67 miles. It's a mistake that we're biking this far (Jay has never biked more than 20 miles before this trip, except the time he biked 40 miles on the hottest day in GA in 100 years on his never-been-riden road bike as a result of pressure from my mother) on such steep roads, but I have my heart set on staying at the Mar Vista in Gualala (I am the daughter of my mother). On google maps it's only a 50 mile ride via hwy 1, but 3 people including the Sonoma Bike Coalition suggest an alternative route over the mountains. They say it's safer, more beautiful, and less windy. I'm trying to be a better listener, so we start the day Jay's way: no alarm, leisurely wake-up, and bacon breakfast with coffee before hitting the road. (The bears are also out to breakfast, saying goodbye after what I guess was a really fun week. Grueneville completely embraces homosexuality and we love it!)
The route involves 3 roads -- Cazadero hwy, Kings Ridge, and Tin Barn -- and a 1700ft climb. We ride along the river through the redwoods then begin the climb at mile 20. An hour later we are at mile 22. This is really steep! We bike or walk up a short stretch, rest in the shade, then do the next stretch. The road is narrow and poor quality, and every now and then a 4-wheel drive comes zooming by.
See Jay coming up this hill:
We feel really proud when we get to 1600ft elevation:
And take a break at the top of the ridge:
But the climbing isn't over. It's really hot and we bike by cows, and there are grates every now and then separated by 6 inches, enough to send you flying.
Then all of the sudden it got really cold and we could see the fog coming in from the Pacific. The ocean is under those clouds.
Finally we saw the tin barn.
Still at an elevation of 1000ft we went down a really big hill. Overall, our highest elevation was 1710ft and our total ascent 4710ft. I've never walked my bike so much.
We were thrilled to get out of there and make it to the coast at Stewarts Point. We ate a bag of chips and the remainder of the mayonnaise chocolate cake (thanks Nancy!), and thought about hitchhiking but decided to ride in after meeting a fully loaded rider going from Vancouver to Mexico.
We made it to Gualala at 6pm with 3 miles to go to the Mar Vista. We stopped for groceries and at the end of our big day met 12 high schoolers biking from Oregon to SF on an organized trip from Apogee Adventures with 2 college-aged leaders. They told me how to make cake in an orange peel (cut orange in half, scoop out and eat orange, fill with batter, wrap in foil and toss in fire) and brownie scramble (pour the batter in the pan and scramble like eggs, top with frosting). I was so proud of them and it made our trip seem less daunting. I asked the girls why they prefer biking to summer camp and they respond "because you can actually get somewhere on a map, and you feel so good when it's done." So true.
We get to Mar Vista at 6:30, the highlight of our trip. The cottage is impeccable and the perfect balance of rustic and elegant. I go to the veggie garden and cut some heirloom lettuce and flowers for the table and bedroom. Jay makes us a huge feast before even showering. A man can follow a woman but communication and trust are key, and the best part of the day is always the end.
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