Saturday June 18 - Driving to Columbia

George and I arrived in Columbia, completely exhausted from having flown into SFO airport directly from my family reunion week in South Carolina. The drive to Columbia was extended by traffic and our search for a cute little speaker set for my ipod. We arrived just in time for dinner, which George had arranged for ahead of time with Kim Carr, food chair.

Soon the hugs began, it wonderful to see everyone, lots of our usual gang and some new faces. Along with Donnnny, Kimmmmy, Phillll, Therrresa, Patttti, Errrric, Pammmmy, Steeeevo, Migggguel, and Corrrra from prior year(s), we'll have April new along this year, Toni returning after a long absence, and wow, there's Helen and Phil from South Dakota, oh and Jim and Stephanie... yay. George and I head over to our hotel after dinner to get checked in and get some much-needed sleep.

Sunday June 19 - Columbia to Jackson

George drops me off at camp for breakfast, then takes off to see his daughter. There's plenty of time to see people off on their rides, change into the new tour jersey since it's too chilly for sleeveless, re-organize things in my bags that I packed nearly 2 weeks before. Steeeevo brought everything up for me, thank goodness! We start our ride in a big pack, knowing that we will naturally divide into smaller groups. Our first stop is about 500 yards down the road since the men's room was in bad shape in camp, various photos are taken, reintroductions are made, and soon we're rolling downhill towards the bridge, a traditional photo stop.

Our first stop - just 500 yards so far

Group picture at Parrots Ferry bridge

Kazoo #1 - at Murphys, with Theresa, Phil, Kim, Miguel

Phil, Theresa, Robin, in Mokelumne Hill

We roll up and down the rollers towards Murphys, and completely by surprise, I take the first 2 city limit signs from Kim and Phil, since they had mostly forgotten about racing to them. We all stop in Murphys where some folks get coffee and I just mill around, happy to be in this extremely cute town with the bike tour around me again. We leave Murphys in a pretty big group, and ride the rollers for awhile. At some point during a long downhill, Theresa loses a water bottle out of the cage on her borrowed bike. I head back up the hill with her to look for it, and Miguel joins us, partly because she borrowed the bike from him. Hey, I didn't remember this being so steep on the way down! Oh well, riding is what I'm here for. We don't find the bottle, and when we get back down to the bottom, many of the others have taken off already. We know they'll stop soon, so we roll in a loosely organized paceline, enjoying the scenery, which is always nice on this section, and this year there are lots of flowers.

Soon after, we're all riding on Dogtown Road, which is verrry bumpy and I find to my surprise that I'm actually passing people on the bumpy descents. We roll into the rest stop and for a change there are actually many riders behind us at this point. I'm hungry and the food is welcome. We skip our usual lunch purchase in San Andreas, but make a stop there to use restrooms and I get a chance to call my dad for Father's Day. On the way out of town, Robin says 'hey - we didn't do the turn to see the historic part'. I hadn't noticed it on the sheet, and neither did the folks ahead of me... Robin seemed disappointed, so we agreed to stop in another historic town of Mokelumne Hill later in the day.

We make the climb up Hwy 49, and it's not so bad because the weather is perfect this year. I talk with Randy from Pasadena a bit on the climb, a strong rider new to the tour this year. Kim and Phil and I sing some good songs on this part, another essential part of the tour. We wait for everyone at the next rest stop, then head on to historic Mokelumne Hill where several folks go into the bar with the secret pool room, and I choose to go read the historic marker. At this point we split into a couple of groups, because Kim and Robin and Theresa want to go to the river at Gwen Mines road - I choose to follow Phil's local advice that this year the water is too cold and too high to enjoy it this year.

We fly, actually fly down the descent on Hwy 49, it is so much fun. Phil catches me at some point and says to me 'you are just flying!!', and is very surprised when I re-pass him, on the inside of a curve. I guess living at the top of such a big hill has helped my descending, huh? As we get to the top of the nasty Hwy 49 climb, I look over at Gwen Mines Road and say 'No way are they going to go down there after this climb'. Then we catch Don Moser, who has his fly fishing rod along -- cool way to tour!

We roll into camp pretty early, since the beer isn't even flowing yet. I sit around with Phil and Eric for awhile, stretching and listening to the new ipod speaker, which is working just fine. Then it's a quick dip in the pool, and it's time to set up camp - Donnnny and Corrra and Aprrrril have chosen a good spot near the mission sign, so that makes for a good neighborhood. I wash out some clothes and hang them up to dry with my swimsuit.

