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Flesche 2015: Team Higher Gear: Garberville To San Francisco Part 2
After a great night of sleep and an excellent breakfast at the Eel River Cafe which we noted opened at 5am and would give us plenty of time for a big breakfast for a 9:00 AM start of the ride. Andrea, Mark and Steven were to be arriving at 8:30 AM.
We finish breakfast, and go outside and see that the others have arrived. Greetings take place, bikes are readied and soon we are on our way. We go back the way Max and I came there. A good climb back so we know what to expect. Not as bad as we fear and soon we are at our first control: Whitethorn Post Office. We sign the post card Andrea has provided and it is mailed.
After 5 more miles, we turn on Chemise Mountain Road, the pre-road to Usal Road. We know it will be dirt but don't exactly know how tough it may be. You never know until you do it unless you've done it before. And this was certainly new to me. The road was paved, beautiful pavement I might add. Max makes a compliment directed to the pavement and just like that it turns to dirt. And we ride dirt for a while, then it is pavement again.
After a short time it is dirt and we know we are on Usal Road. This road does not disappoint. Steep sustained sections of climbing, some of the everything you got just to hang on and keep from dabbing. It seems strange to take these bikes on roads like this. Something so wrong. If someone, like say, a hike who is supposed to be on these roads, or maybe a truck or car, seems they would be confused or horrified or angry. Or something. Just weird. Luckily we had few cars and absolutely no hikers. My knee started hurting. I had mentioned the pain to Max the night before and he asked me about it as we were stopped for a break. Mark mentioned that he had some Ibuprofen. What a dolt I am. I didn't even think of that. I gladly accepted 3 vitamin "I" tablets, because 2 tablets is a "baby's dose". Soon the pain is gone and I am keeping up with the others. My many mountain bike rides have prepared me well for this type of riding. My RibMo tires are astonishing. I dodge all the sharp rocks on the downhills and take the proper lines to climb and stay upright. Some close calls but that is the fun in riding these "wrong" roads. Twenty-five miles of outrageous dirt with steep ups and steep downs. This road is crazy. And slows us down a lot even though we are moving at a decent clip.
We are getting close. We can hear the ocean. Soon we can see the ocean. We stop for a glorious break and look in awe at the ocean. Wow. We ride down, down, down. We are now riding along the coast. It seems we are close but we are climbing very steeply again. A long sustained climb and very steep.
It takes a while but soon we emerge onto Highway 1. What a feeling to be off the dirt. We didn't realize it but we look at the time and it is 10 minutes to 3:00 PM. Where did the time go? We aren't even at Fort Bragg and it is nearly 3pm! Las year we panicked since we didn't get to Fort Bragg until 6pm. This is eerily similar.
We ride on trying to make time. We all need water soon. Westport is close. Soon we are in Westport after some climbing and Highway 1 riding (rollers). It is a good break. Needed. Liquids and food are bought and consumed. Stories about our journey are bandied about into the locals earholes. They are impressed. Good.
We ride out and it is my turn to pull. I make 1 turn and get passed by everyone on a hill climb. I mention that that was the shortest pull ever. I feel wretched as I am reduced to a "non-puller'. Luckily, the others don't mind. I should have tried harder. The hills have taken a toll. I still feel that I should have tried harder.
We ride on, and on. Highway 1 is always difficult. Either headwind or rollers or may unfamiliarity of the territory up here seems to slow things down. We do get to Fort Bragg. Surprisingly, we stop at a Safeway. It is mentioned that Safeway should sell perpetuum. That would make them a mint. I grab sushi and chocolate milk. We eat indoors, Max & I on the firewood boxes, the others on the seats of the motorized carts. We still have quite a lot of highway 1 to go. Only at mile 80 and finished at the century mark.
We finally are on Highway 128 and what a relief to be off of Highway 1. So many brevets are courses include large stretches of highway 1. Such a hard road to ride. I remind myself that this is the course for the SFR 600K. And eventuuuaallllyyyyy we pass Indian Creek, one of the best controls ever. On we go.
