Grasshopper #2: chileno valley

#2: chileno valley
Originally uploaded by kimdow

Saturday was a terrific day for so many reasons, the one I will share pertains to the ol' Grasshopper...

Pretty sweet, this was my first ride on the new Retrotec road bike Curtis made for me, the one I have only seen, never ridden until that day (being that it just returned from the handbuilt show)...

Let's see, 70-ish miles, last year was terrible headwind. This year was fortified with red-wine the night before and not as much sleep as recommended...no worries though, I was feelin' it!

Roll-out was sketchy as hell with the 200+ rider accordian sketching it's way for a few miles with fits and starts...I was bugged by my handlebars that had rotated slightly after hitting a sweet pothole-couldn't concentrate on anything else until I finally stopped to fix them.

The stop had me racing off nearly the back of the entire race to try to catch up with my friends...

First reel in was Peter and Leslie...climb was a rough one, but kicked it with Leslie along Tomales to Marshall...

Marshall was kinda solo until lo-and-behold- I somehow caught Crizzle and Michael and Heather...OUr group worked together from the next big climb-Marshall Wall until the headwinds and final area before the aptly named Burnside Road...

Who is that lone rider way up there? The one we're catching...Holy Crap! It's the one, the only Curtis! Seems he had a bit of a stomach issue and after cold-chillin' at the shooting range, was waiting for us to ride back with...

Ahhhh, Burnside...minus water, plus cramps...up, up, and up some more...The sounds from grown men sounding like cries of babies...necessary stop in Freestone for some delicious fresh baked bread a little leg stretch and then re-mount bikes to finish the damn thing...

Sure is nice to have a climb to the finish too.

Not.

Thankfully Lucie, KIm and crew were waiting to record our times and hand a tasty cold Tecate off to us...

Sitting in the sun sharing in the pain, then a trip to the Union Hotel for food sealed the deal...

The bike?
Incredible. The fact it was made by my friend, for me, infinitely incredible.

The ride?
Awesome, even with some serious cramping and a bit of wind. A perfect sunny day and another challenge completed...

The rider?
Happy as all hell at how things are working out, the ride, the trip, the company, the new...

All good.

All.

Good.