hydration and Gu, we carefully navigated down the winding descents, passing the old Sweetwater rock quarry. We hit the cool shaded microclimate (what a relief) of the redwoods before arriving at Armstrong Woods Road. We cycled through the festive town of Guerneville stopping at Coffee Bazaar for pastries, lattes, and water bottle refills. Following a short socializing respite, we continued our climbing ventures on Mays Canyon, Green Valley, and Harrison Grade. Absolutely exhausting! After arriving at Tanuda, we were rewarded with the exciting two-mile descent of Graton Road. Firouzeh led the furious downhill towards Occidental at speeds of 40+ mph (Susan and I followed at a much more “reserved” velocity). We made our final climb up Green Hill to Occidental and then Cherry Ridge Road into Sebastopol. Our route continued onto Sanford, Hall, and Fulton Roads passing the Golf & Country Club. We headed home via the Santa Rosa Creek Trail towards downtown. It was another picture perfect riding day in Sonoma County. We cycled 62 miles with an elevation gain of 5,925 feet. Wahoo!

Knights Valley Metric Century

It was a cool morning as Leslie and I departed Santa Rosa sporting arm warmers and extra bottled water tucked in the back of our jerseys. We cycled out towards Windsor via Mendocino, Old Redwood Highway, and Faught. The sun hid behind a crisp layer of white mist while the vineyards on Pleasant Hill were ripe with dark purple fruit; simply beautiful. With limited visibility, we turned on Chalk Hill, quickly making our up those climbs to Highway 128. There was virtually no traffic as we took the six mile ride through Knights Valley. The sun began to break through clouds as we arrived at Ida Clayton. We removed our arm warmers, hydrated, and took a quick nature break before beginning our climb. While the first 4 miles of the Ida Clayton climb are the toughest, Leslie and I stayed together the whole time talking, laughing, and enjoying the various microclimates. There was a beautiful freshwater stream trickling down the mountain (see top photo). As we approached the top, my rear tire went flat, but was quickly repaired with my new CO2 pump. Leslie has become such a strong climber, able to maintain a conversation, even during the toughest grades. According to the Garmin GPS, we averaged a killer 9.1 mph up that climb until arriving in Lake County at Western Mine Road (see photo). With the sun warming our backs, we began the exhilarating 8 mile Ida Clayton downhill. As we were picking up speed, we passed Scott Wing quickly (and strongly) climbing uphill; go, Scotty, go! On the final descent, we reached speeds of 34+ mph on the newly paved roadway before reaching the bottom vineyard. After a quick break, Leslie and I headed back on Highway 128. Despite the heavier traffic in this direction, we maintained a fast paceline towards Chalk Hill. With our water bottles nearly empty, we strongly climbed the backside of Chalk Hill. Finally, we took refuge at Shiloh Regional Park for water bottle refills before heading back on Faught towards Old Redwood Highway. We finished the ride via the reverse outbound route, arriving home with a big mutual "high-five". Our riding time on today’s Metric Century was a remarkable 4 hrs, 37 minutes with over 4,911 feet of climbing.

What a beautiful day, what a blast! Wahoo!

The Noble Century

Our Saturday adventure began with an early AM rendezvous at Pete’s Coffee in Santa Rosa. It was a cool morning and perfect weather for another century challenge. Susan Noble, Paul, and I headed out West Third Street towards Graton via the usual route (Hall, Sanford, and Occidental). At downtown Graton, we took the west county leg of the Joe Rodota Trail to Forestville and exited on Covey. The morning dew glistened off the numerous, well pruned vineyards along the roadside. Our little peloton kept a strong and speedy pace as we made our way to Lake Sonoma by way of River Road, Wohler, Westside, and West Dry Creek. The sprint up Dry Creek Road was exhilarating and the morning sun began to peek over the horizon. Simply Magnificent. We filled up our water bottles at the Warm Springs Dam Visitors Center and proceeded up Skaggs Springs toward Rockpile Road. This ascent is beautifully engineered over a perfectly paved road with no traffic. The moderate grade made for enjoyable climbing as we were treated with stunning views of Lake Sonoma and the coastal foothills. Paul was a monster climber, far outpacing the group. After 11 miles (and 2,000 feet of elevation) we reached the top of Rockpile, and turned back for some screaming descents. The cool breeze on the rollercoaster downhill felt great against the warming sun. We reached speeds of 45+ mph on our final descent back to the visitor’s center. After refilling our water bottles (see photo of Susan doing some wicked multi-tasking; stretching, hydrating, and making client real-estate calls all at once), we cycled to Geyserville on Highway 128 through Geysers, Red Winery, and Pine Flat Roads. The vineyards were gorgeous with multicolored ripe fruit. We stopped at the Jimtown Store for some eats, running into the Santa Rosa Cycling Club gang. After some brief visiting (and a bag of spiced nuts), we cycled towards Chalk Hill via 128 through the Alexander Valley. We climbed up Chalk Hill Road exiting on Pleasant/Faught and made our way to Old Redwood Highway towards downtown Santa Rosa. After cycling 100 miles, Susan led the pack, keeping a rapid pace to the very end. We finished our jaunt in Santa Rosa with a visit to the Russian River Brewing Company for some real hydration and celebratory toast (see photo). Today’s journey covered 104 miles and 6,930 feet of climbing. Another picture perfect summer day with friends in Sonoma County! Ahhh, life is good.

