If we are in Sutter Creek
(again) it must be Tuesday... That's what it felt like after such an
unpredictable day. My Ride Journal would
have read as follows:
DAY 1: "Rain, rain, go away, come again another day..."
It's raining in Ione and feels like we're back in late February or
early March. We decide to go to SC and wait it out at the Coffee House
hoping that the weather will clear up. Lots of activity in SC, but
we manage to secure a couple of tables in the corner before the Aerobics
class gets out. (Ray and Ed's Espresso Shot Tally: 2 (each))
Time passes as we solve all the world's problems in less than 2 hours,
but it's still raining. The prospect of riding looks bleak. After a
quick stop at the Dog Bakery (for my imaginary dog), JB, Ron, Phil,
and his buddy Brad call it a day. Shortly after, MK packs it in
too. I decide to look around SC, and Ed is off to market for fruits
and veggies. After nearly 30 minutes admiring a painting and then debating
whether or not to buy it, I emerge out of "The Fine Eye"into the dawn
of a new day. The rain has stopped, and the roads are drying out. I
immediately call Ed to see if he's still in the area. He had just passed
Ione, and was considering the same thing. Failing to convince Ed to
come back to SC, I make my way back to Ione to meet him (Ed's first
mistake).
DAY 2: "Hey, this looks familiar!"
It's cool enough that we decide to take jackets (it's August and we're
wearing jackets! Go figure!). Ed goes a step further and puts on knee-warmers.
"I just want to do a "short"ride", says Ed.
"Okay, how about SC?".
"Well, we might as well do the Creek Road too".
"We can decide where to go next when we get to Volcano".
"Red Corral?".
"Forget it, let just do the Coffee Ride!"
DAY 3: "Toto, We're not in Kansas anymore!"
Ah...Sutter Creek, feels like I've been here before. The Creek Road
however, was transformed into a damp and misty coastal back road somewhere
north of Point Reyes. The rain seemed to have given new life to the
local flora as fresh new scents were now alive.
It was still, overcast, and damp in Volcano. The air feels heavy, like
breathing through a wet blanket. We stay long enough to have a short
discussion with Rosie about employment opportunities for The Almighty
before climbing up RH.
DAY 4: "Do you ever have deja vu Mrs. Lancaster?""I don't think so,
but I could check with the kitchen."(from the movie Groundhog Day)
After a moderately paced run down Shake, we found ourselves back in
SC trying to decide what to do (again). As Ed describes, let the Poker
game begin. Ed bluffed on Middle Bar, and I called him on it. (Ed's
second mistake).
We waved blindly to Judy as we passed Incognito's front window, not
knowing if she even saw us go by. We hadn't planned on stopping, but
since she ran out the back door to get our attention, I turned around
to go back while Ed went to buy sunscreen at Bill's. "Two triple espressos,
please." (Espresso Shot Tally: 5).
Middle Bar is still as bumpy as ever. Potholes and patches of asphalt
line the road on the 3 mile descent to the river. The bridge is passable
and river looked much bigger than I remembered it last. It was a quiet,
easy-paced climb up Gwen Mine to Paloma Road. At this time it was around
4:30, and although we had been joking about it since we left SC, had
it been 3 hours earlier, we would have headed for Jesus-Maria.
The downhill run on Paloma from Gwen Mine to the Valley Springs turnoff
was the best part of the day for me. There's just enough downhill,
and it's just twisty enough that you can "carve"a turn, yet easily
push a big gear on the flatter sections. Leaning into the turns at
30-35 mph, and not having to brake, makes it feel like you're on rails.
(MK, you would have loved this stretch of road!).
DAY 5: "Hey Ed, what's that big yellow thing in the sky?!"
I guess it just goes to show that good things eventually come to those
who wait long enough. Crossing the Dam at Pardee, we could see the
sun ready to break out. All the gloomy clouds were off in the distance
and we were headed for Espresso shots # 6, 7, and 8. All was right
in the universe again.
We flew past the Wishing Well and down TT Alley, before turning off
on Coal Mine. It was 6:00 by the time we left K's Coffee House at Camanche.
We had 33 miles to break the century mark, and just over 2 hours before
the sun set. But Ed's resolve to do a 100-miler faded by the time we
got to 88. In which case, we said we really didn't want to rub it in
that we rode a hundred miles while MK, JB, and Rod left SC in disappointment.
80 miles was good, we were just getting a little greedy eyeballing
100.
DAY 6: "We just have to go a little bit down this road..."
"We're going to come up short and have to ride vulture circles in the
parking lot for 0.4 miles"
"Okay, a little past Marlette." (Ed's third mistake, and the beginning
of the end).
"Let's just go to the highway and make it 85. (Ed's fourth mistake).
"I'm still 0.5 miles short, we just have to go to the bridge."
"Is that enough?"
"0.08 more"
Silence.
More silence as we turn on Irish Hill. (Ed's final mistake).
Past the sweeping turn and down the hill.
1.2 miles into Irish Hill: "We've gotta go to the end now, we're committed!" Forest
Home here we come!
"Ughhh..." Ed fades into the background.
I knew the moment we turned onto the highway after 5 Mile Road, we
were going all the way. I think Ed was still hopeful we'd stop at 85.
But his anxiety was realized in the silence as we approached Irish
Hill. If only we had started in SC, maybe we would have done just a
little 30 mile loop.
101 miles later, it was around 8:15 when we got back to the parking
lot. The sun had just set, and it was a very pleasant evening. It felt
like a week ago when we huddled under the overhang in the rain. We
sat around until 9:00pm eating almonds and cookies while reveling in
our accomplishment. (MK. We would have called you, but figured you
had been asleep already for 2 1/2 hours!). Not bad for a ride we thought
we were going to cancel. Thanks for the day, Ed. I hope your veggies
survived!
I looked up at the moon as I was driving home, and said, "This wasn't
such a bad day after all!"(RC). |