We head over to start a puzzle before dinner, and then go in to hear Miguel's announcements. One of the announcements is a request to fast downhill riders to please speak up with an 'on the left' when passing someone and I think back to my fast descents and some of the blurs on the right... I wonder if it's OK to say 'wa-hooooo!' instead?? Dinner is wonderful, and Miguel has talked me into helping with the bingo game and a birthday announcement, so then it's time for a walk to town to loosen up the riding muscles and pick up a few things at the store, then back to my tent for sleeeeep.

Monday June 20 - Jackson to Folsom

I wake up and peek outside my tent and see that Donnnny is already up, so we have our first round of 'good morning's, another essential tour aspect. I wander over towards breakfast and see that Phil has installed my new cleats and my new back tire. It's great to hang out with the tour mechanic, since I had not had time to do either, with my hectic June schedule. We have a great breakfast. Looking ahead I realized that this is the start of a great breakfast series.

We roll out through town and Phil and I end up a little off the back so he shows me a shortcut that puts us out on the road to Sutter Creek just ahead of Theresa and Robin, who say 'Hey!' to this blatent cheating. Hee, heeee.... We stop to look in the windows of Robin's mother's art gallery, and then roll to Phil's house to see the progress on their front yard train set. I spend some time talking with his kids, Dylan, Kyle and Bailey, and then it's time to continue. Phil takes us all on a backroads route in town that goes over a very cool little bridge and comes out on the road to Volcano, skipping the left turn on the busy road in town.

Phil's front yard train setup

In Volcano, with Theresa, Robin, Cora

We have a very wonderful ride on my favorite riding road anywhere, up to Volcano. We get snacks and drinks in the store and then stop to read the monuments and look at the Civil War cannon (huh? Civil War in California??). Phil's friend is supposed to be meeting us, but we don't see her until we are heading up Daffodil Hill, so we stop to talk to her for awhile, and then catch the group by the peacock farm.

This year there's no sag at the top, which works OK since we don't get cold before the very nice swift descent down to Fiddletown. wwwhhhheeeee, this is soooo fun!! Phil and I and Corrrra play some tag on the hills and rollers and ride fast and fun to town. We roll through to the rest stop at the far end of town and fuel up. Theresa and Robin want to go back to the rock store, and I remember the free kittens sign, so we all go back. Inside, I quickly find a great blue bracelet that the lady puts on me which stays on the rest of the tour. Then I ask to see the kittens so Cora and I go back there and she hands one to each of us, fortunately I get the tame one since later I notice that Cora is all scratched up! I would have dropped that one for sure.

Then it's off to roll through Plymouth, then continue to our swim stop at the Consumes river. Cora and I and Phil pick our way down, surprised that Donny and April aren't there yet. We take a very quick dip since the river is verrrry cold this year. I do a little upstream swimming just to prove I can, and the current is much quicker than usual. We hang out awhile and the rest of the gang comes down, too. Lots more swimmers, but nobody stays in very long. I slip once on the way back up and land hard on my hand and vow - no more Look cleats for me, I am changing to shoes I can walk in!

Phil and I decide to roll into Folsom at a nice pace - no death march for me as we usually do. We make one stop at a market where we spend some time talking to a nice young guy, then we ride through the car wash. No, it isn't running, but it's still eerie to ride a bike by those big brushes. We find the school where we're camping pretty easily, and I decide to camp right by the truck. I take out my sleeping bag and start stretching, a new habit that I kept up the rest of the week. Kimmmmy and Donnnny and Phil and April and Corrrra form the rest of the neighborhood. Dinner is mexican food in camp - very good, and after dinner we walk into town and have beer outside on a patio. When we come back well after dark, we all put our heads outside our tents and talked and laughed for awhile, and Leo joined in that, too.

Relaxing in Folsom, with Phil and Teddy

Donny and Cora doing Hula Sumo

Tent hopping with Kim and Donny

Tuesday June 21 - Folsom to Lake Solano

We head to our usual breakfast restaurant, which is right across the street this year - yay. On the way out we find the rest of the folks at Starbuck's, so we form a big group for the bike trail. We ride very mellow, keeping everyone together and singing and laughing. We get to Old Sac and do a quick candy run and have something to drink, then we split into two groups for the ride to Davis. I choose to ride in the more mellow group, since Miguel, Eric, Michael and Kim want to go fast and they convince Phil and Donnnny to join them.

