Point Reyes Express Try 1

So it was time to try it out. Point Reyes Express is the North Bay equivalent of the Spectrum ride, and I just felt I had to try it out.

The route is fairly simple, but much harder than Spectrum. Basically you can join either from the city (leaving at about 8:00a from the bridge) or in San Anselmo at the Coffee Roasters. The group is much more friendly than at Spectrum, but the guys are better equipped for the much longer and much tougher ride.

Of course I started chatting with someone. This time it was George, a really excellent rider who introduced me to the concept of PRE. We biked next to each other, and we were both in a slow mode.

As we got to San Anselmo, I was surprised at the bikers and bikes I got to see. No club affiliation (unlike the cliqueish groups at Spectrum), just banter and chatter and people telling each other about their Giro experience.

We left in a slow pace, out of town on side roads, trying to avoid as much as possible the traffic on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Then we got to the first grade, and the pack started churning out the winners.

I made it to the top with the pack. We split into three groups, and I managed to join the second group, which then managed in turn to reach the first group, and we all turned into Nicasio Valley Road as a single entity. As I saw an infinite hill looming, I decided to step down and return. After all, I had no idea of how to pace myself, and I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t be in anyone’s way when I crashed and burned.

Today I’ll try it again!