Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, 2004

For route details, check out our pre-ride page, which includes maps & profiles. In a nutshell, the ride started in Woodside, went up Old LaHonda and down the other side to 84, west through LaHonda to San Gregorio, south on Stage Road to Pescadero, up & over Haskin's Grade back to LaHonda, east up 84 to the west side of Old LaHonda, up Old LaHonda to Skyline, Skyline north to 84 (Sky L'onda) and then down to Woodside. 57 miles, about 4500 feet of climbing. Temps from 40-56, drizzle in the morning but very nice on the return from Pescadero.

At last, a picture of 3-Dog-Lady! It took four years of saying "Good Morning" before we broke her down so she'd actually smile and say "hello" as we rode past. She's almost as reliable on Tuesday & Thursday mornings as I am! This morning we saw her right at the start of the ride.
 
  Most of the group for the '04 TurkeyDay ride. Missing are Jeff K, who was running about 20 minutes late and caught up with us at San Gregorio, and Kim F, who we picked up along the way. This photo is on the west side of Old LaHonda, with the famous carved-rock face in the background. From left to right we have Patrick (I think), Ed M, Phillip, Richard B, Lanier B, Andrea G, Rob & Kevin.
   
[Click on photo for bigger picture] The General Store in San Gregorio. Always open, reasonably friendly.   [Click on photo for bigger picture] Repairing a flat tire in front of the General Store. Yes, it was wet.   [Click on photo for bigger picture] As you near Pescadero on Stage Road you come across a strange place...
   
How many have ridden past, never seeing the bizarre iron sculptures of machine-gun-toting skeletons and a very strange duck? We talked with somebody in the front yard, who said the artist's name is/was Michael, a Vietnam Veteran who apparently found some solace in making these. From left to right, the captions underneath each sculpture read "NO TRESPASSING", "KEEP OUT" and "WELCOME." There's also a Rottweiler with nasty reputation, but I think he's got more of a bark than a bite. He seemed pretty friendly today, which was probably what emboldened me to ask questions of the guy in the yard (normally the overall effect is that of a pretty scary place).
   
[Click on photo for bigger picture] Heading out of Pescadero, past the local dairy. Please note that the Pescadero Bakery & store are closed on major holidays, including today.   [Click on photos for bigger pictures] By this point people were probably figuring out that we weren't just doing a high-speed run this morning; if there was something to see, we stopped (and took pictures). This is the Flamingo house, a few miles east of Pescadero. I actually brought two cameras today; my smaller back-pocket one for photos while riding, as well as my larger Olympus 5050, which requires a handlebar bag.
   
[Click on photo for bigger picture] Jeff K, powering over a small hill (en route to a much bigger one on Haskin's Grade).   Phillip, relatively new to cycling on a Madone he'd recently picked up at our Los Altos store.   [Click on photo for bigger picture] Phillip again, nearing the top of Haskin's Grade. For someone with no climbing experience, he did very well.
   
[Click on photo for bigger picture] At Alpine & Pescadero (near LaHonda), the group split up, with several riders heading up Alpine, and the rest of us heading to 84 (LaHonda).   [Click on photo for bigger picture] Once we began climbing out of LaHonda the roads dried (finally!). This is a shot of our leading ladies, Kim F & Andrea.   [Click on photo for bigger picture] That long straight section just before 84 hits Old LaHonda. Just to the left is the "Red Barn." It's about 3.5 miles to the top from here.
   
[Click on photos for bigger pictures] I rode up ahead of the group a bit and ditched the "photos while riding" camera in favor of the bulkier, but much-better-picture-quality Olympus 5050. The sun had decided to come out, making for some great shots of cyclists, but the coast was still too hazy to make out clearly. Still looking for that perfect photo!
   
[Click on photo for bigger picture]   [Click on photo for bigger picture] At last, a great picture of Andrea, who rode the Tour of Hope last October.   [Click on photo for bigger picture]
   
[Click on photos for bigger pictures] Kim, in the center photo, was amazed that our group would actually stop and admire the view. She said something like "How touristy!" and meant it as a compliment. But, while the first half of the ride was a non-stop high-speed run to the coast, the second half was quite different.   [Click on photo for bigger picture] Hard to get a good shot on the upper part of Old LaHonda, where the tree cover makes it very dark, requiring longer exposures than work when riding.
     
[Click on photos for bigger pictures] Back at the starting point, Olive Hill & Canada Road. Quite a few out for a pleasant afternoon ride today. We finished the ride at almost exactly 12:30pm, right on time. About 57 miles, just enough to take away some of the guilt from eating too much at Thanksgiving dinner!   Hit Counter

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