Big Day!

[bikerz]

Today was a great ride - 38 miles from San Francisco Presidio across the Golden Gate, into Sausalito, up Camino Alto and down into Corte Madera, up Paradise Drive, down into Tiburon, then back to SF via the Sausalito grade (up again!).

Wow - beautiful, foggy and cool (bordering on wet and cold!) and so fun. I made it up all the hills without stopping, and down all the hills with no broken spokes! Start to stop was 4 hours, including a coffee and croissant break in Tiburon and the tire change. My computer is back in intermittant operation mode :mad: so I don't know what the overall time was, but my riding buddy figured it at 3.5 hours ride time - not too shabby, considering!

One mechanical problem - I got a flat in my rear tire at mile 26, but I had that tire changed lickety-split - no problemo - and hopped back on feeling totally studly! Just after starting up again, I noticed that my odometer had turned over 1000 miles! Woo hoo! Thats since January of this year!

The only scary thing was navigating through the helmetless tourists on their rented bikes weaving all over the place on the bridge heading back in SF! At one point we just had to stop and let a whole family of future head traumas wobble on by... I'm surpised people can rent bikes without helmets - I thought helmets were the law...

I wanted to pass along my gratitude and appreciation to the TE gals, local and distant, who have provided so much support and encouragement!

Thanks - from one very happy BikerZ!

(And I think I need a different saddle - way too much discomfort to consider more time on the bike - ouch! Guess I'm not a Terry girl... So I'm off to check the saddle threads...)

[Bike Goddess]

Hi BikerZ- Good job eh?! Flat and all. You are becoming a real pro. Next thing you know, you'll be the queen of the metric century!

I know what you mean about helmetless riders. Sometimes when I pass- I say "Helmet Lecture! Please wear a helmet!" Ususally don't have more time or I will add something like- "tell your mom and dad they should wear helmets too!" I don't think people realize how dangerous cycling can be.

Isn't that a beautiful trip- I did it last year in the fall and loved it as well. My only gripe was the traffic in Tiburon. Goes with the scenery, I guess!

1000 miles! I've often thought about doing a virtual ride across America. So, for example, where would I be 1000 miles from here? Utah? When I think of it that way, I am amazed that I've biked that far! So girl, for sure you've made it to Seattle and beyond if I'm not mistaken. (another route) Congrats and keep on ridin" :) :) :)

[bikerz]

Thanks Nancy! I followed your progress on the ALC, an c ourse on these posts - maybe we'll meet someday in person (perhaps on a training ride for ALC 2006... if not before) - I'll squeak out a breathless "hello" as you blast past!

Traffic wasn't a problem since we left SF at 7:30 am, and were heading out of Tiburon at about 9:40 - not too many people out in cars, at least.

Yeah, this no helmet stuff - it's crazy. There were some families where the kids had helmets, but not the parents, and I was thinking - great - so the kids will be fine while the parents lie in comas. Sheesh.

[SadieKate]

Yahoo! The crowds go wild! Keep on spinning!

[jobob]

That is super, Z !! I'm proud of ya!

I haven't been over the GGBridge yet but I've heard it can be mighty hazardous with all the sightseers and people on rental bikes - you just have to take it slow and cautious.

I think the helmet law applys only to kids under a certain age (twelve? 16? I forget). I guess it's assumed when you're older than that you have the right to voluntarily bash your brains in :p

[aka_kim]

Congrats, BikerZ! That course sounds like a lot of fun too -- coffee and croissants in Tiburon, yum.

[bikerz]

Thanks everybody!

That was a very fun ride (saddle pain aside!) It was a little too chilly to completely enjoy the coffee and croissant experience, and I was a little self-conscious of my atrocious "helmet hair", but it's kind of fun to see the startled looks on the Tiburon crowd's faces so early in the morning!

I'm now the current high bidder on a Selle San Marco Atola saddle on ebay - $25 - not bad! Bidding ends tomrrow at 6am - maybe I'll have a new saddle to try out on the Monterey ride...

I sure appreciate all the support you all provide!

- BZ

[CorsairMac]

WOoohoo Z!! you go girl!! nice ride and thanks for sharing it with us! 38 miles?...next thing you know you'll be doing a 1/2 century, then a metric, then................muuuahhhhhhhh we'll have lured you into the dark side of cenutries! :p

[bikerz]

You know, I kind of set a quiet goal for myself that I'd like to try a centruy before the end of the year... Shhh - don't tell anyone though!

Oh, and I lost the saddle bid :( - but I didn't want to get up at 4 am to see if I had been out-bid...

[Bike Goddess]

Well, the secret it out now! Just keep extending your miles and before youknowit.....

You thinkin' ALC5?? Did you say that before somewhere else? For sure,you'll be doin' some of thos 100s.! :D