So......what was 2013 like??

So, what makes up a great year of riding??  No rain to speak of, long rides almost every weekend, and some epic ones (like the Nifty 10-50) are some of the great memories of this past year.  Oh, and no crashes!  What's not to like?  Ok, maybe it was unofficially bracketed by two parts failures....the crankarm failure on New Year's Eve 2012 and a broken chain in early January of 2014.  And both were in the middle of nowhere.  Is that the appropriate way to mark the year?  Well, sure, why not?  Both ended up ok and it was all part of the adventure!  I guess I could carry more tools, but....maybe not!  With an "almost" record of about 7700 miles, it may be tough to pick out the best.  But let me try and tick off, in no particular order, my top 10 rides.  All of these rides and more can be found here:  http://www.strava.com/athletes/77170

1-2. Berkeley to Davis (2), April and Nov 2013.  What a great bunch of folks both times, followed by dinner at our house.  I think it's becoming a date on peoples' calendar!  The best part is the last 35 or so miles through the farmlands of Vacaville into Davis, followed by the train back to Berkeley with a cold beer.  Superb.

3.  Nifty 10-50.  50 miles of the "steepest sh*t" in the East Bay, adding up to 10,000 feet of climbing.  Throw in bad brakes on Brendan's mt. bike and you've got an epic ride.  Right to the last mile, where I almost bit it on Indian Rock because the brakes were no longer holding.  So much for disks?  Well, so much for my ignorance about disks.  All I had to do was turn the little knob and they would have been re-adjusted.  But hey, that would have taken away the thrill!  ;-)

4.  The Diablo stage of the TOC....Stage 7....especially the descent down the mt. to North Gate with the pros and 100's of other cyclists all at the same time!  Smooth.

5.  Furlough ride - San Francisco to Tunitas Creek and down into Palo Alto and back over the Dumbarton Bridge to Fremont BART.  I love those point-to-point rides!  Not the quietest or even prettiest ride, but a goal was met.  And like a few others in October, I was paid for it!  (Keep it up, Repugs.)

6.  MDR day?  That's the Memorial Day Ride.  It's our annual 4 day ride from San Jose to Santa Barbara, totaling about 375 miles.  I suppose I should be able to pick the best day, but they're all good.  Good company, good weather and good roads.  Who can pick a favorite?  Not me.  Let's do it again....for about the 15th time!

7.  Rides to the Farm.  I rode up to Kenwood to our friend's place a few times this past year from Larkspur.   It's about 60 miles and it's always a great ride.  There are a few busy sections through Petaluma.  And the hard climbs are at the end, when I'm pretty sapped of energy.  But for the most part, it's a beautiful ride.  The hardest parts are indeed the most beautiful as well.  Sonoma Mt. Road can't be beat.  Hard, bumpy, and steep.  But quiet, pretty, and remote.  The best there is if you're a cyclist.  And it's only a few miles from a cold beer at the house!!!  In fact, the year ended on New Year's Eve with a ride to the Farm accompanied by my workmate Jared joining me in Kentfield and departing in Petaluma.  Nice way to end the year.

8.  The Grizzly-Skyline-Pinehurst Loop.  I do this loop so many times each year (every Tuesday night in spring and summer), one would think it's not part of this list.  But it's emblematic of the unbelievable riding we have at our back door here in the East Bay.  Serious climbs.  Mostly quiet roads.  And wonderful descents.  Right into town.  That's the name of the game with this 38 mile loop.

9.  The American River Bike Path.  Not near home, but still accessible, this is the flattest 60 miles one can find around these parts.  It's the path that goes from Sacamento to Lake Natoma, where Caryn's and Brendan's crew meets are held.  I have a habit of losing patience and wanting to ride during these events, so always bring my bike up to regattas.  And it's so flat that I can set my own land speed records for mph.  Nearly 20 mph for 60 miles!  That's what you get when there's no elevation or cars.  Not bad.

10.   Grizzly Peak.  Why is this so special?  It's on almost every ride we do around these parts.  Well. this was the year they repaved that sucker!!!  After 20+ years, they repaved it this fall and it was SO SMOOTH, it was hard to believe.  There is a god.

That's the top 10, but there were many other great rides that didn't make the list.  Our coastal ride in CT among the colorful leaves.  The Chico Gran Fondo, which I need to do again to appreciate it more.  And the Patterson Pass / Del Puerto Canyon / Mines loop with Marius and Jules.  Been hearing about that 100 mile loop for years, but this was the first year I did it.  One memory of that ride was cruising along at 28 mph for 16 miles with no work.  There's a lot of wind in that valley.  And thank goodness we were riding in the southerly direction!  And finally, riding on Todd's birthday ride (43 miles for 43 years that turned into 72 miles).  It wasn't the course or the distance as much as the company.  I was able to talk to Calvin T. for quite awhile hearing about the history of Bay Area and California racing, including how he "taught Greg Lemond how to race".  Hmmm.

Here's to more memorable rides in 2014!