Sweetest Time on Sweeney Ridge

Crestfallen (not really, but I wanted to sound dramatic) on CrestView as I had to walk a bit of it and The Boyfriend pedaled away.  Funny how the photo doesn't really capture how painfully difficult this climb is.

Yay, fun and easy descent on CrestView Drive.  The Boyfriend hit 40 mph.  Where are we, you ask.  Well, we decided to beat the week long heat wave and the poor air quality (from the heat wave and burning fire in Monterey) by leaving the South Bay and biking to Sweeney Ridge, a favorite ride of mine.  We began at the Pioneer Hotel in Woodside.

I first did this incredibly scenic and challenging route with Miss P. on a club ride.  It's been a year and today was the perfect day to do it.  I had to walk a bit on Tartan Trail.  Naturally The Boyfriend got up that one too.  Overall though, I fared well and I was proud of myself.

I suffer because the views are simply worth it.  Except here, you can see the ugly haze hanging in the South Bay.  I wondered whether the Mt. Ham club ride allowed for any views and how the cyclists did.  We, on the other hand, enjoyed the cool breezes as we made our way to Sweeney Ridge.

We came upon the marine layer.  It was like meeting Heaven.  Spectacular.  We watched planes take off from SFO.

Lookey, it looks like snow.  But as we know, it's bird shit....  I love this ride.  Oh yeah, I did fire The Boyfriend as my leading man as I struggled to get through the gate at Sweeney Ridge.  I'm always amazed that he puts up with me.  Then again, I am amazing, so he should, you know, simply adore me.   Returning home, I could feel in the air a cooling of sorts.  47 miles in 4 hr. 55 min.  Not bad.  We did cut out one climb - Bunker Hill.  Like I care.  More importantly, we had a fantastic outing.