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By jkleinwaks, September 20, 2009 8:41 pm

The Knoxville Double came off great.  The weather was perfect (though I did hear “a tad warm” complaints–unfortunately the shade less climbs were during the heat of the day.)  For once I didn’t do something stupid like hit a car the week before, so I came in healthy.  Turned out to be easiest double of the year (I was on good behavior, only got po’d 3 times, mostly late in the day, and chased 3 riders.) .

Jack and I finished this one in the dark, as we did starting the year on Devil Mountain Double.   Late start (5:40), early sunset, not timed event so can go easy and bs with lots of riders and great rest stop workers we know, no mass start (well we had one), and deceptive climbing (NOT a climbing double, ONLY 12,600′ climbing) all conspire to have us finish after sunset.

Aforementioned weather was nice–in Vacaville was low 60’s when we started off.  Dr. Dave (our Triple Crown rookie of the year) is correct–great moment on a double is when sun comes up, especially since I was fearing riding over many of the torn up roads in the dark–but there was massive re-pavement.  Napa Valley-which is usually frigid was overcast but ok.  The funny thing was that usually on doubles you start off with tons of riders but we don’t see many until later in the day.  Because we set out late (most people leave at 5:00) we didn’t see too many riders through Napa Valley.  No “oh wow” scenery but constantly riding past nice rustic scenery–or on the Silverado Trail some real funky wineries.  Moist morning air in Napa and grapes ready to be picked combined for a real nice aroma.

Knoxville Road was real pleasant–a @20 mile mostly gentle climb in the middle of nowhere, which got us to Lower Lake.  Here we started to pick up and pass lots of riders, and get back into the middle of the ride.

More on the Pumpkincyle blog ride report with photos—Gruppo Pumpkincycle

Jack riding up desolate Knoxville Road

Side note-day before rode Vacaville to Lake Solano and took a side trip to Winters.  From Lake Solano a great way to get to Winters is Putah Creek Road–flat, rustic and minimal traffic.

Let me end by regrettably declaring that JACK HAS LOST IT!   That’s right.  At Davis he has always picked the PERFECT tandem to draft, one that is setting a nice flatland speed without killing us.

At Knoxville I was actually looking forward to NO mass start–and started with minimal lights.  Also air was a little cool and damp, not great for my breathing. Ha.  A tandem pulled out in front of us–Jack stuck his elbows out from the get go raced to catch up and hang on their wheel.  I knew something was wrong–both riders were wearing Alta Alpina 8 jerseys and when we got to the freeway overpass out of the park the tandem zoomed up it.  F! Jack made a few more digs but we were dropped as soon as the road leveled off and I had no hope of staying on the first downhill.

Later I talk to someone who told me that that one of the guys on the tandem was a guy who usually finishes in the top ten on the Terrible Two (he “only” finished 3 hours ahead of me this year) and he was the WEAKER RIDER.  The other guy finished 1 1/2 hours ahead of me on the Terrible Two–oh yeah, he was on a fixed gear and set a new course record on it.

Jack did redeem himself by setting a blistering pace from the last rest stop to the finish–we had seen Kitty dining out at the last rest stop and Jack wanted to make sure we’d get to the food line at the finish before her.

Nice way to end a long doubles season, which began before the Devil Mountain Double with Jack, Ward and I coming up with ridiculously hard century training rides (eg. Sierra Road Twice.)  The high point of the year was another high finish on the Mt. Tam Double, my favorite.  Picking the lowpoint is easy, getting hailed on in Death Valley on the rerouted Eastern Sierra Double.–Jay