Climbing to Bodega Bay

It was so thrilling to start today’s ride with Leslie, my charter riding partner from the Summer of 2005. The weather was picture perfect as we headed toward the west county via, Steele, Guerneville, Fulton, Hall, Willowside, Piner, River, Trenton getting us to our first climb up Vine Hill . We were shocked to encounter three young cows standing right in the middle of the road, apparently escapees from the neighboring farm. After exchanging the requisite MOOs, we proceeded onto and up Graton Road at a steady pace allowing us to chat, laugh, and catch-up. Leslie has become such a strong climber and we hardly felt the clamber uphill as our legs warmed up. We stopped in Occidental for brief nature break and water bottle refill. Then shifted into our “Granny Gears” and continued to spend the next 10 intense miles on Coleman Valley Road. This costal climb contains several challenging grades and rewards you with Spectacular Ocean views (see photo). At Highway 1, we cycled south along the Pacific Ocean, watching a myriad of surfers and weekenders enjoy Sonoma Coast State Beach. As we approached Bodega Bay, we made a left on Bay Hill Road. The cool seaside breeze was refreshing as we ascended. The tough climb rewarded us with a windy downhill dropping us back on Pacific Coast Highway. We kept on our course towards the town of Bodega via Bodega Highway. We made our way further inland and the sun warmed our bodies as we passed the historic church (see photo) used in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, “The Birds”. We sped along the highway making our way through Bodega en route for Freestone. Of course, we stopped at the Wildflour Organic Bakery and indulged on fresh baked goodies. The Spicy Lemon and Peach/White Chocolate Scones were delicious. With our new carbohydrate recharge, we raced back up into the town of Occidental, climbing Bohemian Highway. Taking a final water refill stop, we headed up Graton to Facedini and enjoyed the beautiful cool resulting decent. We made our way back via Mueller and Vine Hill Roads returning home on the same outbound route. To avoid afternoon traffic, we diverted to the Santa Rosa Creek Trail which dropped us into Railroad Square. It was a another picture perfect day in paradise for cycling and we climbed a total of 5,533 feet during our 73 mile jaunt. Leslie, you’re a rock star!

View today’s GPS statistics, ride elevation chart, and satellite map.

The Death Ride 2007

Despite its name and reputation, the Death Ride was amazing and fun! The scenery was beautiful and each mountain pass was uniquely spectacular. Monitor Pass looked like the lunar surface; barren with wide-open, early morning, cool cycling. Ebbetts Pass, at 8,700 feet, had panoramic views of the Sierra mountains- simply magnificent, yet exhausting. And Carson Pass was a cliff-hugging, adrenaline pumping climb ending with the most breathtaking decent of my life (50+ mph for nearly 15 miles) – it was like being on a rollercoaster without any restraints.

The ride itself was challenging and the weather in Markleeville was baking hot. However, our whole team was well prepared. I am so thrilled that my personal ride time was only 11 hours, 57 minutes – and I finished 2nd in our group. According to my Garmin GPS computer, we cycled 125.05 miles and climbed 17,508 feet. Wahoo!

My cycling partner, Gayle Reed, who is a Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor (currently free of cancer after aggressive radiation, chemo, and multiple surgeries), also finished the Death Ride strong. And, a big congratulations goes out to all the other participating cyclists from Sonoma County! You did us proud.

Most importantly, thanks to all my supportive friends who helped me raise $5,300 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Your love, support, and prayers kept me motivated throughout the event.