Riding along the American River Trail

'Bikemaster' pose, with Cora, Phil, Robin, Kim, Theresa, Patti, Steve, me, and Donny

I ride with Theresa, Robin, Leo, and Robert, and after some utter confusion on the route, we settle into a pretty nice paceline. Leo surprises me by racing to the Woodland sign and he takes it, proud to have one the first one he tried for. We all roll together towards Davis, and I get the Davis sign. Right afterwards, I hear and feel a whift-whift-whift, ugh my back tire is going flat. We cross the street into the shade, and Leo immediately sets to changing it for me as I get out my spare. As he finishes and we take a look, I can see a big cut in my brand new michelin grand prix 3000 tire, probably from glass. Bummer... we ride into Davis and find Phil waiting with Donnnny and Kim. Donnnny tells me that he got mad on the other ride because he got dropped early and didn't have the long route sheet and had never done it. He and Kim take off to head for their swim spot up a big climb from camp. Phil looks at my tire cut and advises me to get a new one since there are good bike shops in Davis, so I do. I feel much better about the $45 when he tells me that if I had been on the old tire I would have had a 'BOOM' and perhaps a *crash* instead of a 'whift-whift-whift'.

We all head to a restaurant where Miguel has arranged for a meal deal and watch the mechanic work out in the sun and have something to eat. By now Phil has been waiting around a loooong time, so we decide to take off towards camp. We catch up with some folks at the rest stop, and then Stan pulls us for a looong way. He claims he is returning a favor for Phil having built him a wheel in camp a few years ago -- nice! Stan takes off with a fast train of riders that catches us just outside camp, so Phil and I drag our tired bodies and bikes in at a more relaxed pace.

On the last climb towards camp, we see someone running out of a car, hunched over, and then we hear a gunshot! The guy ran back to the car holding a rifle and they take off. I'm scared... Phil says they're poaching. We ride directly to the store, and Phil goes in and comes out with two 12-packs of beer for camp. He hands one to me and tells me to put my bike in a gear that I can climb into camp with and that I am now 'in training'. I manage to ride one-handed with the beer into camp, to some cheering from those who notice.

After dinner we got caught up in a puzzle of Yosemite that had lots of small pieces and required looking at the picture to complete. I hadn't really gathered all my stuff or completely set up my tent, and it got dark before we finished the puzzle, with Eric, Phil, Donny and me all racing to get the last pieces in.

When I got into my tent, I kept finding earwigs - yuck!! I was whapping them with my sandal, and I could hear Phil laughing from his part of the neighborhood. I finally became convinced I had killed them all and was able to sleep. In what I thought was the middle of the night, I got out to head to the restroom and when I got back, the tent across from me had disappeared! Leo later told me he was up early and moved his tent out -- I told Leo I thought he misunderstood tent-hopping, taking his tent along with him. Hee, hee....

Wednesday June 22 - Lake Solano to Calistoga

Breakfast time came too early to get everything together, so Phil and Kim and I all agreed to come back to camp after breakfast and ride out late. We thought we could still catch Donnnny and Corrrra and Aprrrril, so we set out on the very fun rollers before the big climb. Of course I knew where the county sign was on the bridge, but I didn't feel like racing for it. We all climbed up Monticello Dam pretty much together, Kimmmmy and I chatting to make the climb go by. Our group of 3 was a very comfortable crew, lots of songs to sing and stories from past tours to keep us going. When we got to the top, it was a new thing to have nobody there waiting, but again nice to proceed right to the descent - wahoooo!

As we cruised through the rollers, just before reaching the store we spotted the Donnnny/Corrra/Aprrril train, so we decided to organize into our best form and fly by -- Donnnny told us later he warned the girls about the 'fast riders coming by'. Hee, hee... We had a nice social stop with everyone at the store and grouped up those going to the best swimming hole of the tour. We rode together to the store closest to Lake Berryessa to pick up lunches to carry along, and a few eggrolls(!) were consumed on site. I got a handle bag so I could carry mine, but Donnnny volunteered to further load up his already packed bicycle - he and the other two were travelling self-contained that day to camp in a different place. Thanks, Donnnny!

