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!
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