Pedestrian Adventures

30.5 miles, 3695 ft Today's ride commenced bright and early in Milpitas.  With no preamble, we plunged right into the hills, dismissing several signs warning ominously of road closures ahead.  I have yet to come across a road closure that bikes cannot traverse.  A few minutes in, some pedestrians excitedly relayed tales of a rattlesnake up above, which, disappointingly, transpired to be a regular snake. "Will there be steep sections?" I enquired of the team captain.  The unreassuring response: "There's one coming up, but no worse than the driveway to Loma Prieta Winery."  He achieved Strava King of the Mountain on the Loma Prieta driveway so maybe he does not construe that section as terribly steep.  I was compelled to walk up the driveway on both attempts to attain that winery by bike, with so much sweat dripping that a woman literally screamed in disgust when she saw me on one occasion.  I drove once, and my leg was aching from the sheer amount ...

54 miles, 5880 ft On June 3rd, I did my most hellacious climbing ride yet to prepare both physiologically and psychologically for ghastly ascents to come.  This ride has so much climbing that the person who suggested we go riding that weekend (who shall remain un-named) dropped out the day prior because he is a wuss.  By then, two other team members had already been persuaded to join, so there was no backing out for non-wussy me. This particular ride starts and ends on the east side of the Santa Cruz mountains with the mid point on the coast, which thus necessitates not one but two mountain crossings in one day!  We began with an ascent up the infamous Old La Honda.  I experienced instant queasy regret regarding the large amount of cheesy marmite toast I had just consumed as fuel for the ride.  OLH was followed by a delightful descent then rolling hills towards the coast, then some more mini-mountains to reach the quaint village of Pescadero for lunch...