The Unexpected

Again not feeling like getting a ride in, I got one in. With a handful of things still left to do (I had only finished the short list of my to-do list, including voting). Craving Pinehurst, that's where I headed. I dropped down into Canyon, then popped back over Redwoods Road, where the sun was waiting for me on the horizon. Another day of beautiful sunsets over Oakland.

Shepherds Canyon Trail is so photogenic.

At the top of Redwood I had two options, drop down Joaquin Miller Road into East Oakland and just bust through the city home, or take Skyline back to Shepherds Canyon home. I chose the latter, the less time at red lights the better. Apparently, I had never ridden this part of Skyline before, and here I was thinking I'd done it all in Oakland. It was some added climbing, but the Redwoods climb is fairly sober, so the added elevation was fine. Tall redwoods blocked out the sun and shaded the road, reminding me of my first experiences of California in the north of the state. I smiled and waved at the descenders coming down, glad to find a beautiful road.

By the time I looped back to the West, the sun was setting.

Evening shadows.

I whipped past the mountain bikers loading their bikes into their cars at Redwood Regional Park then hooked back into the wide Skyline, Shepherds Canyon, Pinehurst intersection. At first I started heading for Satori, the way I usually go up to Skyline, but thought about it, when descending all roads are good options, you go fast, so traffic is not an issue. I turned around and hooked back down Shepherds Canyon. Shepherds Canyon is a straight down drop, forcing the water from my eyes to the back of my cheeks. My cyclometer clicked 40 MPH here. I think I can add Shepherds Canyon to Old Tunnel Road and Joaquin Miller as my favorite ways down Skyline.

As I pulled up to the intersection of Mountain Boulevard, standing on the curb was a fellow on a Surly Long Haul Trucker, dragging a BOB, and reading a map. Clearly I had come upon a cycle tourist. I introduced myself and he explained his story, going down the coast, maybe as far as Belize. He was inland because the Northwest coast was too rainy this time of year, so he caught a train from Portland to Sacremento, then road west from there. I always enjoy talking to cycle tourists. He exchanged some stories, including some great movie suggestions. He was in search of a place to stay but unfortunately, hosting didn't work out, so I pointed him out to BART and headed home, happy to have met him and hear more great stories.

Tom at the BART, read about his last tour at http://broemelingbicycletour.blogspot.com/

This is just more proof, that if the option comes, choose to ride. The road can lead to surprises, roads you've never seen, or people you've never met. Now Tom had me inspired to tour some more. It's getting closer.