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By admin, July 8, 2009 8:44 pm

by David DeRose

YET ANOTHER IN A SERIES OF LONG-WINDED AND BAD-SPIRITED RIDE REPORTS, RUINING A PERFECTLY LOVELY DAY ON THE BIKE

I. A LONG AND WHINY PROLOGUE

Friday, June 5^th, around 11AM. I am standing in the Ranger Station at the entrance to Yosemite National Park, staring at a map of California, and trying to get some good news from one of the rangers. I had been on my way to the Eastern Sierra Double and, now, about three and a half hours into the drive, I’ve been told that Tioga Pass is closed due to snow. So is Sonora Pass. I’d checked the weather and road conditions before leaving home, and all roads were open. I’d repeatedly tuned into the “road conditions radio frequency” while driving toward Yosemite, and there was no recorded message of any adverse road issues. But, when I got to the gate at Yosemite, a sign said “Tioga Pass closed due to snow.” So was Sonora. The ranger said Carson was probably open, but I shouldn’t bother if I didn’t have snow tires or chains. “It’s June!!!” I replied. So, I headed back down the mountain into Sonora to grab some lunch, sure that the conditions would change, and that some opportunity to get to the Eastern side of the Sierras would materialize. At the Tourist Information office in Sonora, I asked the counter person to call for updates. No changes. “My choices,” I asked. Drive up to Highway 50 and go through South Lake Tahoe or drive down to Bakersfield and pick-up 395 headed north. 50 was the closer option. “How long will that take from here?” “About 5 hours or so.” By this time, I’ve been in the car for well over 4 hours, and my back was complaining – LOUDLY! I’m not one who accepts defeat gracefully, but I got back in my car and drove home to Walnut Creek. 8 hours on the road, and back where I started.

II. MOPING AND OBSESSING AROUND THE HOUSE

Eastern Sierra was to be the third leg of my recumbent “Triple Crown” of doubles. I’d completed Solvang and Davis, and was looking forward to the scenic Eastern Sierra as a challenging way to finish the triple. For those who DID make it to the start of the ES, it was a harrowing day. (See Jay’s report) Sleet. Hail. Frigid temperatures. Unmarked route changes. After hearing their reports, part of me was glad I had been forced to turn around. But, I still wanted to finish the Triple Crown (I confess to coveting the finishers’ jersey), and within minutes of getting back to Walnut Creek, I was checking the internet for alternative rides that would be “do-able” on the recumbent. Terrible Two? In spite of Brian’s encouragement, just not happening on a bent. Mt. Tam Double? Better, but not until August. Could I hold my condition until August? I guess, if I had to. The most obvious choice was Knoxville, a relatively tough ride compared to something like Solvang, but on roads I know well and like. But, could I wait until the fall to finish? It’s usually a very bad time of year for me, with all the craziness that accompanies classes starting up again in September. The only possible double I could see on the immediate horizon was “The Grand Tour” out of Malibu in SoCal. But, that was a nearly six-hour drive, and my back would again not be very happy at the prospect. Besides, I had never heard of the Grand Tour, didn’t know any of the towns on the route, and was suspicious of anything in any way associated with Los Angeles. (My NoCal prejudice showing.) I did a bit of investigating, and it turns out that the Grand Tour is the oldest double in America, running for 51 years in a row, and people were fairly positive about the organization and support (if not the less-than-inspiring “Lowlands” route). When my wife volunteered to accompany me and share the driving, I decided to quietly register. I didn’t mention it to many of the club members, because I just didn’t know what to expect. I was struggling to hold fitness the last several weeks, had minor injuries to my knee, lower back, and Achilles tendon, and just didn’t have full confidence about a long day on the bike.

As it turns out, compared to my depression after missing Eastern Sierra and my anxiety about getting the triple finished, the ride itself was relatively uneventful.

III. WOULD YOU JUST RIDE, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD?

I never sleep the night before a big ride, and with a hotel full of college kids roaming the halls until about 2 am, I was up at 4:15, feeling less than chipper. My wife, not wanting to be trapped in the hotel all day, got up with me and drove me to the start (about 30 minutes from our hotel in Agoura Hills) so she could have the car. A chauffeur on a double! I’ve never had it so good!

