Barry's Ride

Sorry for the delay. I did not get home last night til after 1 a.m. This covers a couple of days.

Friday I dropped Beth at the airport. She flew to Los Angeles tovisit Bill and Peg and Cooper. Meyer is writing an article for the SF Examiner about Yuet Lee, a well known Chinese restaurant at Stockton and Broadway. They fed him well. He and I finished off the leftovers. Meyer spent the night. 

Saturday morning I Got up early and drove to Inverness. After I passed big rock, on Lucas Valley Road, the temperature hit 37°. It’s really winter.

I put snowflake in sport mode. It’s fun to push her once in a while on  windy country roads with no 

traffic.  I don’t get to do it with Beth in the car.

I made it to Inverness in just over an hour including a stop at the bovine bakery for coffee 

and a fancy scone (so big I couldn’t finish it) and a stop to take a picture by Tomales Bay.

Beautiful clear cold day. 44° in the house at Inverness. Work to do!. 

I’m going to do my usual bike ride from Inverness. Longer than I have ridden in a while. Out to Tomales where I get a second bakery stop.  

I am so comfy sitting in front of the fire with a cup of coffee and my scone. 

Very tempting not to ride on this cold cold day. However, I am determined.

I warmed my socks over the stove. Dressed for winter cycling. Go Bear go! (Yes – I am loving life).

49°. Heading out. I don’t like to ride alone. I am bringing you, the reader along with me on this ride.

Easy start - flat five miles to Pt. Reyes Station. Feeling strong. Feeling good. We take Mesa Road to Highway One. North on Highway One. Lots of rolling hills, along the shore of Tomales Bay, toward Marshall. Singing melodies in my head. I see a hawk on a power line. I decide to keep track of the birds I see. I start singing “I’m a bird watcher” in my head (to the tune of “I’m a girl watcher”). I’ll keep an eye out. Still feeling very strong. I see lots of cormorants on rocks, piers, etc. I have heard there is a herring spawn going on in Tomales Bay. They heard too.

Mile 19 - town of Tomales. Slight hill into town. On the left I see two cute little white lambs with their mamas. We have earned a treat at the Tomales Bakery. I walk in and it  looks different. New fancy counters. Remodel in progress. 

Worse - new management. No longer called the Tomales Bakery. I commiserate with some fellow cyclists outside, (eating my olive tapenade and asiago twist).

Onward. East on the Petaluma-Marshall Road for about five miles. A little headwind. We can handle it. Just pedal and breathe. Right (Southeast) on Chileno Valley Road at mile 27. 

Beautiful bucolic verdant valley for about ten miles. Annoying headwind!

Mile 37, right (South) on Wilson Hill Road. The temp is up to 54 degrees but it feels cold and a bit cloudy. I'm wet from sweat, even my gloves. Big bad hill coming right up. Brace yourself. Eat an energy goo pack with caffeine. Get on the hill. Pretty steep. About 10% grade, average, with lots of 12%. Keep pedaling and breathing. Made it up. Fast short downhill to the Petaluma-Marshall Road heading West. Tailwind!! My favorite five mile stretch. Flat road, fast cadence (90-100 RPM), speed about 17 MPH. 

Mile 44 - one of the most well known climbs in Marin - The Marshall Wall. Motor up it. Longer than Wilson Hill but it has a short flat stretch 2/3 of the way up. First 2/3 about 10% grade;  A bit easier the last third. We make it up easy. This is a view of Inverness from the top of the Marshall Wall.

This is a view of Tomales Point, the mouth of Tomales Bay and Bodega Bay from top of Marshall Wall.

Heading west from the summit is a fast roller coaster of a downhill to Highway One (30 MPH+) right near the Hog Island Oyster Company.

Mile 50 - left (South) on Highway One. OK - were getting a bit tired. Back to the rollers between Marshall and Pt. Reyes Station. A hard slog. Feeling the miles. The last little climb by the winery is hard but a sense of relief at the end. I see my third hawk! Right on Mesa Road into Pt. Reyes Station at mile 60. Close to home.

Last four miles. Flat road. Feeling good again. 17-18 MPH. High cadence. 

Mile 64 - home. Average Speed 14.5 MPH.

Tally: 3 hawks; ducks; canadian geese; turkey vultures; cormorant; quail; three deer;

Road kill: three skunks; one deer; one raccoon.

Time for a hot bath, a little pasta with a red sauce and off to Roberts for  "Boys Night In" with Robert and Thomas.

Robert served us blanco tequila and a nice vegan meal of "beef" tacos, "chicken" nuggets and steamed veggies with chia pudding for dessert. 

Robert provided Thomas with information about dating sites and strategies. Thomas also got well needed advice about bachelor pads and man caves.

We watched "Get Shorty" in Robert's new home theater. I should have taken a photo. Very elaborate. The movie didn't end til after midnight. Long drive back to Inverness. I enjoyed the weekend here. 

Going to Adrian and Lynn's in Mill Valley with Thomas to watch the 49er's playoff game today.