La Ruta Loca Randonnee -- The Aftermath
I had an OK ride overall, no real problems, even my knee was mostly OK -- although the seat on my Fuji is not the best for more than about 75 miles.
Rode with Greg for much of the ride (THANKS Greg!), but between Nicasio and White's Hill on the return just utterly ran out of gas and let him go on ahead...at that point, I was planning on bailing on the rest of the route and just heading home. I stopped at the 7-11 in Fairfax (next to Red Boy Pizza) and got a much-needed choco milk and ate my 2nd sandwich, which seemed to improve things somewhat, so I decided then to solder on. I started the Paradise Valley loop, stopped at the restrooms in Pixley Ave Park, and ended up taking a long break there to eat my 2nd orange. Back on Paradise, I came to the T-intersection with the "yield" sign, noted that it was 4pm and getting windy and cold, and just made the decision then to cut it short and head home -- I made the right turn and dropped straight down to Blackie's Pasture, bypassing downtown Tiburon. I had no gas nor desire left. I crawled through Sausalito and up to the bridge, passing through the Visitor's Center then because I'd assumed that everyone else would've finished by then and I might find some riders there. Finding no-one else there, I just rolled on home, getting back inside at about 6pm, nearly a perfect 12 hours later, with 108 miles on the clock.
I was/am pretty disappointed in myself that I just gave up. However, knowing that Carlos finished at around 8pm, I think I made the smart/safe choice, otherwise I think I'd have still been out in the Marin Headlands at 9-10pm at night (which I was originally prepared to do, since I did bring lights). I didn't make a single control cutoff, in fact I just kept getting slower throughout the day, missing Pantoll by 5 minutes, then the next by 30 minutes, and after than by an hour. I stopped keeping track after that.
I am also amazed that the 3 other riders -- some of whom had never ridden these trails before, I think -- did as well as they apparently did. It's encouraging to note that anyone in good shape can perform strongly in this ride, however at the same time discouraging because I'd assumed that having "home court advantage" would be a major asset, when in fact it wasn't. The engine is still 99% of the equation, and clearly mine is like that from a clapped-out Yugo, in comparison.
Rode with Greg for much of the ride (THANKS Greg!), but between Nicasio and White's Hill on the return just utterly ran out of gas and let him go on ahead...at that point, I was planning on bailing on the rest of the route and just heading home. I stopped at the 7-11 in Fairfax (next to Red Boy Pizza) and got a much-needed choco milk and ate my 2nd sandwich, which seemed to improve things somewhat, so I decided then to solder on. I started the Paradise Valley loop, stopped at the restrooms in Pixley Ave Park, and ended up taking a long break there to eat my 2nd orange. Back on Paradise, I came to the T-intersection with the "yield" sign, noted that it was 4pm and getting windy and cold, and just made the decision then to cut it short and head home -- I made the right turn and dropped straight down to Blackie's Pasture, bypassing downtown Tiburon. I had no gas nor desire left. I crawled through Sausalito and up to the bridge, passing through the Visitor's Center then because I'd assumed that everyone else would've finished by then and I might find some riders there. Finding no-one else there, I just rolled on home, getting back inside at about 6pm, nearly a perfect 12 hours later, with 108 miles on the clock.
I was/am pretty disappointed in myself that I just gave up. However, knowing that Carlos finished at around 8pm, I think I made the smart/safe choice, otherwise I think I'd have still been out in the Marin Headlands at 9-10pm at night (which I was originally prepared to do, since I did bring lights). I didn't make a single control cutoff, in fact I just kept getting slower throughout the day, missing Pantoll by 5 minutes, then the next by 30 minutes, and after than by an hour. I stopped keeping track after that.
I am also amazed that the 3 other riders -- some of whom had never ridden these trails before, I think -- did as well as they apparently did. It's encouraging to note that anyone in good shape can perform strongly in this ride, however at the same time discouraging because I'd assumed that having "home court advantage" would be a major asset, when in fact it wasn't. The engine is still 99% of the equation, and clearly mine is like that from a clapped-out Yugo, in comparison.
posted by jim g at 6:05 PM
4 Comments:
That route was obscene. I foolishly arrived at Safeway 10 minutes late and decided to carry on solo. After the Alpine Dam climb I was toast, made a left and headed for the city.
It was good to see the six come through PRS. Carlos gets the "could be worse" award for rolling on with a busted front der and a twisted chain. JimG gets the award for "the guy I most wanted to give a double bacon cheeseburger to."
Chapeau! The route was definetly "challenging" to say the least, but felt relatively well until around mile 100 (the second have of old RR grade). Pushed on, and on, and then on some more for a finish time of 12:20. Looking forward to next year!
I did not do the LRLR, but I am now a regular on the bobcat, and I really like a 'simple' ride of up mount tam on railroad grade over to ridgecrest and continuing straight on bolinas ridge to olema and back the usual way. I wouldn't be doing that if it weren't for carlos (and gabe) Thanks guys!
J. Potis
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