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Old 11-09-08, 12:53 PM
  #31  
bigbossman 
Dolce far niente
 
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Northern CA
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I hooked up again with the NorCal BF guys, and we took a shot at getting a ride in before a storm heading our way. The forecast called for rain at 3pm, so we hustled off and tried to get one in under the wire.

This time, we rode up the coastal hills from the Palo Alto side, with the plan to loop over to the coast and back and get in 60 or so miles before returning. Ambitious plan, considering.

Turns out, it was a little too ambitious. The first climb up Page Mill Road was a back-breaker, and after ~9 or so miles of slogging up high single and often mid-range to high double digit inclines, I was pretty whacked. After reaching the top, a fellow rider and I put on our skirts and bailed out of the main group. There was just no way I was going to make it all the way to the coast and back, suffer two more major climbs, and beat the weather. Plus, being the slowest, I was holding everyone up.

Turned out to be a very good decision. All told, Mark and I bagged 45 miles and 4000'+ of climbing, and got back to the car at 2pm....... 10 minutes ahead of the rain.

The main group made it to the coast, but got caught in the storm midway back and had to negotiate 2 major descents in sloppy weather. No thanks.

A few pics:

Garmin Trace:


The never-ending climb:


Mt Diablo, in the distance:


A little more crazy:


Chasing:


A hunter, hunting:


The payoff:
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