Who Ya Gonna Call - Goat Busters

Love 'em.  Goats on Coyote Creek Trail. I'm assuming they are there to eat the grasses and prevent wildfires. 

Today's club ride started with chilly temperatures.  It was swell to see familiar faces as well as to meet some new people.  It was swell meeting the goats, too.   Time to set off for our 2 goat busters (Thomas Grade and Henry Coe).

I dropped my chain early on and watched the gang become tiny dots on the horizon.  I didn't expect to ever catch up to them.  I did meet up with a lovely fit 61 year old woman who had a hip replacement.  She's still going strong, just slow, and we yakked away.  Every once in awhile, her husband would back track to check up on her but at some point, he didn't, and I decided to be her companion.  I know what it's like to bike alone.  We eventually got to Henry Coe.

The last time I did Henry Coe was back in November.  I think I've actually only got up it once.  This time, I thought to myself, no big deal, not that I went any faster.  I caught up to Miss P. and watched the rest of the gang descend.  It was swell to ride with Miss P. the last few miles.  I always feel calm and happy riding with her.  In the distance, the fog. 

On the return, a photo capturing summer in the South Bay.   I was ever so pleased to get up Henry Coe.  And to also descend much faster than I've done before.  I did hit a bump and I almost went over the handle bars and my private parts hit the saddle in a most painful way.

Just the Stats:

4253 feet of climbing

52.34 miles

10.5 avg mph

34.5 mph descending (can't seem to go beyond that number)

4 hr 59 min.