Time to Climb

Despite being off the bike for two weeks, yesterday's outing didn't exact a toll. Today I'd trade the heavy commute bike for my road bike and climb Bernal.

I peered out my window, and ... there, smack in the middle of my birdbath, sat a bird!

Big deal, you're thinking; that's why it's there. But despite keeping it fresh, until recently I'd never seen evidence that any bird took advantage of it—when I saw a Spotted Towhee perch on the edge and take a sip.

Feathers fluffed out, this Dark-eyed Junco preened, and sat. I watched for a while; he was in no hurry to move on, giving me ample time to pull out my camera. Now and then, after warily surveying the surroundings, he'd spread his wings, dunk his head, and go all in.

I went all in, too; all the way to the summit of Bernal Road. I was puzzled when a pickup truck continued past the public turn-around point, near the top. On a weekend, and especially now, I would not expect an IBM employee to be heading through the gate onto their campus.

Sure enough, the pickup soon returned.

By the time I started my descent, not one but two more vehicles made the same trip. You do need to pass a written test to get a license, so I expect the drivers could read the posted warning signs. The third one seemed particularly flummoxed; if you don't have the skills to read the signs, perhaps your skills for executing a u-turn on an incline are similarly challenged?

It was another glorious, unseasonably warm day. Climbing Shannon and Bernal added up to 1,300 feet, over 29 miles. My legs insisted on taking a flat route, back.