Northern California - San Bruno Mt. Ride Report & Penguins

Wore my best warm mountain climbing outfit. Left around 8:30. I almost turned around to put another layer on. Warmed up a bit by the presidio. Sun was shining and I had a sense it would be a great day. Polo fields, not a soul… Oh well, Yo estoy el solo. Had the Nano on a great auto mix where every song comes up pertinent to my state of mind. A bit of a headwind. Stopped as usual at the beach near the zoo. Not much action, too cold for the die hard surfer gang. Great swells though. The crests look to be in some stop action pose for the sun and I to appreciate…Show offs. Effortless cruise to the base of SB Mt. 1st part of climb felt great much faster than usual, I assume the Clift electrolyte is kicking in. Part 2, the steep part lost in the music and crisp air, adrift in my own thoughts. I thought I was doing good just coming up on the flat part of the top with my head down, I caught a shadow going by. I looked up to see a 20ish 30ish nice looking woman going by me. When I caught up she was doing a circle at the top and starting to head back down. I kind of began to interview her and guessed that she was doing a training ride for the New Years race. I was right and asked her name…Beerget… Just like beer she said. I told her I thought she would probably win and she did the “Awwe Shucks” and told me no way…I said I’ll see you on new years and with that she flew off in the the chilly descent. Well I went back to the top and just happened to run into a pesky penguin that I recognized from Ron’s Mt. Hamilton ride a couple of weeks ago. He told me he was patrolling the mountains for Santa and was gonna kick some Reindeer ass for encroaching his barrio : ).. So I said that’s cool man and I zoomed down the hill. Great ride back. Met a nice French guy I think he was French anyway who invited me for a ride in Tiburon with his friends and I declined. At that point I feel like I blew it all out on that climb. Cathy had a sweet potato pie and mac & cheese when I got home. A much more enjoyable ride then my solo Mt. Tam ride.
Pete
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/SBMtPrep.jpg
Beerget
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Beerget.jpg
Me
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/SBMtPotr.jpg
sky
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/SBMtSky.jpg
Pesky Penguin
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Peskypenguincopy.jpg

Nice ride - it was chilly today, huh? A bunch of us did a Mt. D. ride - it was actually warmer at the summit than anywhere else. Very strange. The descent was really cold!

JB

Nice ride - it was chilly today, huh? A bunch of us did a Mt. D. ride - it was actually warmer at the summit than anywhere else. Very strange. The descent was really cold!

JB
Yeah was beautiful on top. I wonder if you guys we're at the top of Mt D. when I took a shot from my Mt.
.....Any Penguins??
Pete

That pesky penguin seems to be terrorizing all cyclists at the top of every mountain ... be careful out there. Maybe you need to pack some fishes, just to feed those pesky penguins. Anyways, great ride report, Pete.

Drove down to LA today, so no riding for me. I may get out for a quick ride tomorrow.

Besides the penguin, we saw a shaggy old coyote, wearing his winter coat. Just sitting by the side of the road, watching us go by...

JB

http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa292/taxi777/Peskypenguincopy.jpg
I wonder if you guys we're at the top of Mt D. when I took a shot from my Mt.
Pete

Pete, I can't figure out which one is the penguin and which is you. You're both dressed alike :p:D.

I reached the top of Mt. D around 9am. Based on the exif data, your shots were taken around 1pm. You look really bundled up there. Was it enough? I had shorts under bib tights, 2 base layers shirts, a jersey, a wind jacket and a balaclava. The only gloves I find effective so far are my old gore-tex snowboarding gloves. I started heating up on the way up but it was more than worth it on the way down.

Pete, I can't figure out which one is the penguin and which is you. You're both dressed alike :p:D.
. Yeah Cathy was pissed when the penguin followed me home and ate half the pie, I had to explain politely that we were not cousins! He finally left... said he might head over to Mt. Diablo, so be on the watch! Leg warmers under the gortex pants worked for me. The penguin Jacket with gortex hoody we're supreme for the way down.
Pete

BTW... notice we have the same nose!:rolleyes:

Yeah Cathy was pissed when the penguin followed me home and ate half the pie, I had to explain politely that we were not cousins! He finally left... said he might head over to Mt. Diablo, so be on the watch! Leg warmers under the gortex pants worked for me. The penguin Jacket with gortex hoody we're supreme for the way down.
Pete

We were a bit later than Alain - we rolled from Pleasant Hill around 9, took our time (including a coffee stop) and probably summitted around noon. I was warm on the climb in a baselayer, jersey and armwarmers, shorts and knee warmers, but the addition of a jacket and long-fingered gloves for the descent wasn't enough. Brrrr.

JB

Sounds like a great ride. I think I've seen Beerget on CalTrain before, hard to tell from the pic.

Jeezzz. You are tough. I'm trying to talk myself into going out now. It's sunny and almost 50.
I commute in any weather, but fun riding in the less-than-warm just isn't fun.
But, 1 more degree and I'm outta here....

taxi777:

Where do you begin climbing SB Mt.? I went via Market St. from top of the hill Mission St. There's also the road up from the Brisbane side. Is Radio Road usually open? it was closed yesterday.

Thanks..knotty

taxi777:

Where do you begin climbing SB Mt.? I went via Market St. from top of the hill Mission St. There's also the road up from the Brisbane side. Is Radio Road usually open? it was closed yesterday.

Thanks..knotty

Hey, You have to enter radio road from the other side of the street, which is the other actual park entrance , coming from the ocean, 87th crosses Juniper serra and turns in to school, R on Mission, 1/2 mile then E on East Market which turns into Guadalupe, when I get to the top take a left into the park and it swings around and under Guadalupe to the top of the Mountain. I'm going to the race New Years day let me know it you want to go and we'll meet up. I'm trying to get some others to check it out with me.
Pete

Hey, You have to enter radio road from the other side of the street, which is the other actual park entrance , coming from the ocean, 87th crosses Juniper serra and turns in to school, R on Mission, 1/2 mile then E on East Market which turns into Guadalupe, when I get to the top take a left into the park and it swings around and under Guadalupe to the top of the Mountain. I'm going to the race New Years day let me know it you want to go and we'll meet up. I'm trying to get some others to check it out with me.
Pete

Ok, thanks, that's exactly the way I went, East Market to Guadalupe. I crossed over to the parking lot at the top but didn't go far enough to where Radio road begins.:mad: But, now I know.

Unfortunately, I'm tied up that day of the hill climb. What time does it start? just in case something falls through and I'm free that day?

knotty

Knotty,

http://www.peninsulavelo.org/sbhc/2008_sbhc_ad.html

Thanks for the link bigtruck.

knotty