Kazoo #2 - at Muskowitz Store

Syncronized swimming with Kim in Lake Berryessa

Kim and I, doing the Clam

We got to our spot at Lake Berryessa, stashed our bikes and got in swimmin' -- wonderful! The water was cool and refreshing and I did some real swimming and enjoying the scenery. Then it was out of the water for lunch and then back in for a bit of water ballet with Kimmmmy. We all decided to climb out the north end of the lake, and I noticed some islands in the lake that I didn't remember. This part of the ride was really nice and scenic, and we had a pleasant social climb out with Theresa, singing all along.

At Pope Valley Store, adding ice to our waterbottles

When we got to Pope Valley, we realized that Leo was behind with Donny and Cora and April, and that they were going a different way after the store, so after filling up on water and snacks, we waited to make sure Leo was started on the Ink Grade climb, as the rest stop was at the top this year. We were rewarded with ice for our water bottles, which was a nice treat. Partway up the grade, Leo passed us in the sag! After a quick rest stop and a restroom stop in Angwin, we descended on Deer Park which is a great, graded descent, much better than the Howell Mtn road that was the official route. A nice paceline up Silverado Trail keeping the group together as is our tradition (well until some raced for the Calistoga sign, which is also our tradition!).

In Calistoga, with Theresa at the staff dinner

That night was the 'staff dinner' at Bosko's where each staff person gets to bring a 'date', so of course all of us were there. Good wine and good food, lots of laughs with Pammmmy, then to the open mike bar for a beer. Once back in camp, I hadn't even set up my tent, and my sleeping bag was still out from my stretching session and now it was damp, which was somehow all absolutely hilarious... Phil and I both got a case of the giggles, and I kept expecting someone to yell at us but all I could hear was snoring, which made me giggle even more! George always says that my brain gets completely disconnected by this time on tour, and I guess I can't disagree. Finally I got settled down in my tent and went to sleep with just a couple more chuckles...

Thursday June 23 - Calistoga to Duncans Mills

Robin and Theresa at breakfast in Calistoga

As is often the case, it was overcast and foggy this morning, but our first priority was breakfast at Nicola's. We rode over there and got our orders in, then got to the important business of applying tatoos. I ended up with a black panther on my left wrist, which was a great spot because I could see it while riding. We left breakfast and made our way among the trucks to the climb over to the Sonoma side. I climbed pretty slowly on my full tummy, and most folks were already at the top where the county line sign is.

We all descended down then rolled in a very social group to the turn towards Jimtown. At this point a paceline started organizing and I decided I felt good and wanted to join it. I was on Eric's wheel, and it has a thin brown strip winding around on it, which was hypnotizing me. I stayed with the group, which included Miguel and Michael as well as Phil and Kim and me and we made quick work of the miles to Jimtown. Of course, everyone was there and we stopped for quite awhile. One guy had an Enron Bike Club jersey and we decided they lie about their miles. tee hee...

With 'brother' Phil

Kazoo #3 - at Jimtown Store with Eric

We took the route through Geyserville, stopping at the cowboy store and just staying together in a big group, very fun. The rest stop was right by the Dry Creek Winery, so we went to the store and did our usual lunch stop to enjoy the nice winery grounds. From there it was off to the wonderful Westside Road, and still we all stayed together.

At the turnoff to Sweetwater Springs Road (a big backroads climb), Eric decided he wanted to go that way, and we almost sent him off alone, but then Michael decided to join him (phew!). The rest of us headed to the rest stop that was near the Russian River, then went pretty much straight in from there. At some point we passed Pam and Ted, then all of the sudden realized that Ted had hopped onto our paceline. When I finally couldn't keep up with Miguel's pace, I went off the back, and Phil joined me, altho if we'd known earlier that Pammmmy was left alone we/I could have ridden in with her.

A nice early arrival in camp gave me time to stretch and walk down to the river before the wine party and dinner, as well as call home. After dinner, a big group of people walked into town, and Donnnny, Phil, Michael and I stayed to have a beer in the bar before walking back in the absolute darkness, talking and singing and ducking the cars. I went to sleep easily, awakened only by Corrrra standing outside Phil's tent telling him to quit snoring, and by Steeeevo dragging his tent down the gravel road, which was quite a sight!

