Sunday in Sunol

Once in awhile, I let The Boyfriend off the leash and take him for a bike ride. Oh oh, I'm in trouble for sure. Today, we were blessed with better weather than in days past though it was still a bit on the nippy side. We decided to bike from Milpitas into Sunol and onward to Pleasanton and back.

The BF went up Sierra while I meandered down Piedmont to Calaveras where he caught up to me. What a cyclist! As we made our way on the rolling hills of Calaveras, we saw many other cyclists, often in pelaton formation. Pretty darn spectacular.

The ride was from Ray Hosler's Bay Area Bike Rides (3rd edition) that I got from the library. We were wonderfully surprised by the beauty of Palomares, yet another climb. We met up with a Brit with beer. Yes, he was drinking a beer on his break. Don't know how he managed if he was doing our route given the rolling hills and descents.





After climbing into a bit of Dublin and then onto Foothill Blvd (it parallels 680) in Pleasanton, we once again found ourselves in Sunol just as a train was preparing to leave. Damn fine looking cyclist near the tracks. We were both running out of gas at this point. Luckily there was a general store in Sunol. The BF went inside to find me goodies. He scored some brownie points. Meanwhile, as you know, here it comes .... there were these two motorcyclists sitting on the porch.

Motorcyclist 1: Well, aren't you a cutie.
Me: I know.
Motorcyclist 2: You've torn your pants.
Me: No [showing them my exposed thigh and leggings beneath my bike shorts]
Motorcyclist 1: She's wearing thigh highs! My kind of woman.
Motorcyclist 2: No no, they're leggings for cyclists.

These guys were a hoot and impressed with the distance we had gone. When The BF came out of the store, I explained that I was simply being an ambassador promoting cycling! He shook his head.





From 1981-1994, Bosco the dog was Mayor of Sunol. Who knew. Well, I was really running out of steam so the gallant BF met me in his car just before I made it back to Piedmont Avenue in Milpitas. What a man. And what a bike ride we had today.

Just the Stats:

66.67 miles (The studly BF rode 75 miles)
30.5 mph descent
11 mph avg.
6 hrs. 3 min.

Good to Know

A day without rain! As I approached "The Wall," I ran into Team in Training members. So I told them that I was in training, too -- training to be lazy.

Please, please I said to them, no photos.

One man needed encouragement as he climbed so I told him to watch my tushy wiggle as I sang to him, "Cause I'm TNT, I'm dynamite...." (AC/DC). The Boyfriend, who is on a business trip, is, no doubt, shaking his head ....

A sign on Calaveras. Good to know.

Lookey what came in the mail today! It's official. I'm going to the ball! I've never done this tour and I'm looking forward to it, hoping to ride with P, perhaps. Of course I need to practice more of my lazy training if I'm going to attempt the 95 mile route.

KOM and Me

Me bundled up before setting off to meet the King of the Mountain (KOM) cyclists at the base of Sierra Road. It was chilly, around 45 degrees but no rain, so, I dashed off to cheer them, blow kisses, wave, and wish them a Happy Valentine's Day. Well, that was the plan.... The policeman at Sierra Road informed me that I had missed the riders by a long shot. Sigh.




While there was snow atop nearby Mt. Hamilton, the hills have turned green from the recent rain and the trees are flowering. Today is the start of The Amgen Tour of California (in Sacramento)! Come Tuesday, they'll be in downtown San Jose and heading off to Sierra Road and onwards to Modesto. I'll be there in downtown SJ to capture it all. Below are some scenic photos of the area that they will travel as they make their way towards Modesto.




Somewhere on Piedmont.




A meadow of yellow green flowers while biking along Piedmont.





Piedmont and Calaveras. The Amgen TOC cyclists will come down Calaveras. Boy are they going to fly!





Intersection of Piedmont and Calaveras. By the way, last weekend, I scheduled a custom bike fitting (a big thanks to P for suggesting this). The guy at the bike shop looked at me and said, "I've been known to do wonders but in your case (a long drawn out sigh)...." It was an eye opening experience for me and something I should have done quite some time ago. He marveled at the fact that I have catalogued (organized) the clothes in my walk in closet. Anyway, he adjusted this and that and me and well, tomorrow is another day for me to be someone else other than Weenie Woman.





Going up Calaveras a wee bit before turning around as the winds kicked in and the sky clouded up, threatening a rain storm. I leave you with this -- The Boyfriend is traveling on business but he sent me a dozen long stemmed roses and well, it left me feeling mushy not weenie....

Off Again

Met up with 9 other ACTC members including P and C. Today's route: Riding the East Side (Piedmont, Old Calaveras, Calaveras to the Summit at Sierra Road at which point P, C and I planned to leave the group to descend Sierra and then climb it (though C and I only went up the first part while P did the entire stretch!).




How badly did I do today? Let me count the ways ... oh, let's not.

Still, I had a fun time with the group, that is, when I was able to catch up to them. They were a swell bunch who kindly and patiently waited for me. Tomorrow is another day....