On Highland Way, we were flagged down by a couple who had pulled their car to the side. “How do we get to the freeway?” they asked. First question: Which freeway? I explained that they were indeed headed in the right direction (improbable as that can seem, up there). When they overheard me offer to share some of my water with my ride buddy, they gave us two (chilled!) bottles.
Our club keeps track of various statistics for our rides, and today was a big milestone for one of our riders: Adding two new hills to his tally for this year tipped him over the 100 mark. We were astonished to learn how much weight he had dropped in the past year (75 pounds). Cycling is great for that, provided you restrict your intake at the same time. [Note to self ...]
On the return, I found a few riders clustered at the base of Mt. Bache. Surely they did not want to climb it again? [No.] A couple on a tandem were seeking advice on returning to Mt. Madonna via Loma Prieta. Not just any tandem, but a handsome Calfee bamboo tandem. We had heard that the road is public, but there are gates with signs that suggest otherwise (and much of it is dirt). The stoker seemed less enthusiastic when we added that it was an exposed climb, but they headed on up. “We can always turn back,” the captain reassured her. [Right.]
For the day, a bit more climbing than I had estimated—3,670 feet over 40 miles. Some day I will manage to climb Loma Prieta when the temperature is moderate. Today was not that day.
Posts
Sometime you should try taking Loma Prieta all the way from Summit Road, before the store, as opposed to from Highland Way. While I did walk 100 or so feet of LP, most of the 1/2 mile (?) of gravel is easily passible by bike. Much of the road is paved and quiet, reminiscent of the less-travelled end of Highland.
ReplyDelete