Day 2 of the Amgen Tour of California was a 117+ mile route from Sausalito, across the GG bridge (they closed it down for the tour...wow), and down to Santa Cruz. Parts of this route I can do with my eyes closed. It was great to watch them do the climb out of Sausalito at the start. It was basically a warm-up with the race actually starting on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge to avoid any mishaps on the bridge. Yeah, of course they made it look so easy...while, for me in the past it was always my last hill at the end of a day of riding so my form (and mindset) was the complete opposite (LOL). For the ride across the bridge, the riders had to stick to one lane to avoid the built-in grates that keeps the bridge flexible, so, racing would be too dicey.
(Picture source: Getty images) Anyway, I enjoyed watching the riders on one of my all-time favorite routes. If you like climbing, this is the ride for you to test your legs and your lungs. This route starts in Burlingame, up to Canada Road, out to Pescadero on the coast, and then back. On the way out to the coast, you have a Cat 3 climb (Old La Honda) and then on the way back, you have a Cat 2 climb (Tunitas Creek). Total ride is 85 miles, and 9500' of climbing. Climbing is really one of the best things of this route because of the dense redwoods and during the summer, the trees keep these areas shaded and cool. Also, traffic on both climbs is low to non-existent so it's all about you, your breathing, your legs, and your bike (and maybe some heckling from your cycling friends on a bad day...LOL). The best thing is that In-N-Out Burger is at the end of the ride and my reward would be one of their fabulous chocolate shakes. Route sheet courtesy of Velogirls.
For about five years in a row, I kicked off the new year with a visit to the Año Nuevo State Natural Reserve located just south of Half Moon Bay, CA (about 55 miles south of San Francisco). Año Nuevo means 'New Year' in Spanish and the state reserve is also the location of the largest mainland breeding colony of Northern Elephant Seals in the world. They typically haul out on islands located far off the mainland. About this time of the year is the peak season for birthing and breeding and it's an incredible sight to witness live. I would go several times - first, in December to watch the males come in and stake out their territory. I've seen some incredible battles between males that are about 14-16 feet long and can weigh up to 2.5 tons! Actually, the best battle I saw was down in San Simeon, which is just down the road from the Hearst Castle on the California central coast. I went down there with family and actually told them to take the tour of the castle (I seriously couldn't be bothered, anyway) while I watched the behemoths battle it out for over an hour. Exhausted and bloodied, one bull finally headed back out to the water and went to find a spot further down the beach (awww...I always root for the underdog).
At the end of December, the females (much smaller in size averaging 10-12 feet in length and weighing about 1,000 - 2,000 lbs) start to show up and haul out on shore to form harems and give birth. This peaks at around end of January. I would time my second visit of the season around or soon after the new year to check out this process. Then, typically, through the end of March, the females are nursing their young then mating with the dominant bull in their harem. Finally, the adults head back out to sea leaving the young weaners to fend for themselves and learn to swim. And, this is when I schedule another visit to gawk at the weaners who have grown and gained so much weight in a very short amount of time. Most will stay until the end of April before heading out to feed along the coasts of northern Washington and British Columbia. They will return to Año Nuevo to molt (shed all their hair and skin) during the spring and summer months.
It's an amazing sight to see and hear in person. The bulls' sounds are deep and guttural to match their immense size. So many pups are crushed by males who continue to fight off other harem-less males (again, awwwww) who try to poach on the females lying on the outer part of their harem. At the Marine Mammal Center, located further north in Sausalito in the Marin Headlands, I used to be a docent and I would stand next to a life-size statue of a fully-sized Northern Elephant Seal bull. Yeah, you don't want to be in his way when he decides to charge. And, don't be fooled by their size because they can move extremely fast on land. For this reason, you can only visit the reserve during breeding season on scheduled tours with a docent. Tickets do sell out fast so purchase them in advance. It really is worth it and an excursion that the entire family would enjoy.