The ride starts just down the road from Pepperdine University campus overlooking the ocean (those rich, right-wing kids have it made!), and heads up the Pacific Coast Highway for about 25 miles before heading inland. The first 10 or so miles are major shoreline rollers – not nearly as steep, but much, much longer than those above Point Reyes — and I reminded myself that this would also be the LAST 10 miles at the end of the day, and the rollers would look even worse then. What a blast, riding along the PCH in the early morning, pre-dawn, with fog keeping the temperature steady, and the sound of the breakers as you ride. Actually, because the breakers are well below road level on your left, and there are tall, steep cliffs on your right, it seems like the breakers are crashing on your right as the sound bounces off the cliffs. Very cool.

Once the rollers evened out into a relatively flat shoreline run, I started picking off riders pretty quickly. No wind at all at this point in the ride, and I was able to develop a nice, strong tempo. A young guy with aero-bars in Rock Racing kit was the only person to pass me, and I caught his wheel and let him pull me all the way up the coast.

IV. THE GRAND TOUR OF ???

• This ride could be called the “Grand Tour” of a lot of things:
• The Grand Tour of Ventura County
• The Grand Tour of the Pacific Coast Highway (cue America singing “Ventura Highway”)
• The Grand Tour of Southern California Naval Bases (there appears to be a Naval or Air Force base approximately every 10 miles along this route)
• The Grand Tour of towns with unpronounceable names: Port Hueneme? Ojai? (Is that “Yu-mi-ni?” Or “You name” as in “What’s you name, buddy?” And, is it “Wee-jee,” like the board? Or, “O-hey!” as in “Oh. Hey. Sorry I didn’t see you standing there.” Or, “OJ? They named a town after him?”)
• But, my vote has to go for the “Grand Tour of All Possible Bizarre Road Conditions”

(cue The Doors singing the following to the tune of “Strange Days:”)

Strange pave-ment’s found me.

Strange pavement’s tracked me down.

It’s going to destroy

My bike-riding joy

When have you ever been on a ride that included ALL of the following?

1. Riding for several miles on the shoulder of a freeway?*
2. Riding through town after town with stop lights every other block?
3. Riding for miles on a freeway frontage road with concrete and dust for scenery and the cars flying by in the opposite direction on the other side of a steel fence?
4. Riding on 6-foot-wide bike paths? You can HEAR the ocean just yards away, but its blocked by a wall of tall bushes. So, you are in a tunnel with bushes on one side, tourists on rented beach cruisers head-on, and a concrete wall separating you from the freeway on the other.
5. Riding the fastest, most technical descent of the day through a suburban country club? Ever yelled “on your left” to a golf cart before?
6. Riding through hot, dusty agricultural areas with acres of tomato plants on your right and acres of lemon trees on your left? Then, acres of cabbage on your left and grape vines on your right? Then, while you are looking at the acres of ripe strawberries… Oh my God! Hit the brakes! … a big agricultural vehicle pulls out onto the road in front of you, kicking up dust and leaving dirt all over the pavement.
7. Riding through road construction zones where they have ground down the road surface (leaving those little ridges for the new pavement to adhere to), but no new pavement yet? This stretch was a real crowd pleaser, and many of us spent our lunch break checking each other’s molars for loose fillings.
8. Riding past dozens of cars parked on the shoulder of the coast road with surfers wrestling their surf board back onto their roofs?

(Speaking of wrestling on the shoulder of the road: #1 thing I LEAST needed to see: 300 lbs sunburned guy wrestling to get out of his wet swimsuit by the side of the road. LUCKILY, followed only about 60 seconds later by the thing I MOST needed to see (to remove image of previous guy from my mind): 120 lbs surfer chick wrestling to get out of her wet suit.)