Friday June 24 - Duncans Mills to Olema

Just waking up

Phil, just waking up

We all hang around in camp awhile waiting for the weather to warm up and listening to the ipod while we pack up slowly. Today there are several riding options including climbs over/back from the coast. From the weather, it is probably foggy over there, so we decide to ride the Bohemian Highway to Occidental. We have a nice woodsy ride, with Donnnny riding with me and Kim, Phil, Corrrra. Steve and April follow a little behind. Howard's is pretty crowded and we decide to eat outside, even tho it is a little chilly. After breakfast, we take the downhill route, and I am absolutely freezing! I amuse myself by singing Rolling Stones "She's so cold, she's so coooold, she was born in an artic zone...'

Then we get going on the inland flats and rollers, and Donnnny has a new route for us outside Valley Ford. It's a grrrreat road, wonderfully free of cars and a nice climb to the county limit sign. I am feeling really good on the bike, just hammering the rollers and feeling I could go forever. I get a bit ahead of the group and ride on a cycling high into Tomales, where there's a rest stop.

In Tomales - Michael, Kim, Donny, Miguel, Phil, Eric

On the sidewalk in Tomales, Phil, me, Donny, Kim

My Sponge Bob socks

We hang out in town for quite awhile, warming up and stretching on the sidewalk. We're running a little early for meeting George at Tony's in Marshall, when I call him he is not close yet. Then Phil has a bike repair to do that requires help from Donnnny and the big allen wrench I carry. Finally we start out, and the ride to the coast is great because we do not have our usual wind. We are able to really enjoy the rolling hills. Just outside Marshall there is a moderate climb - big for a roller and Phil gets ahead of me. He slows a little to almost let me have a chance at the Marshall sign, but he takes it easily, both of us laughing as I catch up to congratulate him.

We get to Tony's just as Phil's wife Jeanne arrives and we all head in to get a table, then George joins us - perfect timing. The 8 or 10 of us enjoy a great meal, then we have to say goodbye to Phil since he has to leave the tour here. George drives on to Olema, and I ride on, passing lots of tour riders. I stop to regroup in Pt Reyes Station, and meet up with Miguel and Eric and Michael, then soon Donnnny and Corrrra are there so we roll on and I pull the line into Olema.

George has already checked us into the hotel, so we head to camp to get my stuff. I take a luxurious shower and settle in, then Donnnny and Corrrra and Aprrrril come to visit us, so we look at my photos on the laptop and have some snacks. A little later Kimmmmy comes by to invite George to dinner in camp since she has paid for a certain number of people and some have left -- nice, thanks Kim! We have a great dinner and some wine, then as it starts to get dark we head back to our hideaway.

Saturday June 25 - Olema to San Francisco

I head into camp for breakfast since the hotel food isn't out yet, and Eric's wife Nicole is there. Nicole remarks on how many fewer of our crowd were here this year. Yes, some key folks from prior years were missing, but there were lots of great people along, too. There were several times when it was smaller groups than usual, and maybe a bit more of a challenge to make sure nobody had to ride alone. We rode in some smaller groups of 2 or 3, but it was still a great tour.

I hang out in camp in the heavy fog (light drizzle) until Kim has gotten everything squared away in camp, then she and I take off alone on the inland route. We miss the entrance to the bike trail, but it's easy to stay on the main road. Soon we catch up to the others at the coffee shop, and we ride together as a group into Fairfax. Kimmmmy and I stop there for coffee and the others take off, so we walk our bikes through the art festival (note the need for walkable shoes again!).

At middle of the GG Bridge, with April, Kim, and Cora

We follow the route through some neighborhoods at a nice pretty relaxing pace, with a short rest room stop in Sausalito. When we get partway across the bridge, we catch up with Donnnny and the gang again -- yay. At the other side of the bridge, they want to go the short way in, but I want to ride the official route, which includes my favorite part of San Francisco, the Great Highway with it's breathtaking ocean views. Kimmmmy agrees to go that way, too - thanks!!! We ride into the picnic in Golden Gate Park and set to the wonderful lunch they put on there.

George finds us pretty quickly, and I make the rounds saying goodbye to everyone... some I'll get to see on club rides, and some not until next year's tour. Thanks again to all the SAG folks and the truck drivers Casey and Tom, and all the staff.