November 9, 2009


levi’s gran fondo | the pacific coast highway

Freewheeling down the 18% grade it didn’t take long to reach the left turn onto the Highway 1. Volunteers stopped traffic and waved us onto the two lane highway. We continued downhill, using most of the right lane to take the switchbacks. When the road turned and we rolled toward the ocean the cold wind blasted me in the face; I shivered.

from the PCH

There was a short, mild incline just after the decent then the road flattened and several short pace-lines formed. I had expected a severe crosswind as we road parallel to the beach and was happy to find that the wind was mostly behind us.

Every few seconds I wanted to stop to take a photo. I never did. Instead, I rode on, a little worried that if I stopped riding I’d never want to start again.

It was and easy tempo past Jenner and over the mouth of the Russian River. Just after the river we stopped at what would be our last break. Quickly, we snacked and filled our bottles and then we were back on the road.

Either the road turned or the wind shifted but almost immediately the ride was a lot less pleasant. Gusts pushed my bike and I around. Ahead there was a left turn that promised to lead us out of the wind and, maybe if we started in Jenner, I might have looked forward to escaping the brutal wind but at mile 75 I didn’t even want to think about Coleman Valley Road.

posted by Michael Smith in Meet the Flockers, adventure, awesome, memory, photographs 

comments

3 Responses to “levi’s gran fondo | the pacific coast highway”

  1. Michael Smith on November 9th, 2009 at 11:10 pm

    Sorry about the delay…I’ll be done by Christmas.

    Also, as a note, the photo is from my more recent cycling trip to the coast.

  2. Sheila Ryan on November 9th, 2009 at 11:41 pm

    Honestly, Michael, I like taking this journey slow and easy.

  3. Michael Smith on November 10th, 2009 at 2:39 pm

    The next bit was slow…but not easy.

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