1. Expan (thunk) sion (thunk) cracks on (thunk) a fast (thunk) down (thunk) hill?
2. And, just when you are fed up with all this, a wonderful, screaming, tail-wind assisted 30 MPH rush down a well-paved, 20 foot wide shoulder on the Pacific Coast Highway with the late afternoon sun shining off the crescent beach of crashing waves on your left? (Which is just the inspiration you need to get yourself up and over that last 10 miles of big rollers.)

* Then, joking aside, I find out about a death on the course today:  http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/jun/29/oxnard-driver-arrested-in-cyclists-death/

V. NO WHINING ABOUT SUPPORT. TAKE NOTE, PLANET ULTRA!

OK, the facts:

The course leaves a lot to be desired (with the exception of the first and last stretches along the ocean). Not very scenic. Too many stop lights, too many cars, and too many miles through towns. The above-mentioned weird and constantly changing course conditions. Boring terrain. But, it’s done and:

Weather was perfect. Never got above maybe low 80s, even in the inland areas. Fog on and off along the coast. I was tucked behind a tandem for the longest stretch up-coast into the head wind, so didn’t really feel it, and took full advantage of the tailwind coming home.

Support was excellent. TAKE NOTE PLANET ULTRA! Nice rest stops in parks, community centers, etc. Never a line for the toilets. Plenty of staff at all rest stops. Well-stocked with Hammer products, good variety of foods, and super-helpful people. Good lunch choices Cup-o-noodle soup at mile 140. Home-made soup and home-made cakes and cookies at mile 165. Maybe a few too many sugary sweets. Could have used boiled potatoes, but small complaint.

Organization was incredible. You can tell these people have been doing this for 50 years. Lots of SAG support. Course was well-marked and route sheets were full of helpful details/landmarks. (And, believe me, you needed them. This is a bizarre course.) Computerized check-in at start and finish. And, where else can you register and order a ride jersey a week before the event, and get your jersey at check-in?

By Davis or Solvang standards, this is an “intimate” ride. Only about 150 or so people on my course (there are 5 course options from 125 to 400 miles). Very friendly riders. I saw several of the same people at rest stop after rest stop, and probably took too long at lunch because I was chatting away with folks I had been riding with.

VI. RECUMBENT FRIENDLY AND FAST

Speaking of the riding, this is a FAST double on a recumbent. With the exception of the Rock Racing guy first thing in the morning, I cannot remember being passed by another rider all day except for “Eric,” a guy I’ve met before on a super light, super aero, all-carbon recumbent, who I leap-frogged with all day. He was just too aero for me on the flats (and he likes to run yellows!), but I was stronger on the climbs (thank you, Wednesday evening Diablo rides!), and I finally caught him and passed him for good on the big rollers at the end.  By far, my fastest sustained pace on a double! And, I was eating dinner at the end with the “big dogs” not the middle of the packers. So, without much climbing, the aero qualities of the recumbent must have been a definite advantage over road bikes on the flats and in the winds. [Found out later that I finished with 7^th fastest time out of 165 riders on my course. That’s recumbent-friendly!]

As was the case in Davis, I finished very strong, with my best (tail-wind assisted) speeds of the day being the last 30 miles, where I passed easily a dozen riders. The worst part of the day, as was also the case in Davis and Solvang, was definitely miles 80-140. This makes sense, because in all three rides these were the hottest and hilliest stretches.

Stats:
Miles: 203
Overall time: 13:05
Time on bike: 11:10
Average MPH: 18.1

And now I can stop whining and obsessing over the Triple Crown and get back to just having fun on the bike.

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By jkleinwaks, May 31, 2009 9:57 pm

The greatest organized ride was the Sierra Century out of Plymouth, CA (RIP 2005.)  Never mind that the Sacramento Wheelmen provided great support and the start/ finish/ end-ride meal at the Amador County fairgrounds faux western town was ideal.  THE ROUTE WAS FANTASTIC.   Nicely paved roads, little traffic, no traffic controls, riding surrounded by Oaks in the low country and Pines in the hills.   The long rolling downhill—The “E” ticket Fiddletown Expressway—may be the “funnest” ride ever.  Oh yeah, there was “a little climbing” (10,000’ worth on the double metric route,) while most was roller after roller the signature climb was Slug Gulch—not long but steep (4 miles with many double digit sections.)

