Today I wanted to try a new ride as I was unable to get in on the Vineman. Most of the riding group members were away this weekend... 3 resting for Vineman, Chris traveling accross the country, Brian doing an insane Colorado ride over 3 days that hits over 7,000ft (Uhhhh, that's the lowest point of the ride. Most of the peaks are over 10,000ft. Tom on a plane to the East coast., and others MIA.
Lee (cyclist) and Pat (injured so had to drop out of Vineman) came to my rescue. Lee suggested riding from Healdsburg, CA out Dry Creek Road, which turns into Rock Pile Rd just after Lake Sonoma. He inticed me with the comment that it was an excellent climb and an epic downhill. To me it appears that the road was meant to go through at some point, it is a beautiful road with nice shoulder that is not really needed because it is a dead end road with not very many houses along the way. We saw about 3 cars the whole way after the lake.
The road climbs from lake Sonoma and continues with ups, downs, then more ups. You ride on a ridge overlooking vineyards to one side, coastal redwood trees on the other side, and I am looking down on them. The view goes on for miles. In the distance I can see fog laying in some of the valleys. but the sky above us is blue and the sun is shining.
We hit the turn around point which I was happy to see as my legs were starting to give in. However, at the end you have only done 2/3 of the climbing. All the little breaks on the way up, become climbs on the way down.
Speeds are incredible. Pat, had turned around early, but Lee and I hit 52 mph on the way down. Probably could have gotten a little more, but I wasn't sure how tight the corner was going to be after the straight away. I might have been able to get up to 52.5 or 53. But I was satisfied as this is my top speed ever on a bike. :o)
We were looking forward to a mellow ride back after all the climbing, but when we got to the bottom we ran into the middle of a Healdsburg Century ride. So - Up went the pace. Lee and I were passing riders most of the way, then one guy came around us and I took his wheel. He later fell back, but did not want to take turns leading, so he came around us and put space between us, then pulled away. Lee and I continued to take turns, then we saw he wasn't pulling away any more. He started looking back and I could tell Lee wanted to catch him as our pace went from 22 to 24mph. We got back up to him, then a HUGE group of fit riders came around us right before a hill. He jumped on their wheels, and I gave what I had to stay with them on the hill. I was so happy that I crested in contact with the main group, and I could only hope Lee followed. I looked back and.... Nope, he spent himself catching up to the single rider. I sat up, and we had a nice ride back to the coffee shop in Healdsburg.
Along the way, the century riders were going one way on road bikes, and the other direction were Tri bikes doing part of the Vineman course.
48 + miles and about a 3 hour ride on the nose.
Hope to do this one more often...
JC2
