Sunday 30 August 2009

King Ridge


King Ridge claims the rep of the best road ride in Northern California. Combined with Coleman Valley, it's 71 miles of steep ups and fast descents. Other than a few tailwind-assisted miles on Highway 1, where obese camper vans sit impatiently on your shoulder, the roads are almost all one-lane no-car. It's the centerpiece of Levi's GranFondo next month (which seems to me like a ridiculously expensive century with timing chips - but for a good cause).

Anyway, yes, it was great. Sun all day except the fast foggy miles on Hwy 1 and the first section of Coleman Valley. Felt strong, though I sandbagged on the Ridge to avoid blowing up early. In fact, I went so slow on the steep bits that these annoying little gnats could keep pace and make tora-tora-tora raids into my eyes. Just when I ran out of water, I came across the Fort Ross School Sunday Market, where I learned delicious tamales from Honduras are wrapped in banana leaves, instead of corn husks.

On the way home, I stopped by Freestone for an orange chocolate scone and a round of great nutty fruity bread with cardamom. Then a strawberry milkshake in Sebastapol. After-ride eating - the best eating.

I failed to sell my Atlantis frame this evening. The damn stem is seized in the head tube, so I'll have to get the shop to knock it out.


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