I actually never did the Century (100 mile) route.  I did the metric (60 mile) route numerous times as I heard what a killer Slug Gulch was, Rams Horn Grade was tough enough.  After my 2001 accident I was po’d to have never done the Sierra Century, and I skipped wanting to do the 100 mile route, and jumped right in to train for the 2003 DOUBLE METRIC (120 mile) route, which besides being tough had a timed deadline.   It was great doing the ride, but it was just as much of a wonderful adventure riding in the Gold Country to get familiar with the course, and to hit Slug Gulch before the event.  On metric training rides we’d do the course backwards so that Slug Gulch would be hit in the morning at mile 25 instead of in the heat of the afternoon at mile 75, and then tack on pieces of the 120 mile course.   The Sacramento Wheelmen kept the bonus portion of the course a secret as they didn’t want folks arriving after a cutoff doing it—so we guessed riding through the El Dorado National Forest (correct) and going up Hwy 88 for a 1/4 mile to Cook Station, elevation 5,000’ (incorrect, but wound up being a great rest stop.)

The metric ride turned out to be so great I’d do it numerous times afterwards.

In 2007 we did the metric as a Diablo Cyclist ride and folks were upset when the great ride ended.  So in 2008 we added a run down to Sutter Creek and back to get the ride to 100 miles.   This worked out great—even with Joe and I leaving the group to do the pernicious Charleston Grade (think of 1 mile of 3 sections as steep or steeper than the Mt. Diablo ramp.)

2008-Pelaton through El Dorado National Forest (Ward-o-photo)

2008-W/ jack & Joe in Volcano, Mayor Rosie's bench

2008-Still Life Oil of Ward at Volcano Greek Theatre

So on Memorial Day Weekend 2009 we again did the Plymouth Sierra Century.   We had a nice group, and it fell in as a great training ride for climbing doubles or the Death Ride.

From Plymouth we again started out “backwards” (we’d leave out the flatter parts of the old Sierra Century) and headed through the Shenandoah Valley.  Luckily our best climber, Joe, and our most aggressive rider, Rusty, had their girlfriends Jen & Sarah on the ride so they had to be on good behavior and stay close to the group.  Tall Tom and Mountain Bike Racer Jason would leap out often but slow when the road forked and they weren’t sure which way we were going.   Death Ride vet Johnna (riding a 11×23) and Death Ride rookie Christina using this as a training ride, and Sacto Doug who was a fellow doubles triple crown rookie in 2005 and had since moved away came down to join us.  Rounding out the group was Ward and Jack, who helped keep everyone pointed in the right direction, and Brother Vic riding tempo all day.

2009-Johnna leads the early morning pelaton

2009-Rusty & Sarah arrive at the Fairplay turn

“Fun” was over climbing Slug Gulch, I still get a rush rolling down Perry Creek Road and spotting the sharp left turn and yelling out “gear down, gear down,” same advise I originally got but you can’t gear down enough when you turn and hit the 18%+ wall.  Our group did great and loved the Omo Ranch School rest stop (one of the nicest settings on any ride,) the tranquil ride through the El Dorado National Forest, and then nice lunch stop at Cooks Station.  It did take us half a day to get to mile 37 but, so far, this whole ride had been climbing.

2009-Jen riding through the tranquil El Dorado National Forest (photo by Joe)

2009-The group arrives at Hwy 88--now up to Cooks Station

2009-Lunch at Cooks Station

Now the fun began—a fast few miles down Highway 88, turn onto downhill rollers on Shake Ridge Road.   Passing Fiddletown Rusty/ Sarah took the metric option and we all continued on to Sutter Creek, one of the most picturesque Gold Rush towns, at mile 62.  Then one of the nicest climbs, 12 miles to the quiet town of Volcano, where we tried attacking young Jason to no avail, later he complained that he was trying to get back into shape.

