Average Speed: ~9.0
Max Speed: 21.0
Total Miles: 2,227
Patrick & I cycled to West Oakland BART station & rode BART to the Embarcadero where we met good friends Kristin & Wayne from Santa Rosa. West on Market street to Page and up some very steep (my opinion) San Francisco hills to Haight St. where we found the Blue Front for second breakfast - organic gorilla vanilla coffee. Then into the panhandle and through Golden Gate park to the beach. It was still foggy and col but lots of people were out enjoying the holiday, anticipating the sun - they weren't disappointed. At the beach we did the obligatory wheel dip in the surf, then drank three bottles of champagne spiked with orange juice and headed back into the park for a picnic lunch that Kristin & Wayne packed from Santa Rosa. After the short ride back to Embarcadero we shared a pizza at the Lanesplitter - best pizza west of Gandpa Tony's - and that was it.
Wayne urging us on up Page St.
At least these hills are measured in blocks, not miles
Burning quads
Smile? or struggling for air
The Haight
Old Victorian Lady
This is dedicated to.......whomever
After second breakfast
Conservatory of Flowers
More Flowers - sun breaking through
Exposure
Patrick, Wayne, Kristin - water falling from where? This is Golden Gate Park.
Arriving at Ocean Beach
Ocean Beach
The traditional baptism
Come on - a little closer
That does it
Can't remember the joke but it was damn good
That really does it
Perfect ending - tough to beat
Ocean beach - holiday strollers
Lots of people out as the sun begins to break the fog
Ride back to Embarcadero or bus? Required serious discussion.
Lunch in the park
Trying to stay connected - that's the little netbook PC
Patrick on Skype with Nicole
Everyone, even the dunces in San Francisco, enjoy the holiday in the park
Guy Fawkes - aka Anonymous - this is San Francisco after all
End of the day - end of the ride
One more thing.....
For anyone contemplating a long ride, slow or fast, I suggest you consider these recommendations:
1 - Do it with a partner - someone in comparable physical condition, emotional stability, or instability as the case may be, and roughly similar views of one's place in the universe
2 - Don't worry too much about developing the obvious cycling muscles - they will develop as you ride - but really work on strengthening your entire body, especially upper body & abdomen
3 - Invest in Kevlar tires & the best hand pump money can buy
4 - Take more spares than you think you'll ever need and take little else
5 - Learn how to nose breathe especially when pulse & respirations are racing - get a rhinoplasty, if necessary, so you can breathe like a horse
GOOD LUCK!
Th-th-th-th-th-at,s all folks. Thanks for listening.
Eureka! Congratulations Steve. Thanks for the ride.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, man, an incredible feat. I can't imagine what you will do for an encore. See you soon.
ReplyDeleteAn awesome ending to a ride well done. Thanks for the adventure. Love, Ann
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on a wonderful accomplishment! It was so much fun sharing the adventure.
ReplyDeleteSavor the memories.
Love ya.
Well, Steve, you've gone about as fer as you can go. You have ridden to the edge: the edge of exhaustion, the edge of loneliness, the edge of beauty, the edge of fear, the edge of thought, the edge of the continent.
ReplyDeleteAnd you will never completely come back.
You will always be the King of the long and winding road.
P.S. I notice the elevation above sea level at Ocean Beach is 0. The elevation in St. Paul is 702 ft! So, you candy ass, you took the easy downhill route. And to think people were feeling sorry for you.
Congratulations Steve! Dave says he knew you could do it! He really enjoyed reading and following along on your journey.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your trip! You did a great job keeping everyone informed of your trip. All of the hard work biking, and still being able to post all of your adventures. Thanks Grey, Rena, Alex, and Mason
ReplyDelete(I accidentally posted this on a previous page--here is a copy of that:)
ReplyDeleteSteve,
Congratulations on the successful completion of your trip! Very happy for you. Kurt Fischer provided the blog link to me. I much enjoyed the great photos and commentary and following along with your journey. Viewing your blog was inspiring and intriguing--arduous though it was at times for ya, esp. with the major heat wave in July. Say hi to Kurt for me when you see him in Vancouver later this month.
Again, congrats!!
Curt Dederich