My most challenging ride to date climb wise, but managed to pull it off with a little left over in the tank.

Weather was just about ideal, started in early fog, which robbed us of the gorgeous SF/Bay views across skyline. It burnt off after a couple of hours and warmed up to low 80s.

My legs felt great going up the first climb, which I trained on a little at the end of last summer, encouraging to feel various climbs getting easier. Sadly, due to the fog, and patches of wet road, the descent speeds had to be tapered off a little, it's a little disconcerting bombing down a hill when you can only see 30 ft in front of you.

I was riding with a friend, and a couple of his friends, and we ended up mostly regrouping at rest stops. With my legs feeling so good, I went off the front shortly after each rest stop.

The mid point climb McEwen, while not very high, definitely makes you feel it on the way up. I'm hoping a fellow rider was packing an edge so i can see the gradient on the first few hundred feet of the climb, they weren't kidding when they spray painted "SHIFT TO LOWEST GEAR NOW" on the road just before the right hander to the climb. Ouch..

I hit a dead spot in the mid 50's where I wasnt sure that my legs were going to carry me the rest of the distance, I think it's mostly because 50-60 miles is my current cap on average rides, so they aren't used to pushing more.. Rallied on the long shallow climb up Pig Farm Hill and never really had any more issues with them.

Bob flatted just before rest stop #3, which cost the group a little time. I was at the rest stop ahead wondering what happened to them for a while. We cruised in the last 20 miles mostly together, with Mark's friends going off the front for the last climb. Guess they had more in reserve than me. :)

Here's hoping the summer is full of rides of this quality...