Yesterday I rode with Brad and more then 6000 other cyclists on the Levi’s Gran Fondo, 101 miles along winding roads through the wine country of Sonoma County. The ride was epic. I’ve done a lot of centuries, and longer rides, never one like this one.
The mass start meant that it took nearly a half hour just to get all the riders over the start line. We were riding in a pack, four or more riders abreast for more than twenty miles to the first long climb. Even that climb was not enough to separate the pack. We climbed a steep grade along rough winding roads through forests and eventually an open ridge.
The technical descents required clear heads and good riding skills to hold a line through the curves. About 16 riders crashed along the course and had to be evacuated with broken bones. One rider died when he missed a turn and flew over a cliff.
Scenery was utterly breathtaking. Highlights for me were riding along Kings Ridge, with views of the Pacific Ocean, and a long winding open descent from the ridge to the ocean. At about mile 65 we received a reprieve from the climbing, riding south along Highway 101, with a kicker tailwind. I hummed Pachebel, listening to the sound of the wind and the waves striking the beach. Then a left turn took us over one more steep climb back to the start at Santa Rosa.
