A Taste of Eden

Now here's a popular route I haven't ridden in quite some time: Mt. Eden. On a weekday?

Break out the road bike for some proper hill climbing! No problem holding my own with traffic on the way the start: 34+ mph on a downhill (just under the speed limit). This ... bike ... is ... fast.

I felt apprehensive about sharing the road with gravel trucks streaming in and out of the quarry on Stevens Canyon Road; my ride buddies were unfazed. Still, it's best not to linger on that stretch.

The view from the vista point has changed over the years. It affords a clear view of the cube atop Mt. Umunhum in the distance. In the foreground, well ... new “estate homes” creep ever closer.

Twenty-five miles and more than 1,500 feet of elevation gain for me. No longer chasing club statistics, we descended Pierce to return to Saratoga for lunch. A proper sandwich was in order, but the cafe's lemon meringue tarts looked so luscious. Why not ... both?