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I had been up in the city the night before and decided to stay up there and meet everyone at the GG Bridge pickup spot. I got to the pickup spot a bit early and enjoyed the view (and the fog!) but shortly heard the gunning of engines and in pulled CC and a veritable parade of bikes. We had 12 bikes all total – one of our largest gatherings – and covered just about all makes and models – five sport bikes, four cruisers, three Beemers, and a partridge in a pear tree. Our merry band was comprised of Sue, Doug, Larie, Todd, CC, Joe and Lori, Lorraine, Real, newcomer Amanda, Bill and Tyler. We headed off via 101 and fueled up quickly before heading down Lucas Valley Rd., a quick right on Nicasio Valley Rd. and into Nicasio for lunch at Rancho Nicasio. We managed to snag a table out on the back deck and everyone just kicked back and started yacking. This had to be one of the chattiest groups I can recall (not that we’re the quiet types on other rides to begin with) as every time we stopped, it seemed like an hour would go by with everyone talking about everything under the sun. Definitely a well matched group! The service at Rancho Nicasio is a bit on the slow side, and our waiter seemed to be a bit perplexed at times, but we finally got our food (which was a good thing as Todd was getting that look in his eyes like he might start chawing on someone’s arm soon) and devoured what was served. From there we continued on Nicasio Rd., Pt. Reyes Rd., Platform Bridge Rd., and then Sir Francis Drake Blvd. which has some really nicely paved areas and some not so nicely paved… I thought of the Charmin commercials where the little kid pads his rear end with the stuff… sounded like a good idea on a few of those bumps! We then snaked our way through downtown Fairfax and onto Fairfax-Bolinas Rd., a blast of a backroad with lots of twists and turns and some rather ungainly bumps and grinds (Larie said she was worried that she’d hit one of those bumps on a turn and just get bounced right off the road… in fact, she said that had happened to her once in a car… we gave her a respectable distance after that… ) We took a break next to Alpine Lake and had the next chat fest of the day. Journeying onward and upward, we took the really windy part of Fairfax-Bolinas Rd. that has some killer switchbacks. Luckily, there wasn’t a lot of debris in the road at this particular time of year so it wasn’t quite such an obstacle course. Once up to the peak, a left onto North Ridgecrest Rd. which takes you through part of Muir Woods and along a ridge where, at one point, you can see miles of the California coast to the west and the rolling hills of Marin to the east. It is quite breathtaking. A left onto East Ridgecrest and finally coming to the resting spot at the tippy top of Mt. Tam with spectacular views of the Bay Area splayed in front of us. A couple of the front runners weren’t paying attention and overshot the turn to the summit so we waited patiently as they realized the error of their ways and made their way back to us. It was really warm at the top so we all tried to squeeze into the small shady areas by the trees… big bad bikers all squished together in the trees… quite a sight, I’m sure! Again, more chatting until it was time to gear up and head off. Panoramic Hwy. was the next road treat with a quick stop at Muir Woods (and I emphasize the word “quick”… when we pulled into the parking spaces, everyone asked why we were stopping… I told them to see Muir Woods… no one looked overly impressed so I decided maybe it would be best to just keep on going!), out to Hwy. 1 and the sllllllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooowwwwwww cars inching their way along the twists and turns and refusing to pull over at the turnouts… sigh. Deep breath, enjoy the sights, breath in that ocean air, and check out the nice derrieres on the bicyclists in passing. Final gas stop at the junction of Hwy. 1 and 101, more chatter, and then off we went in our respective directions. We had decided to put some layers on which I was eternally grateful for as we passed through Pacifica and the fog was extremely thick… brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! Larie, Lorraine, CC and I stopped at the junction of 92 and 280 to say our goodbyes as we were going in separate directions and enjoyed the view of the reservoir as the sun started its descent westward. Another day, another ride well done! Peace,
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Well,
kids, I’m a little ride-reported out from all the Range of Light
reports so this will be short and sweet. CC met the group in Santa Clara
at our favorite Starbucks (we should probably invest in the dang place
we go there so much!) for coffee and schmoozing (she met Larie for the
first time who greeted her with, “Oh, you’re the one we did
the power nap tribute to at Ragged Point” – CC is now infamous!)
and led the group up to SF.