Petaluma/Tomales/Bodega/Occidental

Sarah, Mike, Kent, Steve, Phil, Paul, Cam, Tom, Lisa, Kevin, and Shaun
Time: 6:20
Distance: 87.64 miles
Climbing: 8,780 feet
GPS Satellite Report, Elevation Map, and Route

Wine Country Double Metric Century

Sarah, Gayle, Mike, Sarah (the other one), Phil, Kevin, Paul, and Shaun
Time: 7:27
Distance: 125.02 miles
Climbing: 8,210 feet
GPS Satellite Report, Elevation Map, and Route

Tam Twister/Stinson Beach/Fairfax

Phil, Ken, Kevin, Sarah, Tom, and Shaun
Time: 5:25
Distance: 53.93 miles
Climbing: 6,087 feet
GPS Satellite Report, Elevation Map, and Route

Point Reyes/Olema/Mount Vision

Gail, Sarah, Mike, Sarah (the other one), Steve, Kevin, Kent, Tom, Phil, and Shaun
Time: 6:31
Distance: 77.40 miles
Climbing: 7,076 feet
GPS Satellite Report, Elevation Map, and Route

Sausalito/Mount Tam/Stinson Beach

Paul and Shaun alone in the Rain
Time: 5:29
Distance: 55.75 miles
Climbing: 6,622 feet
GPS Satellite Report, Elevation Map, and Route

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!

Orinda, Moraga, Oakland, Berkeley Hills

It was a chilly morning in Orinda as Mike, Phil, Kent, Paul, Tom, Gayle, Sarah, and I met for a climbing tour of the East Bay hills. The beginning 10 miles were flat with moderate rolling roads as we took Moraga Way to Canyon Road. The fresh bay air was exhilarating and energized our bodies for the first major climb across Skyline Blvd and up Grizzly Peak (see photo). This monster summit reached 1,750 feet while rewarding us with absolutely killer views of San Francisco and Oakland. The screaming descent down Wildcat Canyon was well paved and we passed hoards of fellow cyclists making our way back into Orinda. At Pablo Dam, we stopped to refill our water bottles and share an abundance of trail mix, pretzels, energy bars, and Gu. After a round of mutual congratulations (see photo), we began our journey to conquer the “three bears” (three consecutive climbs of 700 feet, 500 feet, and 600 feet) via Bear Creek Road. While the ascent was challenging, the panoramic scenery was stunning. By this point, most of us shed our leg/arm warmers. After another rewarding descent, we climbed up Pleasant Hill and Deer Hill Roads. We spiraled downhill and passed the infamous Lafayette Hillside Memorial, consisting of thousands of white crosses honoring the soldiers killed in the Iraq War. Today the sign read 3,248 (see photo) representing as many fallen heroes; it was a moving display and made me appreciate today’s ride even more. As we made our way back, we took Happy Valley Road (which was anything but happy) to the reverse side of “papa bear” for another steep 500 foot climb before descending to our final destination. The scenery was magnificent, the weather was just right, and the camaraderie was outstanding. We ended the adventure with gourmet pizza and drinks at Phil and Angelas. Together we navigated 55 miles climbing over 5,150 feet. Wahoo!

Atlas Peak, Mt. Veeder, & Trinity - Oh My!

The thought of climbing these three grades in a single ride had me a bit nervous, but the gang assured me that it was all in the cadence- and they were right! So with minor hesitation, I met the two Sarahs, Mike, Phil, Gayle, Kent, Paul, and Tom in Jackson Park (Yountville). Our ride began with a chilly stretch down the Silverado Trail in Napa. Barren vineyards lined the road as our single file peloton took turns drafting. At Hardman Avenue we turned on to Atlas Peak. For nine straight miles, we climbed that obnoxious mountain. Along the way, I popped a few Endurolytes, downed two bottles of Cytomax, and ate massive quantities of Gu; all while settling into my triple “granny gear”. After and hour and nearly 2,100 feet of tough-grade climbing, we all reached the top. We were so grateful to find Ken at the apex with some badly needed SAG support. We replenishing our supplies, stretched, and exchanged mutual kudos; and then turned around and screamed down the very ascent we just conquered. At the bottom, we enjoyed rolling flats for 15 miles taking us through some beautiful valleys towards downtown Napa. Just as we got comfortable and happy, our peloton turned off Redwood Road and on to Mt. Veeder. The ascent was steep, but shady, short, and beautiful. At the summit, I felt a false sense of accomplishment not knowing what was ahead. After another exuberant descent we regrouped at Dry Creek Road. We began to climb and the grade increased as we turned onto Trinity. After 50 miles of hard riding, we were facing our toughest climb of the day. Trinity Road was unforgiving, but we forged on to the very top. Once again Ken saved the day with fresh water, Oreo cookies, and PB&J sandwiches. After another screaming descent, we faced our final climb 500 feet up steep Oakville Grade. Our whole gang regrouped at the top and carefully navigated our way down the vertical plunge to Highway 29. We made our way back to Jackson Park (via some badly-needed Napa County flats) where we enjoyed a group potluck. I’ve never climbed so much in a single day; over 8,000 feet in 65 miles. Wahoo!