The wildflowers greeted us on several straightaways, there was some sort of horseshow at the first rest-stop, and I have never seen so many hats-taped-to-helmets in my life! I'm kinda glad I got started early, because we passed a ton of wineries that might have been fun to, erm, take a little break at if they were open then.

It was damn chilly. Not cold in that OMG I SHALL DIE winter sense, but a wet sort of cold that creeped under your clothes and soaked into your bones. The start of the ride was awash in safety green windbreakers that made us look like a crazy matched costume crawl. The sun finally started peaking out around 10:30, but it never felt like it got ubercomfortable, and the wind never really died down.

Pretty good spread of cookies, crackers, bagels, and carbs at the rest stops. I skipped the sandwiches at the lunchstop since the line had gotten pretty long, but there was certainly no lack of eating anywhere else.

I was so thrilled to see creaky old mountain bikes and cotton sweatpants and young and old and tiaras and feathers and panniers and mirrors and costumes and every woman out there just getting through 60 miles no matter what. YOU GO GIRLS!

My pictures!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gnat23/...7604403977717/

-- gnat! (I blew kisses at everyone that honked)