Day 2 - Santa Cruz to Big Sur - 87 miles and 3,200 feet of climb

Big Climbs, Big Descents, Great views, Gun Show

We had dinner with a good friend Vicki Pattersom in Santa Cruz and then another early morning, rolling on the bike at 7:30 AM.  Similar to yesterday in mileage and climb but I was still a lot of construction on the windy roads made it a little hazardous, a little nervous.  The family stayed at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz after I left.  My little Hannah bought a cool scarf in San Francisco so she got to show it off today. She has been so diligent on her homework, she didn't get that trait from Darcy or me.  Luke rode some rides and you can see a litle nervousness in his face.



We went through Monterey and Pebble Beach and I felt really strong as I know these roads, love the area and appreciate that Little Tommy Smith from Poe Drive can visit such places.
We had lunch on the beach in Carmel, just below the Carmel Sands Inn where we used to vacation.  Great lunch again and one of our ride leaders, Brain Brillo was coaxed into giving us a "Gun Show" as he was changing into lighter gear for the afternoon.  Great ride leader with a heart for helping you at just the right time.  A kind, encouraging word, a push in the back to get you caught up with the pack ahead of you and back into the draft of a large group of riders.  Also a stuningly fast biker.

The end of the ride was a climb that included construction but as you see in the photo, we went way out to the top right of the photo.  Very tough climb but the reward was wide, curved roads with a nice consistant slope for 5 - 6 miles.  I don't know how fast I got.  Sully and I got up to 51 MPH on an earlier training ride.  Probably no that fast but faster than smart but the roads were clear, nobody was ahead of me and this is what makes biking great.  The reward for a ball-buster of a climb.  A friend who taught me open-water swimming said that if he had to ride one route for the rest of his life, this would be it.

I agree.  Thank you  God, for Your creation.  May others, in seing Your creation, today, see the Creator.