I first heard about the Spring Classic on the SF2G mailing list. After reading some of the EPIC ride report from the 2012 ride to Santa Cruz, I instantly knew I wanted to be a part of the next one. I had much trepidation about this ride. There were so many unknowns: the route, the weather, and the off road portions. I spent more time than I'd like to admit second guessing which bike, tires, and gear I should run. Fast forward to a few days before the event and the email arrives with start and finish locations. Surprise, the route isn't even starting in San Francisco. Good news, a late call says no dirt. So the choice is simple: take the good road bike with 25c tires.
The start: Trummer Pils Brewery in Berkeley. Weather is already warming up before the 9am start time. Start gets pushed back to about 9:25 I wisely ditch my full fingered gloves and leg warmers in the car. They would have stayed in my pockets the whole time. Just perfect weather... A some quick instructions we're promenading through Berkeley behind the pace car for a neutral start. The car peals off just before Marin Ave, and IT IS ON!
I started at the front and was still near the front after Marin. I hopped on a groupetto but they were super frisky, accelerating on the hills and braking on the downhills. I was still recovering from Marin Ave and I looked down and realized we were only 5 miles into a 117 mile ride and decided I wasn't going to survive this kind of riding, so I let myself get popped off the back and rode tempo to get my heart rate back to something manageable. Across Grizzly Ave and a fun decent, I was back on with this group that had grown in size. Soon after we were caught by a few more, and our numbers swelled to about 25.
This group rolled into Dublin for the first rest stop. The rest stop was already being swarmed by the first wave. I wasted too much time (30 seconds) finding a place to put my bike, filled my bottles, signed in, grabbed a bagel (which I ate as I ran to pee), grabbed a banana and a hopped on my bike. Just in time to grab the departing stragglers from the group.
Riding into Dublin |
Cold Beer |
Rolled out with Patrick. At this point we had a group of 6 leaving the 2nd rest stop, but they wouldn't work with us. Patric and I pealed off from the double "paceline" and within about 3 minutes the group was shattered as no one pulled through. So Patrick and I went back to the front. Part way up Mines road the others (only 3 others at this point) pulled off to stop for some reason, and we soldiered on. Never saw them again until the finish.
Mines
road had one big climb and then a series of rollers, twisting and
turning though the valley that goes south out of Livermore on the east
side of Mount Hamilton. Many miles, two empty water bottles, a
cherry-lime GU (nasty!), and a lot of conversation later, we arrive at
The Junction. No beer here as The Junction is a bar and can't complete
with free beer. There was bourbon discretely hidden amongst the gels,
Osmo, water, peanutbutter pretzles, and M&Ms. No bourbon for me,
bourbon is for finishers!
We're close now, this is about mile 90. Just another 27 miles to go. Just a little more climbing and then a 22 mile descent into Patterson where food and cold beer are waiting. It's still Patrick and me, riding tempo. Patrick was probably a bit stronger, neither of us was willing to test the other. At this point the battle had made us comrades in arms. The two of us against the wind and miles.
We're close now, this is about mile 90. Just another 27 miles to go. Just a little more climbing and then a 22 mile descent into Patterson where food and cold beer are waiting. It's still Patrick and me, riding tempo. Patrick was probably a bit stronger, neither of us was willing to test the other. At this point the battle had made us comrades in arms. The two of us against the wind and miles.
Mile 92 comes and goes and theoretically it's all
downhill from here. Except Del Peurto Canyon has a killer headwind
blowing straight out of the central valley and right up in our face.
We're fighting to maintain 20mph downhill. We passed a couple who were
doing the short course (70 miles starting on Morgan Territory Rd).
Finally through the hills I saw a semi truck moving along
at speed. We were within sight of I-5 and the end of the descent.
Another few miles across the flats into Patterson. Left at the
McDonnalds. Right onto M Street, look for the park... Rolled into the
school yard teaming with bikes, food and beer. Signing in was the only
thing I did before getting a beer. Well earned and it tasted so good.
![](https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif)
My Ride: http://app.strava.com/ activities/43979675
Official Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/ 2205193
Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/ 106734738449712481100/ SFSpringClassic2013Mar2013? authuser=0&feat=directlink (Not my photos, but from Patrick who I road with for the last 55 miles)
Official Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/
Photos: https://picasaweb.google.com/