Solo Nicasio Loop
Distance: 80 miles
Bike: Kogswell 700C P/R
Time: 6:30am-12:30pm
The original plan called for a 7am meet up at the GGB. After quietly rolling through the moonlit, pre-dawn shadows, I got there at about 7:07, and waited a few minutes before calling Carlos, who was nowhere to be seen. Was he running late, or did he forge ahead? A quick phone call revealed that he was on the other side of the bridge. "I'll ride slow and you can catch up before Camino Alto" he said. I rolled on down to and through Sausalito, and no Carlos was to be seen. I climbed Camino Alto and rolled on towards Fairfax, and still no Carlos. At that point, I realized that Carlos' "slow" was still much quicker than my "fast" and resigned to my fate of riding alone that day... I climbed and then descended White's Hill, rolled past Woodacre, and reached the right-hand turn that leads towards Rancho Nicasio. The temperatures felt like they changed +/- 10 degrees (F) around every corner -- one minute I was warm, the next freezing! I was feeling OK and didn't stop at Nicasio -- for I had plenty of fluids and A Plan! After hanging the left turn that leads towards Olema and Point Reyes, I popped open the flap on my Zugster Rando Bag prototype (I've agreed to be a beta tester) and dug out half of a sandwich. I somehow managed to ride the stubborn Kogswell mostly no-handed for a short stretch while I slowly rolled and munched. Moving slowly is better and faster than not moving at all! By that point I'd reached the turn to Platform Bridge Road, which bypasses Point Reyes Station and Olema. "Which way did Carlos go?" I wondered to myself! "Ah, he needs to be home by early afternoon, so I doubt he'd take the long way around" I mentally agreed with myself. So take the short way I did, heading directly towards SP Taylor park and the nice Cross Marin Trail. I left the bright pavement and slid quietly onto the wooded path. Still no trace of Carlos! Nope, not at the handy facilities in the park. Nope, not near Inkwells Bridge. Nobody in sight on White's Hill. And although I was certain I'd spot his smiling face at the Java Hut, he wasn't there either. "Oh Well" I thought, and just kept on moving towards home. At one point I started feeling pretty grumpy and knew I was headed towards The Bonk, so I popped a gel and shot it. That seemed to help somewhat, and certainly fueled me the rest of the way home. I got back inside just before 12:30pm, much to the surprise of my wife, who thought I'd be gone all day! I later found out that Carlos arrived back home at 1pm, so I must've been just behind him until that fateful turn onto Platform Bridge Road, where he'd zigged towards Pt. Reyes, Inverness, and Olema, while I'd zagged straight towards the park and inadvertently jumped ahead of him!
Bike: Kogswell 700C P/R
Time: 6:30am-12:30pm
The original plan called for a 7am meet up at the GGB. After quietly rolling through the moonlit, pre-dawn shadows, I got there at about 7:07, and waited a few minutes before calling Carlos, who was nowhere to be seen. Was he running late, or did he forge ahead? A quick phone call revealed that he was on the other side of the bridge. "I'll ride slow and you can catch up before Camino Alto" he said. I rolled on down to and through Sausalito, and no Carlos was to be seen. I climbed Camino Alto and rolled on towards Fairfax, and still no Carlos. At that point, I realized that Carlos' "slow" was still much quicker than my "fast" and resigned to my fate of riding alone that day... I climbed and then descended White's Hill, rolled past Woodacre, and reached the right-hand turn that leads towards Rancho Nicasio. The temperatures felt like they changed +/- 10 degrees (F) around every corner -- one minute I was warm, the next freezing! I was feeling OK and didn't stop at Nicasio -- for I had plenty of fluids and A Plan! After hanging the left turn that leads towards Olema and Point Reyes, I popped open the flap on my Zugster Rando Bag prototype (I've agreed to be a beta tester) and dug out half of a sandwich. I somehow managed to ride the stubborn Kogswell mostly no-handed for a short stretch while I slowly rolled and munched. Moving slowly is better and faster than not moving at all! By that point I'd reached the turn to Platform Bridge Road, which bypasses Point Reyes Station and Olema. "Which way did Carlos go?" I wondered to myself! "Ah, he needs to be home by early afternoon, so I doubt he'd take the long way around" I mentally agreed with myself. So take the short way I did, heading directly towards SP Taylor park and the nice Cross Marin Trail. I left the bright pavement and slid quietly onto the wooded path. Still no trace of Carlos! Nope, not at the handy facilities in the park. Nope, not near Inkwells Bridge. Nobody in sight on White's Hill. And although I was certain I'd spot his smiling face at the Java Hut, he wasn't there either. "Oh Well" I thought, and just kept on moving towards home. At one point I started feeling pretty grumpy and knew I was headed towards The Bonk, so I popped a gel and shot it. That seemed to help somewhat, and certainly fueled me the rest of the way home. I got back inside just before 12:30pm, much to the surprise of my wife, who thought I'd be gone all day! I later found out that Carlos arrived back home at 1pm, so I must've been just behind him until that fateful turn onto Platform Bridge Road, where he'd zigged towards Pt. Reyes, Inverness, and Olema, while I'd zagged straight towards the park and inadvertently jumped ahead of him!
posted by jim g at 7:23 PM
1 Comments:
I keep looking back and every once in a while I thought I heard your bike behind me.
Earlier I had decided to ride for 3:00 hrs and turn around. I hit that mark exactly when I got into Inverness. I stopped in SMP for water and then at Larkspur for a quick restroom stop. I got home at 1:02. It was a great day for riding. perfect weather. Too bad we did not catch each other, but the ride we did two days later to West Point Inn was nice too.
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