Day 4 - one hundred miles of heaven
Today we started on the clifftop with breakfast by Mihai, and some amazing nibbles before setting off from Mendocino. The route was easy enough to follow, no garmin needed. Head over to highway 1, then turn right and go south 100 miles to Bodega Bay. Weather was overcast and the legs were tired! Make no mistake, we've been doing some miles before today, and some of the nine had thoughts of perhaps sagging out. This morning, we were joined by Susan Tudor, of Cyclist Message, so we were ten when we hit the road.
Lunch today was... wait for it.... Carne Asada, Avacado, Chips and real Mexican Coke. For those that don't know mexican coke, try one. They are better in every way possible. And at mile 50 today in Gualala, they tasted oh so good. The persistent cloud cover that had given us some cooler ride temps in the 50's had finally burned off, and started to see the wind pick up and shift giving us a nice tail wind and sunshine at the end of the day to finish off 100 miles and 7,000 feet of vertical.
This section of coast is amazing. The pavement is well cared for, with lots of buttery turns and some significant hills to make it a test. The undulations lead to discoveries around every corner, with lots of little towns and villages spread around a small cove or harbor. It really did leave you in suspense, since all of this was new for our nine.
But make no mistake, today was no easy day. The legs were heavy with fatigue, the nine been on the road a long time and the things that get sore after hours and miles in the saddle are very sore. Sometimes you can't train for long days on the bike unless you log long days on the bike. Our nine will certainly be ready for MDC.
Today was also a very special day for Don. Happy Birthday. We made sure he spent his time either alone into the wind or at the front pulling the group toward Bodega Bay. Cheers buddy, you made it one more trip around the sun!
One more day to San Francisco, and our much anticipated rest day at the Argonaut before the start of MDC. So exciting, but also one more day of TdCA.
Birthday Boy Don showing off our GQ-6 drink mix. Three tasty flavors.
Breakfast on the bluff.... Burrito Bob waiting for company.
Carne Asada! Excellente!
