Calaveras, Take Two

We're back! The hills are still green, and this time we will head down the back side! Yay!

The group was larger this week, and the only rider I knew at the outset was the leader. Despite agreeing that they understood the plan (there would be only four turns to reach our turnaround point), the group shattered at turn number two. “Right turn!” I shouted as they headed left, falling in with a Team in Training ride.

They'd catch up, but I would not be last today. I discovered another bird lover in the group when I assured two riders that the birds circling overhead were not condors, but common turkey vultures. I talked about the bald eagles that formerly nested on a tower we'd pass, before years of dam construction and drought left too little water in the reservoir.

Some riders missed turn number four, too, into the Sunol Regional Wilderness area. I had never been back there—it was a surprisingly long way to the visitor center. A friendly ranger was impressed to hear we'd ridden from San Jose, up the wall, and encouraged us to fill our water bottles from the jugs they'd set out. I see a hike in my future—though definitely not during the heat of summer.

I was content to be off the back, today, with creamy fresh pavement and long-unseen vistas to savor on the back side. Including the site of the slide that kept the road closed for so long. [Okay, I see now. It was big.] They seeded the hillside after stabilizing it.

36 miles, 2,800 feet of climbing, and a peak of only 179 bpm climbing the wall. Better.