You wake up wondering, did I set the alarm clock, what if I oversleep? What if I’m late?
Now finally, you are at day 1 – Ride Out. The Day you have been training for months
Finish stuffing everything into your bag, that same bag that you have packed 4 or 5 times, checking each time to see if you forgot something.
Well it’s too late now, what is in your bag that’s it, maybe you can stop on your ride through town somewhere to get that thing you are missing.
Damn it’s early (and cold)
Turn your bag into the truck, they will ask you;
Have your helmet, windbreaker, gloves, sun-block, sunglasses, shoes?
Once it’s on this truck, you are not going to see it again until you ride in Santa Cruz.
Now go check on your bike, what they won’t let you visit your bike? ARGH… But it’s okay everything is fine, breathe, relax, they will let you in a second, its opening ceremony time.
First year I did it, hot as hell in the that room with 1000 people inside, that all there is room for, but we have another 800 riders in the halls outside. Last year, 1000 people in the hall, with 1200 people outside, this year it will be 1000 people inside with 1500 riders in the halls outside, and we are not counting the people who came to see you off or the roadies. Its is just too hot and crowded in there for me, I wait outside.
After the ceremonies, we are released to our bikes, and we start to line up, check our tires, our gear, make sure our helmets and gloves are all on, fix that last minute flat, and reset your mileage.
Start to shuffle out, Positive Pedalers go first, look for your friends in the crowd, time to stop and take a picture? Quick, get on the bike, but don’t clip in, you’re not moving fast enough.
Finally you make it to the street, and you take a deep breath and you start out. Single file? Hah! Not for a few block anyway, we are too many for single file, but we try.
Watch out, we are still going to slow too clip in, watch for people falling over.
Finally, a few streets down (actually up), we are climbing a hill, but it is so slow and so slight you don’t notice, you are too busy checking out the cops (well I am). You yell “thanks” for them being here, for being out here, for supporting the ride. They are sitting directing traffic and it is cold, you are moving.
Thank the nice (hunky) policeman.
We finally get in single file, and slowly work our way out to the Great Highway (actually its called Skyline Blvd at this point) and we start on our first real hill, just a little ways after reaching the crest is our first rest stop.
First year, just a rest stop, last year they had the riders all cover their helmets with a red helmet cover, at the first rest stop you could write the name of a loved one on the helmet cover and turn it in, they were going to be used at the closing ceremonies. This year?
After the rest stop, we really get on the way. We ride up Skyline Blvd, and ride until we reach almost reach Highway 280, we then take a left, then a right and skirt the highway, then we ride up to Crystal Springs.
This is our second rest stop. It’s usually clear, so we while we are stopped, take pictures.
Then back on the road, Highway 92 awaits.
The first year after reaching the top, we stayed on Highway 92 all the way to Half Moon Bay, it was slow going and traffic was at a standstill the bikes were going faster than the cars, sometimes when skirting a big truck it was a bit scary. Naturally the Semi’s would give you as much room as they could, but the yahoos in their hopped-up trucks would not move an inch. The second year instead of going to Half Moon Bay we climbed up Highway 84, ten miles of sloped uphill, not a hard climb, but a long climb that seems to go on forever. (And ever and ever, we were not prepared, it wore out a lot of us, I had problems with my knee, later I found out it was because I had not been stretching my quads enough.)
After reaching the top, we take this amazing curving road that leads to the coast and comes out at San Gregorio.
What way are we going this year, no one will tell us.
After reaching Half Moon Bay, people would stop for coffee, and then get on Highway 1 heading south; we ride until San Gregorio Beach. There are lots of small hills, and amazing downhill’s, where you can get some amazing speed, but watch out for cars exiting the beaches, they don’t’ always see you.
SO SLOW DOWN, if you see cars on the right getting ready to pull out on the highway.
San Gregorio Beach was our lunch spot the last two years I assume it will be so again. Be careful where you place your bike sometimes there are sticker weeds that can give you a flat.
Lunch is packed lunches, usually turkey or chicken breast, Potato Chips, fruit, and the ever-present Gator-aide. We all look for friends to sit with, or if you can’t find anyone that you know, sit down with someone you don’t and make a friend.
Just a bit of sunshine there on the coast warms you up and makes lying down in the sun great, there is usually a little bit of breeze, so lying down is the only way to avoid that cooling factor.
After a bit of a rest, it’s back on the bike, and on your way to Santa Cruz. It is a beach side ride all the way until you get to town. Up rolling hills and long stretches of road. Usually the wind is with you, so it isn’t too bad of a ride.
Finally you arrive in Santa Cruz, we ride into town right on the main drag, oh not the beach Boardwalk, but the road that goes through town, it’s Highway 1, so now you are riding right next to cars and stopping for lights again, we start to bunch up and we wonder how much further to go?
After a while there are signs and people, turn this way and that, you are going in a big circle, but the second year you realize; it is to get to you camp the easiest way, the least amount of traffic.
Then you arrive, you weren’t first, and you’re not last. The fast riders are there, cheering you in, you made it. You are glad to get off that bike. You turn your bike in, and try to remember what the name of the row, is where you left your bike.
Then you see it for the first time…
A Sea of tents… all the same… (Well two different style tents) but 1250 tents all the same, set up on a grid, the only tent not up, is yours. Go get your tent and your bag, and then find your spot on the grid.
Set up your tent, and get your bags all set, find your clothes, and go to the shower vans, wait in line and then take your nice warm shower. Get all clean, and then go take your clothes back to your tent, if you forget anything at the shower tent, it can be found at lost and found later.
Now you are done, find your friends and go eat, eat twice if you feel like it. Stay in the covered eating areas to listen to camp announcements, good news, fun news, weather tomorrow, encouragement from the organizations we are riding for, words of thanks for various organizations that this ride helps.
Now it is time for bed, light and noise all done by 9 pm, for tomorrow…
WE RIDE AGAIN.
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