2009-Arriving in Sutter Creek

2009-Arriving in Volcano

I did offer to ride up Charleston (harder than Slug Gulch) with Jason but he declined, and I really wasn’t that thrilled to do it either—so no Charleston this year.  So then the group went up Rams Horn Grade and finally go to the Fiddletown Speedway, with fast downhill rollers.   Ward and I went hard here—knowing that we benefited by the absence of perennial Fiddletown Speedway champ Big Mike, and Rusty who took out this section last year.

2009-Ward on the last climb of the day

Last year we took the relatively flat road back from Fiddletown but this year we kept true to the old Sierra Century and did one more climb up Ostrum Road, where you could see some fatigue starting to set in for some of the riders.  On the other hand it was great riding though the vineyards, and everyone looked real happy except for our old friend in Sacramento who is working too much in lieu of cycling.   104 miles, 9,300 climbing, with stops at Pioneer Park, Fairplay; Omo Ranch School; Cooks Station; Sutter Creek; Volcano and Fiddletown.  MY FAVORITE CENTURY OF THE YEAR.

Jay  (Full ride report with more photos on GRUPPO PUMPKINCYCLE site, click links below)

2008 – Plymouth Slug Gulch SIERRA CENTURY

2008-Additional Photos

2009 -Plymouth Slug Gulch SIERRA CENTURY

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By jkleinwaks, April 15, 2009 9:13 pm

“On every double there is one point when you are wondering why you are doing it and at the end you can’t wait for the next one”—Comrade Steve Berry.

The crazy training ride Jack, Ward and I did paid off. DMD came off as a big success Finished (w/ Jack) 35 minutes faster that when I tried hammering the course in 2006—which considering I was down 13 minutes getting to the Junction was a nice turn of events.

Saw Kitty at the start—unfortunately didn’t see here the rest of the day except when we were going in opposite directions on Diablo. How the heck she can be in such good cheer  at 4:50 AM is beyond me but was appreciated, as I was real apprehensive going into the ride from 1) blowing up in 2006 and 2) pulling my back on Sierra Road every time we did a training rides over it.

Morning started off cool but nice.  Didn’t see Jack so thought I’d be soloing all day. About 1/3 up Diablo Jack pulled in next to me, but I had already set my sights on 3 young guys from Godspeed Messenger Service (must be the official messenger service of Ward Industries) who were setting a nice but not killer pace. Mini inversion layer on Diablo but high winds near the top, so it was good following their wheel all the way to the top. For the rest of the day seemingly whenever we left a rest stop they were pulling in.

Donna was a saint and met me at Ygnacio Valley Road so I could dump off extra jacket, sock liners and knee warmers (good move.)  Could have dumped tee shirt also but though going up and down Morgan would be cold–but it wasn’t. Jack must have passed when I was at this bonus rest stop.

When passing through Clayton made friends with a few out of town riders who wanted to know about the course when some guy holding a cup starts yelling at us from across the street. One rider wanted to know what’s he yelling about, I said “It must be some old drunk”—but voice sounded familiar. Later Jack confirmed that it was Ron.

Climb up Morgan was nice and warm, and I felt really good.  Saw Jack but he pulled out before me.  Near the bottom of the descent, Grizzly Peak Mark passed me, I joined him and we two manned back to some of his gang (lots of Grizzly Peak Cyclists) and then to Jack.   Mark/ Jack/ I rode the Patterson Loop together—NO WIND on Paterson Pass (actually a bit of a tailwind which would be the story of the day.

