TUC 2010

I rode the Tour of the Unknown Coast last weekend.

I've missed the last two years. Last year because of my broken clavicle, and the year before because I did the family ride.

I was very nervous; my training was a weekend regime of westward loops, culminating in doing the Dearth Ride on two weekends. I felt ready, but not confidently ready. My other preparation has been that, with Julia's help, I've been trying to do some yoga stretches in the mornings.

We drove up on Friday, and had some time to stop in Founder's Grove for some Redwood Tourism. The weather was clear, with rain forecast for Sunday. Ate dinner at the Ivanhoe Inn (http://www.ivanhoe-hotel.com/) in Ferndale. I want to stay there next year. Food was pretty good, and relatively inexpensive for a restaurant with pretensions.

Saturday was grey and pleasant. Got the usual warnings from Vic about bad roads, including new information about bad roads after A.W. Way (lunch stop). Prompt start, and we were off.

I studiously avoided getting in any pace lines, and went solo, and at a slightly slower pace. Got to the bluffs with a biggish group anyway, and I was surprised to find myself passing a lot of riders up the short hills in that section.

Through Rio Dell and Scotia, out onto 101 and then the Avenue of the Giants. I got passed by a few groups in pace lines. It turned out that I was climbing pretty good, and on the flats, I kept getting passed by the same riders in groups.

As usual, the stretch from 101 to the beginning of the climb to Panther Gap was shockingly bad. The climb is eternal (an hour?). At the top, I'd been riding for 3:30. Weather clear/cloudy. Cool and pleasant.

Down the other side: I'd forgotten how steep it is. Plus, since last year, I've been ginger with my descents, so I took it quite slow. Towards the bottom, at a hairpin turn, there's a woman, a truck, and her stretcher, waiting by the side of the road. Next hairpin, the ambulance was waiting. I got the message. :)

The Mattole valley was super gorgeous. Cow and sheep ranches, green. A bit of a headwind provided an ominous warning. Last time through, the coast (7 miles) was into a headwind that held me to 7mph.

Lunch at A.W. Way park. I've resolved to go camping there, even if I don't know why anyone would go there. It's quite a nice little park. Veggie soup, PB&J. Back into the saddle.

Over some more hills, then down to the ocean. The wind is gusty, and it's hard to tell, but it must be a tailwind, because I make about 15mph without trying too hard. This is the life!

Finally get to The Wall. Don't stop at the bottom, but just slowly slowly chug up the 1 mile, 1000 foot grade. Get to the top, passed by many. On some of the bumps, my front wheel lifts a few inches from the asphalt. Keep pedaling to the very top, and stop to eat a food bar. Yay! I'm not dead. Didn't stop. Didn't cry.

Downhill to "capetown" -- stop to refill water bottles. Didn't remember that this descent was straight down. Holy cow! At the bottom, Capetown is a house, a porta-potty, a folding table with water and Shasta cola.

I met two riders:

Rider #1 is cursing his front rim, which is slightly bent from a pothole. He can't use his front brake anymore, but I later see him ride past me up the next hill to the end.

Rider #2 is holding half of his (carbon fiber) handlebar, which snapped off during the descent to the coast. I guess he thought he could manage... until the terrifying descent to Capetown. He's decided to wait for the pickup truck.

Back in the saddle, and up the Endless Hills. It takes forever, and I go slowly. I do pass a couple of riders, which feels like a great triumph. In the past, coming up this hill, I've suffered from horrible leg cramps, and often had to stop and pant, and watch other riders glide by. This time, no stopping, and only one tense moment when both legs seized up at the same time. Rode through it, and no other issues.

At the top, then the final, terrifying, pothole-rich descent. Dropping 4,000 feet gets old after about the first 2k, and the rest is just waiting for the end.

The best part of this ride is the way the descent ends at the very edge of Ferndale. A small audience rings cowbells and cheers, and you ride a few blocks back to the fairgrounds to get your time and get off the bike.

Wall clock said 8:15, and saddle time was 7:42. I think this was my best time, by at least 15 minutes. The winner finished in his typical 5:20. Didn't win anything with the raffle tickets.

Next day was still nice, though it rained cats and dogs in Los Altos. Went up to Arcata for Mother's day brunch, shopped and watched the locals soak up the hazy sunlight in the town square. A few scenic stops. Loleta cheese factory for the samples. Dinner at Curley's in Fortuna. This in the site of Parlotta's, which one one of the excitements about going up. A local tragedy. Curley's is not bad, but not the same, either.

Sunday night, the storm moved in, with lightning, hail and rain. Drove back home in classic NorCal rainy weather.

Time to train for next year. Any takers?

David