The other day, I was driving home from the airport feeling a little wistful and sad after so many fun-filled days with various friends in the Bay Area. On my drive home, as I headed back to Issaquah on I-90, there was a brief break in the clouds and I could see the dusting of fresh snow in the mountains. That brought a smile back to my face and optimism for the upcoming winter season. So, to get everyone in the mood and to remind you why rainstorms are a good thing during the fall and winter months, I've put together a collection of webcams for live views of some places I've been at along the west coast. Click on the logo to view and may I suggest that you bookmark this page. Whee!
British Columbia:
Washington:
Oregon:
California:
Colorado:
Utah:
So, I am keeping tabs on all of you who said that they are coming to (fill in appropriate outdoor activity) in the near future. As for ski instructing, I still haven't made a commitment but I may have found another company that will allow me to teach during the week (and maybe a 1/2 day session on a Saturday) which will free up my time to play in the snow with pretty much everyone else who has the M-F grind. So, think SNOW!! And, regularly do some cardio, lunges, squats, wall sits, double-leg jump overs, more cardio, some core work so we can get the most out of each play day without any injuries :-) Woot!
An exclusive article just released in Vanity Fair (wha?!), is the announcement by Mr. 7-Time TDF winner that he was going to race again. I guess he was motivated after he came in 2nd at the Leadville 100 (a mountain bike race through the Colorado Rockies). In addition, he will be entering some cyclocross races which is something I want to try because I need a fourth bike :-)
OK, I can't think of a better road trip through California than this...the Amgen Tour of California in February! One of the stops is in Solvang for the individual time trials. I've always wanted to ride there so I will bring my bike. Oh, and the wineries along the way! So, if Lance is scheduled to race, I'm there.
The Tour is never lacking in spectacular events. Stages 14 - 16 are ones that I have been looking forward to as the riders make their way through the Alps grinding up some amazing steep terrain and descending like mad down the other side. The past couple of stages showed how quickly one can be 'King of the Mountain' to another casualty of the tour. First, Pereiro's crazy crash over the barrier to the pavement 15 feet below that left him with a fractured arm. Then, today, Augustyn (a 21-year old rookie) was the first to reach the peak of the last climb today which is also the highest pass on the tour this year. However, on the other side he was going to fast and couldn't quite make a turn and went over the edge. He managed to stop himself on the steep mountainside, but his bike kept on going, and going, and going, and going....
Those are the images that, unfortunately, stick with me on descents. One of my favorite routes is down in the Bay Area where you climb up the Marin Headlands from the Golden Gate Bridge. After catching your breath at the top only to have it taken away by the amazing scenery (the Golden Gate Bridge, the City in the background, Pacific Ocean, and the coastline south to Pacifica...sigh). Anyway, on the other side, the descent is on a one-lane road and is pretty steep at the top (for me, anyway). But, you have to tear your eyes away from the view and keep your eye on the road on the way down. I found this video and thought I would share one of my favorite rides from a cyclist's perspective....whee!
(Video credit: YouTube, Marin Headlands Loop on a Bike, Bullet Cam/auweia1)
The Marin Headlands is not only the area for many outdoor activities for the urbanites (road & mountain biking, hiking, surfing) but it's also the location of the Marine Mammal Center where I used to volunteer as a docent. Best time to ride....early morning before the tourists plug up the bridge and the winds kick in...spring time and fall are my favorite months. Once you're done with the Marin Headlands, continue down to Sausalito and do Paradise Loop...there's also options to jump on to other routes for climbing up Mount Tamalpais (or Mt. Tam for short). Check out the VeloGirls' website...the cycling club I used to ride with the first year I started road cycling. They have the best route sheets!
I am going to take a few days off of my bike after a rather lackluster weekend of rides....I went on a couple of rides with some good climbs and just wasn't feeling it. Oh well, some days you have it, some days you don't. So, time for me to put the bike away for a little while and enjoy some other activities and then get back on it.
(Picture source: Michael Maloney/SF Chronicle)
(Picture source: Getty images)
