Flutterby™! : Today's ride 2006-09-03 00:34:59.506966+00

Today's ride

2006-09-03 00:34:59.506966+00 by Dan Lyke 2 comments

Today's ride was a tour of Sonoma hills with Rich and Christian. Starting from the Sonoma Barracks, in downtown Sonoma, we went up Arnold Drive to Glen Ellen, up over Sonoma Mountain (with a carry over the huge washout) to Cotati, north up that valley to Santa Rosa, through Annadel State Park, and up-and-back to the ridge of Sugarloaf State Park.

58 miles, average 15.4 MPH, a little slow, but understandable given the climbing and the road conditions, which gave a max of 36.5 MPH.

And afterwards I went and got myself a Topeak Road Morph G, because it's got a tube to the valve clamp so you don't accidentally shear the valve pin off a Presta valve when you wiggle the pump, and because it's got a gauge so you're actually likely to pump up your tire to full pressure rather than finish out the ride on a soft tire. A few extra grams, but I'm willing to carry them for destroying less tubes and the added safety of having full traction.

#Comment Re: made: 2006-09-03 03:55:24.170558+00 by: meuon [edit history]

I did 41 today, up Signal Mtn.. met 4 other 'Bent riders and did 37 miles. Doesn't sound like much, except we hit every good descent, and resulting climb, on the mountain. And the icing: I missed a turn, and went down Sawyer Road on a long 40+ mph downhill.. as I started to realize, they probably turned back there.. and I was going to pay dearly for the wonderful downhill run. I did. I got home more tired than I have ever been from riding a bike. Avg: right under 12mph. Dispite all the wonderful time zipping downhill at 20+, there was a lot of time barely able to crank 5mph in low gear. At least I didn't miss the Roberts Mill Rod turn-off.

Still after some time in the spa and a nap, Nancy and I went swing dancing to big bands in Coolidge Park, it was a beatiful day and evening.

I did... uh... about 42 miles over Mehan Gap with the front pack consisting of two HOT men, George and trailing a little behind was Craig. The rest of the pack was.. not with our breakaway (though my pal Kelvin was with us for the first half, he noted someone with some trouble and went back to check on them).

Sawyer is a great downhill, but yeah the climb up the other side is a bit painful. If you ever do miss that Roberts Mill turn and wind up going down the mountain, I recommend just following the valley back to the front and climbing there:-D