Great Mines Road rest stop—Craig has perfected the art of peanut butter half sandwiches with added pumpkin butter-and he was working with another nice guy and great cyclist—Ish, who was the first person I knew crazy enough to do DMD.   Ish confirmed he didn’t move out of the neighborhood just because I moved in.

Time to Mines Road stop has been 22 minutes better than 2006—and in 2006 no one passed me on the run to the Junction.  Today everybody, and everybody’s kid passed me. I was both wary of Mt. Hamilton and Sierra Road (the 2nd half of this ride gets harder), and was low on energy.  26 miles to go—eternity-25 miles to go-eternity-and if I drank any more Perpetuem I was going to barf.  Jack, who for once was dawdling at the last rest stop caught up and shot by.  Made up my mind that at lunch stop I’d sit down for at least 15 minutes and drink some NON Heed product as it was getting real warm.

At Junction ate a slice of bread and had a soda while bsing with a father and son from East County. Teen runs track and was on his first double, earlier he had one been one of the top 5 folks up Mt. Diablo-dad had joined him at beginning of Mines Road. But kid was now beat and ready to go down Mines with his dad to the car.   Dad talked about bad experience with East County bike shop, and pissy attitude of local bike shops and some riders out here. Hmmm, sounds real familiar.

Jack left the Junction way before me and I thought  that was the last I’d see him.  I did well on the rollers but had to pull off and stretch up Hammy.  Recumbent rider/ dealer Zack K. came along (Dave-congrats on your new baby) and we rode a slow pace (which was fine by me) up to the water stop 1 mile short of the top.  (Oh yeah—Dave—someone says you need to do Sierra on a recumbent)  To my surprise Jack was in the tent looking like he was in need of a transfusion (ok—not nearly as bad as I looked on the Eastern Sierra) He took off while I was still bsing with the folks I know at the stop, and I was wondering how I’d finish the ride with 80 miles to go and I was beat.  It took me +58 minutes longer to get to the summit than 3 years ago

I got three things I needed.  Long, long downhill, eventually punctuated by the rollers I love.  Some ass on a Colnago with a Colnago jersey pissed me off; he’d block the narrow road.  And a nice tailwind. I regained loads of energy and flew to the Crothers rest stop,  the +58 behind on Hamilton summit was down to +20 and Jack still had some stuff to do at the rest stop. From here on in we rode together.

Next stop the dreaded Sierra Road, but though I had to pull off once to stretch, did it faster than in any of the three practice runs. Very warm on Sierra which suddenly turned very cool on the fast run off of it—but first we had to stop at Pet the Goat as to pick up Jack’s lights. Feeling good but was still not gonna pet the fn goat.

Jack/ I ran a spirited two man over Calaveras—and when we left Pet the Goat there were a zone riders but no one passed us. We had a fast moving run into Sunol at twilight, when I thought that too bad Ward not here as he did all the stupid training rides with us. Out of the blue Ward comes driving along  snapping photos—really cool.

Action photo taken by Ward while Jack and I are trying to beat dusk into Sunol.

Get to Sunol 5 minutes before 2006. Love getting into rest stops and yelling out 96 & 97 (Jack and my number)—rest stop workers doesn’t believe that we have consecutive numbers until I’d add “he’s my grandpa” (hey blame Ward-on one of our training rides when Ward and I were acting like paparazzi Ward said—” its like Jack riding with his grandkids”)

Niles at night was f’d, we got to see Recumbent Zack zig zag all over the road to slow traffic.  The Palomaras Climb was like the Pirates of the Caribbean with the strange animal sounds.   The downhill wasn’t bad though suddenly it was cold—so needed to hammer the flat part.  Jack set a great pace up the magical Crow Canyon —magical because of the disappearing shoulder.  Then Norris was a desolate as Palomaras without the great sounds.  And finally were there—I had no clue what time we had finished until we checked in but was pleasantly surprised.  For once ate as much as Jack—3 helpings of lasagna—made up for all the plain bread I ate during the day.  –Jay