Best Buddies 2020 Challenge: Stage 5

I thought I'd join a club ride today. [More vacation time, use it or lose it.] But after a very poor night's sleep, it seemed more like a better day for a short ride. Or at least a later start.

When the sun came up, the color of the light was shifting from yellow to orange. There were reports of ash falling from the sky like snowflakes, but that wasn't happening here. The sky was tinted in various shades of tan, lighter to the south. Local air quality was ... green? This smoke was drifting higher aloft from fires raging far to the north, and it wasn't penetrating the marine layer.

The jersey from my fifth Best Buddies Hearst Castle Challenge is great for hot days. Today was chilly. Unsure about the UV index for overcast skies due to ash rather than water vapor, I slathered on some sunscreen.

Sunglasses, however, would not be needed today. In the dusky light, all sorts of automatic sensors flipped bulbs on: car headlights, streetlights, even lighting I'd never before seen on a majestic bike bridge.

I mapped out a route to the Bay; if I sensed the air quality deteriorating, I could shorten it or even turn back. The amusement park, of course, is closed.

I wanted to see what could be seen. [Not much, as it turned out.] I pictured myself enjoying my sandwich on a bench along the shoreline, but opted for an inland park instead. The [lack of a] view and the unnatural colors were too distressing.

Stage 5: Passed the century mark for my 2020 Challenge with today's 44 miles, 820 feet of climbing (average speed 10.5 mph). Still keepin' it slow.