Are we there yet?

Once again The Boyfriend forgot the camera as he dragged me out for another ride involving climbs and undulating roads. The 34 mile route involved: Page Mill parking lot --> Arastradero --> Foothill Expressway --> Stevens Canyon --> Redwood Gulch --> Highway 9 --> Skyline Blvd --> Page Mill Road descent.

While attempting one of the steep inclines on Redwood Gulch (we're talking somewhere around 15-18% according to various sources), I toppled over (of which I have quite a lot of experience). Knowing that you are going to fall and can't stop it is a sickening feeling. I couldn't clip out. I found myself lying on the road with my shoe stuck in the pedal. I yanked my foot out. It was a funny sight to see the shoe in the pedal but scary while trapped in it on the road and freaking out that a car would run over me. Blood was streaming down my leg from my knee and I knew that later I would have various bruises and scrapes elsewhere.

I met up with The Boyfriend at Highway 9, showed him my bloody wound, and then we proceeded to ride the 3 or so miles together to the top where 9 meets Hwy 35 (Skyline). I kept asking him if we were there yet and he laughed and laughed. Biking on Skyline is what I imagine Heaven (if it exists) is like. The cotton candy fog cover hung in the mountains, tiny wildflowers dotted the edge of the road, a few vineyards hugged a hillside, with occasional glimpses of the sea and valley. Serene, pretty, magical, you know. At last I came upon Page Mill Road where The Boyfriend was waiting. The descent was more of the same, spectacular.

I'm in the Mood

Guess what! The weather was delightful over the weekend so I finally got out on the blue bicycle. I ride to work every day on a little boy's bicycle (Specialized) but that's more like strolling, you know. And a bit less than 2 miles each way. When I was four or so, I lived in Libya and rode around on a red tricycle. Those were the days, eh. It's been a month since I took the big bicycle out.

Saturday, I met the boyfriend at Page Mill and Arastradero and we biked many roads in the Los Altos Hills, including Moody Road, which was a bit of a killer for me since I haven't biked in awhile. I met a woman cyclist on Moody and she understood when I explained that the climb was taking its toll on me. It's lovely in the Los Altos Hills. You pass a few vineyards, some fancy schmancy mansions, open space, horse stables (I once took a horseriding class through De Anza Foothill College and we met at a stable in the area), and rolling hills that are green this time of the year. We did 21 miles. Can't say I was Speedy Gonzales. But it was nice to get out again and to smile and wave to men who seemed to want to help me every time I stopped.

Sunday, I took the Hybrid to Alviso (photo is of the Marina). The ride can only be described as serene, well, once you get to the bay. The trail leading to Alviso is gravel and bumpy in places. I stopped in Alviso to watch a photo shoot of a band. Once on the bay, I watched ducks and birds float on the water. Returning to Alviso, I had to stop for the train. I love trains ever since I lived near the tracks in Kfar Shmaryahu, a suburb in Israel. I did 24 miles in 2 hours. Again, can't say I was Speedy Gonzales.

Well, clearly, I must get back in shape and prepare for Tierra Bella in April. Thank you Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Glen Miller for keeping me in the mood. And the boyfriend, too.