A great day of riding with new friends. There are 14 of us. People from all over the US as well as five Brits. Four tour staff members drive the SAG vehicles.
After leaving the hotel, we rode to the coast and dipped our back wheels in the Pacific at Ocean Beach. We then rode through San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge to the first SAG stop on the Marin side of the bridge. Then it was off to Sausalito, San Rafael and on to Vallejo, CA, "The City of Iron and Steel."
The Brits were shocked at the wind and fog this morning in SF and on the bridge. It was not the California weather they envisioned.
But of course, I loved it. I don't mind the chilly weather. In fact, I like it. It gives me energy. It's the heat that kills me.
The afternoon was sunny and warm but not too hot. Perfect riding weather. Everyone in the group was amazed at the different Bay Area microclimates they had experienced in one day. Everyone except myself and a rider named Doug who lives in Petaluma, CA, a beautiful town north of San Francisco.
Dinner at Olive Garden and the Warriors won. All in all, a fabulous day. It feels nice to get this tour on the road!
As I read this post back to myself, it sounds informative but not very entertaining. I'll work on that moving forward:)
I had 1 flat tire literally 25 feet from tonight's hotel. The perfect place to have it.
The Brits, all experienced riders, who ride what they refer to as "challenges" in the mountains throughout Europe multiple times a year, expressed that they were uncomfortable riding the final leg of the journey today on Rt. 37. It's a busy highway with many trucks and RVs and some rather narrow bridges. Evidently riding on that type of road was a new experience for them. I say, "Welcome to the good old USA chaps, it's a big, bad country. And we're just getting started."
I guess because I've ridden many roads like Rt. 37 it did not seem out of the ordinary to me. And they are correct, it is undoubtedly not the Alps.
I had a good groove going on the final leg.
That's it from day 1 of the Cross Country Challenge.
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