When we finally get to Dutcher Creek Road it is another milestone. By now we have our night gear on and warm clothes. A pretty good climb ensues on the way. Max and Andrea take off ahead and Mark, Steven and I hang together climbing and chatting. Eventually we catch up to Andrea and Max. We ride into Healdsburg and stop off at yet another Safeway. More fuel is consumed. It feels good to be in familiar territory.
For the next section Max asks me to navigate. My helmet light in place, I turn it on and not the upcoming turns to all. A bit of a wiggle but we are soon on the familiar Stony Point Road. Not too long and we arrive at Denny's, Petaluma. We see that others are on their way out, no time to chat. It doesn't seem that we are late but every team has different speeds. We eventually get served food and have a nice rest. I'm well familiar with the next section so a lot of relief washes over me. And it looks like we lucked out as far as the rain goes.
On our way again. We climb the familiar hills from Petaluma. Feeling fine. The cold is not near as bad as we all feared. I brought an extra jacket just for that. Then something odd happens. Bits of water falling on me and the others. I had put rain so far out of my mind that I didn't know what it was at first. Light rain. And then more. We ride along and it isn't too bad. I would have preferred no rain but what can you do?
After the hill climbing we ride downhill in the rain. I take it a bit easy, afraid of slippery roads in this rain. We stop in at the control at Nicasio and the rain stops completely. I marvel at that. Well, that wasn't that bad. We continue on and soon it is really raining. Harder than before. Climb, that familiar climb. But in the hard rain. And down. Finally to Sir Francis Drake. We ride in the rain. Up White Hill. And that fantastic downhill to Fairfax. Fast, but not full speed. Rain, slippery.
Soon the wiggle. We are on our way to the control in Larkspur. Donuts. Only place open. It takes an age. I am finally cold and miserable. This is the "moment" of the ride: that tough section that you don't know if you can go on. It takes so long to get the the control that I resign myself to go all the way to Cole. Doesn't seem we will ever stop. But stop we do. At a donut shop. And it is good. I order hot chocolate. Such a good thing. Warm. I'm OK now. I'll make it. We arrive at 6:30am and we must roll at 7:00 AM. Donuts are consumed by all except me. Just not in the mood.
7:00 PM. Time to roll. Climb up Camino Alto not so bad. It starts to rain again. I dread it. But it is OK. We are close. Bike path, Bridgeway, Sausalito. A few hills, the Bridge and the other side. Ride through the city. We see Patrick Herlihy's GIrl-A-Hees and say hello. I am amazed that Patrick has taken his fixed gear bike again. Wow.
And soon we are being greeted by the wonderful volunteers at Crepes On Cole. What a joy to have someone park your bike for you after a long ride. Worth it just for that. Great volunteers as usual. We order food, revel in or epic journeys and contemplate the rain. It really started raining in earnest as we were in that restaurant. And I had to catch a train eventually. And I did! A 4 mile ride in the rain to the station.
Such a great ride. Awesome team. I am privileged to be a part of this epic epic ride.
By: | plymmer |
Started in: | Humboldt County, CA, US |
Distance: | 253.8 mi |
Selected: | 253.8 mi |
Elevation: | + 19218 / - 19467 ft |
Moving Time: | 18:26:55 |
Gear: | 2010 Volagi Viaje |
Page Views: | 80 |
Departed: | Apr 4, 2015, 9:06 am |
Starts in: | Humboldt County, CA, US |
Distance: | 253.8 mi |
Selected distance: | 253.8 mi |
Elevation: | + 19218 / - 19467 ft |
Max Grade: | |
Avg Grade | |
Cat | |
FIETS | |
VAM | |
Ascent time | |
Descent time | |
Total Duration: | 23:15:44 |
Selection Duration: | 83744 |
Moving Time: | 18:26:55 |
Selection Moving Time: | 18:26:55 |
Stopped Time: | 04:48:49 |
Max Speed: | 88.4 mph |
Avg Speed: | 13.8 mph |
Pace: | 00:05:29 |
Moving Pace: | 00:04:21 |
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