San Gregorio Loop.

Change of plan. We didn't do Kings Mountain but San Gregorio Loop!

What a fantastic day. It was cold but it was a bright blue sky day with some of the most stunning scenery I have ever cycled in California. I rode with Gary and Alyosha who I mentioned in the previous post. First the good news. Gary is not imaginary but a real live human being. The bad news is that he is the Mozart of Cycling and I mostly saw his ass and watched him disappear into the horizon. He did do a very good deed today by pushing me for about 50 meters up a steep hill. We did manage to ride together in close proximity in some of the flat sections and he was full of great advice and good humour. Alyosha told old jokes and was always somewhere between us.



I was doing good after a long absence from long rides. The last one I took was in on October 25th, London to Brighton with my Photographic colleague, Simon Norfolk. (you will read more about him in future blogs) That was a 42 mile ride. Anyway the toughest part was an 800 ft/2 mile climb up to what is mile point 40 in the map above. It was 8-11% gradient. so it was a killer for me to climb 800ft after 38 miles. In 7 months I expect to do 100 miles before ascending 5000 ft. I have a steep mountain to climb in ability.

Highlights of the ride. Being chased by a white wolf. The wolf was 90 years old in dog years and it still almost caught me as I huffed and puffed. Gary and Alyosha watched after they managed to avoid being eaten by the wolf.

Next highlight was our first feed stop. We stopped at a Rural General Store where Mexicans like myself are rarely seen and men with guns wander aimlessly nearby. Gary ate 3 danish wrapped in Plastic, 3 Fig Newtons, a bag of potatoe chips, a Cliff Bar and a bottle of Yellow Gatorade.

Alyosha ate 2 bags of corn chips, a danish, fig newtons and a bottle of yellow Gatorade. I had 6, count them, 6 mini chocolate donuts, 2 bags of corn chips, fig newtons and a Red Gatorade.

We left with Gary still hungry and me with an upset stomach. 2o miles later we finished our ride in San Gregorio. We decided to eat some more, bought some sandwiches and listened to a band sing songs about dogs named Fred. I dont like songs about dogs.