We’re on to the third day of riding this week. This ride was shorter, but our legs were feeling tired. Paradise drive (often called the “Paradise Loop” or “Tiburon Loop”) loops around the Tiburon peninsula. It’s a go-to ride for many people who live in SF because it’s scenic, not too long, and generally has fewer cars, stop signs and traffic lights.
This is the first day we’ve left the house with clear skies. It was slightly colder today, but we stopped into a bike clothing store and Janeen bought a “snood” (or “neck gator”): it’s like a scarf you can pull up over your face. The store — Rapha — puts this festive 500 challenge on every year, so it was mobbed with cyclists getting ready to ride out together.
While we were catching a picture in the usual vista point stop, the 30 plus cyclists from the Rapha store rode by, waving.
When driving during this time of year, I have always felt that people are particularly nasty. There’s a big contrast between the ideal for the “season” and the fact that everyone is just trying to deal with all the societal requirements. That’s part of the reason, I think, that so many people love the festive 500 every year; avoid it all and go ride your bike.
Given my experiences driving, last year I was quite worried about how drivers would treat cyclists. But until today, it had been a dramatic opposite: People were courteous, friendly and happy. Today, though, drivers were particularly inattentive: Twice people opened their doors into us without looking. I’ve tried to develop a habit of riding well away from parked cars (out of the “door zone”), so luckily we avoided the doors. But many drivers look at cyclists doing this and get angry: they think we are riding too far into “their” lane.
While I was riding past some parked cars, a car passed me perilously close (within inches). I easily caught up with the car stopped at the next traffic light. When I knocked on the window, the driver opened the window and we discussed why she passed me so close: She felt I was too far away from the curb, and said she’d pulled all the way to the left of the lane when she passed. Don’t worry: There was no swearing or unpleasantness. Some people just don’t get it: She saved no time passing me, and if she’d just bumped me, I’d have been injured and she’d have been responsible.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdgVcGjzgR4
On the way back from the Tiburon loop, we took an alternative route up Strawberry drive: There’s a very steep section at the beginning, so most people ride it in the other direction only. Janeen was convinced she couldn’t make it, until we got to the top. Even with tired legs.
I feel a bit guilty showing these photos in the middle of winter: No wonder so many people live in Californa.
Arwen gave Janeen some recovery purring time when we got home…
We’re going to take Friday off: Need to let the legs recover a bit. Only 169 km to go!