I rode the Giro di Peninsula this year - minus David and the layer of wildfire smoke that was present over the Bay Area at last years' edition. Interesting ride...there seemed to be very few 100 milers. The route left from the San Mateo County Event Center (I departed around 6:20AM) and traveled up Edgewood Road to Canada Road and on to the first climb of the day: Kings Mountain Road. Not a bad climb, but the temperature was quite warm for early morning (close to 70°F). Upon reaching Skyline, the ride headed south to Hwy. 84 and on out to San Gregorio. I was passed by three riders (two guys, then one other a few minutes later) on Skyline and saw absolutely ZERO riders from Skylonda to San Gregorio. At San Gregorio there were 7-8 of us at the stop (BTW, the weather at the coast was spectacular).
Upon departing San Gregorio, I was caught by a 60 year-old guy named Steve (an engineer who rode out from Cupertino). I chased Steve to Tunitas Creek, where he slowed near the Bike Hut and asked if I'd like to chat/ride up Tunitas together - I agreed. Interestingly, Steve and I struck up a cordial conversation until he asked me my weight, then proceeded to calculate and inform me that I should weigh 154lbs. (two years ago when I did the Sierra Century and ran two 3:40 marathons in a span of 3 months...I weighed 181 lbs.) He continued to lecture me on being physically active and how he was in phenomenal shape at his age (no argument from me, but I wondered how often he annoyed fellow riders with his weight/age speech.)
At any rate, I slowly let up on my pedaling about 2/3 the way up Tunitas and told Steve he was my hero and he'd better go on without my fat ass holding him back (alright, I didn't mention the "fat ass" part, but something a bit kinder.) I do admit, I'm fatter than I need to be, but I have not weighed 154 lbs. since I graduated high school in 1983 at age 17 - a trim 155 lbs.
The ride continued back down Kings Mountain...going well, but really warming up, especially across Elena Road in Los Altos Hills (uggh, I was not enjoying the ride at all - now 90°F). After the rest stop in Los Altos, the ride rolled north on Foothill Expressway to Sand Hill/Portola Valley Road and stopped again at the fire station. For the first time in my riding "career", I momentarily contemplated ditching my helmet so that I could drench my head in cold water at will, but common sense directed me to place it firmly back on my head and ride on.
The last 25 miles were uneventful and not at all pleasant. It was hot, there were tons of shorter distance cyclists struggling along the route and lots of cars at the Woodside Road (I almost got hit by a car turning into a gas station) junction and a huge back-up at Hwy. 92 headed toward Half Moon Bay. I was glad to finish the ride in about 8 hours including rest stops. The food was ok...almost too hot to eat.
Possibly the finest moment of the day came when I sat down to have a bite to eat at the end of the ride and found myself listening to a horrible cover band with perhaps the worst female singer I have ever heard. Her unpleasant warbling quickly forced me back on my bike pedaling toward the parking lot in search of my car.
Upon departing San Gregorio, I was caught by a 60 year-old guy named Steve (an engineer who rode out from Cupertino). I chased Steve to Tunitas Creek, where he slowed near the Bike Hut and asked if I'd like to chat/ride up Tunitas together - I agreed. Interestingly, Steve and I struck up a cordial conversation until he asked me my weight, then proceeded to calculate and inform me that I should weigh 154lbs. (two years ago when I did the Sierra Century and ran two 3:40 marathons in a span of 3 months...I weighed 181 lbs.) He continued to lecture me on being physically active and how he was in phenomenal shape at his age (no argument from me, but I wondered how often he annoyed fellow riders with his weight/age speech.)
At any rate, I slowly let up on my pedaling about 2/3 the way up Tunitas and told Steve he was my hero and he'd better go on without my fat ass holding him back (alright, I didn't mention the "fat ass" part, but something a bit kinder.) I do admit, I'm fatter than I need to be, but I have not weighed 154 lbs. since I graduated high school in 1983 at age 17 - a trim 155 lbs.
The ride continued back down Kings Mountain...going well, but really warming up, especially across Elena Road in Los Altos Hills (uggh, I was not enjoying the ride at all - now 90°F). After the rest stop in Los Altos, the ride rolled north on Foothill Expressway to Sand Hill/Portola Valley Road and stopped again at the fire station. For the first time in my riding "career", I momentarily contemplated ditching my helmet so that I could drench my head in cold water at will, but common sense directed me to place it firmly back on my head and ride on.
The last 25 miles were uneventful and not at all pleasant. It was hot, there were tons of shorter distance cyclists struggling along the route and lots of cars at the Woodside Road (I almost got hit by a car turning into a gas station) junction and a huge back-up at Hwy. 92 headed toward Half Moon Bay. I was glad to finish the ride in about 8 hours including rest stops. The food was ok...almost too hot to eat.
Possibly the finest moment of the day came when I sat down to have a bite to eat at the end of the ride and found myself listening to a horrible cover band with perhaps the worst female singer I have ever heard. Her unpleasant warbling quickly forced me back on my bike pedaling toward the parking lot in search of my car.
