Hard Ramble Through City

View of Pacific near the Presidio

Photo Op with other riders

Matt Photo Bombing

Matt & John outside Presidio

Looking down on bikers and joggers swarming everywhere.

Matt and his bike -The Orange Crush

Sunday June 3, 2018

Day 1

Burlingame, CA to Vallejo, CA

73.2 Miles

5 hours 52 minutes - Moving Time

12.5 mph - average moving speed

38.6 mph - maximum speed

69 rpm - average cadence

4055 feet- elevation gain

2246 - calories

I was as nervous about this ride as I've been about any other ride I've been on. The route review the previous evening revealed more than 75 turns and cautions along the route. We had to cross routes of the annual AIDS ride as well as the escape from Alcatraz run as we snaked up into San Francisco and up and over the Golden Gate.

Up at 5:00 with breakfast at 6. Load luggage at 7, with group photo on hotel stairwell at 7:15 after which we were free to start riding. Two issues: 1) My CamelBack hydration pack seemed to be leaking. It made for very uncomfortable riding with a wet pack lying on my back and 2) I messed up my bike computer. I had downloaded the route maps of our rides so that it could alert me of upcoming turns or directions.  But it would not give me any. I think I know what I did so that tomorrow's ride should go much smoother. And I also tightened up the CamelBack bladder so it shouldn't leak tomorrow either.

I was surprised and humbled by how much effort I had to put into todays ride. Directions were difficult, climbing the sharp hills of San Francisco - the many sharp hills proved to be rather challenging. My cycling buddies were pretty great and we managed to stick together for the most part.

I do have to say these counties (San Francisco and Marin) are very cyclist friendly. Bike lanes, bike paths are all over and they are used. perhaps it was due to it being a gorgeous and warm Sunday but still the infrastructure is all there. We were told to obey the posted speed limits in Sausalito as they had posed speed limits on their bike paths and motorcycle cops do write up speeding citations if you're caught speeding. 

Highlight was probably getting the pictures of the Golden Gate. Although it was pretty cool to have crossed it, it was hard to enjoy in the moment. The two way traffic on the bike lane only going over was choked with cyclists of various abilities and paces. One rider with our group went down hard in the oncoming traffic lane after touching wheels with the bike ahead that had slowed abruptly without signaling. I know because I was right behind him and was almost part of the pile. And one of the guys I ride with went down and hit his hip on a sign pole when his wheel slipped on an expansion joint just as he was turning to go around the girders of the northern tower. 

Luckily no broken bones but I was so glad once we got over to Sausalito and got on more back roads as we headed north leaving San Francisco behind us. We still had another 50 or so miles to go over a mixture of bike paths, city streets and highways riding the heavily littered shoulder with rumble strips. This last stretch of Highway 37 to Vallejo is where Matt picked up something in his tire and ended up getting a puncture just as we exited the off ramp. It was hot and after 68 miles, the last thing you wanted to deal with. But you do what needs doing. John, the Scott who lives in London and I assisted as best we could.  

I need to crash. It was a hard day. But I did recharge all my devices, sink wash my gear, get the blog out and made it to dinner and route rap. Tomorrow we leave an hour later and it is a relatively easy day. We expect to visit the Jelly Belly factory. We'll see how my legs are doing. I am breaking one of my rules. I'm leaving my bike cleaning until tomorrow morning.

Thanks for visiting, Drop a comment if you care to. I'd be glad to answer any questions if I'm still awake. Good night.