A bike tour around Palo Alto, California by the Western Wheelers Bike Club. Not a race.
The tour started/finished at Gunn High School, Palo Alto at about (6AM-100Mile, 7AM-100K-~60Mile).
I started shortly about 6:10AM (finish 3:30PM)
The 100M route headed roughly up Page Mill, down Alpine and to Hwy 1 to Santa Cruz and back to Palo Alto. The route sheet listed the tour at just over 104 miles.
The tour support staff were all great.
Weather was close to perfect most all the day (sunny, no winds (until reaching the coast and in the afternoon).
***From Start to Lunch***
The ride to this point was just beautiful from the hills of the Santa Clara Valley over the hill, down through the redwoods, the farmlands of San Mateo County coast and eventually the beaches headed toward Santa Cruz on Hwy 1.
The sun was with us either directly or indirectly (forested areas) the whole time. Fingers of fog were visible near the road just below as we descended from Skyline Blvd.
I arrived at the lunch stop (63 mile mark) at 10:55AM.
***After Lunch***
Mt Charlie was the main after climb to the summit. This road is named after a well-known local pioneer and is narrow, twisty with a stair step sort of climb of about 5 miles.
The hill climb was a challenge. Slow going up all of the afternoon climbs. Got a flat on Old Santa Cruz Hwy just before the last rest stop at mile 83 (21 miles from the end point).
Also missed the LEFT Turn from Summit due to poor markings, traffic and downhill speed.
The breezes were stronger and the sun seemed warmer (and my level of fatigue higher than usual).
My distance, came out to just short of 112. Max speed was 44 (down Summit and the missed turn). Riding time was 8:13:05. Elasped time was 9:20 (about 12/MPH actual average). Route listed elevation gain as 7340.
I got another flat as I made the turn into Gunn High School making it less than a perfect day but one which had many of the best aspects of cycling.