Tunitas Again

A team formed at work to ride the Silicon Valley Tour de Cure (a fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association); with some misgivings, I joined as an act of solidarity. As it did two years ago, this event disappointed me; but I figured it would be a worthwhile training ride. I completed 6800 feet of climbing over almost 78 miles.

I rode alone most of the day, which was fine. I am pathetically slow (averaged 11.2 mph), and much happier not gasping to keep up with faster teammates or feeling guilty for lagging behind. Those doing the long route (120 km) rolled out promptly at 6:30 a.m. Not being a morning person, I was quite proud of myself for rolling at 6:40. I probably lost five minutes trying to get MyTracks to start recording a track, then debating whether to return to the car rather than carry the otherwise useless G1 all day. I was already cranky after navigating the registration maze, which involved standing in lines at two separate tables just to get my rider number and an exit chute with an even longer line to get a route sheet after waiting for a volunteer to pin the number to my jersey.

Lots of riders were huffing and puffing up Kings Mountain, including one Cory from Concord who passed me only to stop a few yards later. Not being accustomed to hill climbing, he had no idea how to pace himself. He seemed astonished to find the hill much easier to climb at my pace, and chatting helped distract him from the effort. He was sensitive to the uptick in pitch on every switchback, which did not bode well so early on this route. I gave him the quick synopsis of Tunitas Creek Road, so he might not have despaired on that middle steep section (if he made it that far). He was still at the first rest stop at the top of Kings when I took off, and I never saw him again.

The route itself is beautiful - redwood forests, rolling hills, views of the Pacific Ocean. I flew down Highway 84 through La Honda, and was surprised to see one rider walking up Haskins Hill. This route takes us over the easy side. Tunitas Creek Road, longer and steeper, is going to be a long walk. [At the next rest stop, he arranged for a SAG ride up Tunitas.] More than a few of these riders should have opted for one of the easier routes. One of our teammates, having given us a two-hour head start, passed me on Tunitas like I was standing still. Later, he would graciously tell me that it hurt, that he didn't climb the whole thing at that pace - he was trying to catch the rest of the guys.

The route covered some of the same territory as last week's Sequoia Century. I took it easy and stopped to snap some photos along the way. A juvenile red-shouldered hawk atop a telephone pole ignored me, as did a peacock strutting his stuff along the edge of Stage Road.

Handy tip for riding in organized cycling events: Always, always stuff your pockets with your favorite sustenance before you leave home. Maybe the rest stops will be well-stocked with a wide variety of fruits and salty snacks. Or not, in which case you might be temporarily disabled with severe muscle cramps, like the rider some of my teammates encountered a few miles from the finish.

I carved my way down Kings Mountain Road so fast that my toes were chilled, and thanked a courteous driver in an Isuzu Trooper who pulled aside to wave me past. When I arrived at the finish, the taco provider had packed up early and there were no more hamburgers (veggie burgers or hotdogs only). No protein for me. (Bugs in my teeth don't count.) Thank goodness for Tony & Alba's timely pasta delivery. Looking to add some salad to my plate, I soon discovered that the organizers had whisked away the huge bowls of green salad as soon as the pasta arrived. Sigh. I did enjoy a good massage before leaving, in search of dessert.