Our 2006 TurkeyDay Trot route. About 52.5 miles, 6200 feet of climbing. We started just past 8am, and finished about noon. A moderate, friendly pace with the possible exception of the final climb up Tunitas Creek.
The start of the ride, at Olive Hill & Canada in Woodside. Yeah, it's late November, so 43 degrees shouldn't be unexpected, but we're complaining anyway. It is California, after all.
The party's over, or just starting, as we make the right turn onto Old LaHonda. 1400ft of climbing fun!
Every great climb has a "Bridge of Death" where things are mellow until you cross the bridge, and then it's up, up & away! Other notable BODs include the base of West Alpine and China Grade.
23 minutes later and we're hitting the top of Old LaHonda in groups of 3 & 4. People were well-behaved, meaning that we didn't see anybody trying for sub-20-minute times. Rocket-fast times up Old LaHonda will be in the 16-minute range.
Todd waiting for our group to finish crossing the dangerous west-side Old LaHonda/84 intersection, with a couple other riders further down.
You can't ride out to the coast without noticing the Red Barn. Difficult to take a photo of it in the morning, with the sun still low. By this point it's beginning to warm up a bit.
The view looking back from the Red Barn, with Milo, one of the regulars on our Tuesday/Thursday-morning rides, on the left.
Heading up a still-damp Alpine Road. Shortly ahead is the choice of turning right and heading to Pescadero, or straight and heading back up to Skyline via West Alpine.
The beginning of Haskins Grade, on the way to Pescadero.
Regrouping at the top of Haskins Grade. You can see what a beautiful day it was, with the light winds clearing the air.
Kevin, Kevin & Karl (left to right) outside the CLOSED Pescadero Market/Bakery. This is the first Thanksgiving Day ride where this store has been closed.
It seemed like we outnumbered the inhabitants of Pescadero this morning. Things were pretty darned dead.
Speaking of dead, as you head south on Stage you pass the Mt. Hope Cemetary. Could be an interesting place to visit sometime, as it has much more rural character than what we're used to seeing in the bay area.
Kevin passing one of the many farms & small ranches along Stage Road.
In search of the ultimate "Avenue of the Eucalyptus Trees" pix on Stage Road.
Still searching for the picture! At the end of this section is the house with the infamous Machine-Gun-Man & Woman sculptures.
One of the two Kevins at the front of the group (in the middle), always smiling. The other Kevin (the one who regularly rides with us on Tuesday & Thursday mornings) doesn't smile quite so much. Unless he's drinking a Diet Coke.
Admiring (?) one of the several metal sculptures at the house on Stage Road. Make sure you stop next time and check them out; most know only of the one shown here, but there's also Machine Gun Woman about 50 feet south, a metal duck hiding in the tree on the left in this photo, and a very large duck or dodo bird or emu or something nearby.
Karl, one of our regular Tuesday/Thursday riders, in the middle of this picture, heading up the first grade on Stage Road.
Barely visible rider towards the right side of this photo, heading down to the base of the second Stage Road climb.
Todd and James doing wheelies together, at the top of the second climb on Stage Road.
The only time I've ever found the San Gregorio General Store to be closed. Note to self- next year, assume the only source of food & drink will be the gas station mini-mart in Pescadero, and actually stop there.
Kevin, in the shadows, watering that big tree.
The other Kevin, Todd & Karl climbing the last part of Stage Road, up to Highway 1, with a good view of the hills and farms behind.
Another picture heading up Stage Road to Highway 1. You know the group isn't hammering at this point, because I wouldn't have been able to get a photo from the front.
Ed, approaching the intersection of Stage Road with Highway 1.
Did I mention what a beautiful day it was? The only area we saw any traffic was on the short stretch of Highway 1 between Stage Road and Tunitas Creek.
Karen approaching the Tunitas Creek bridge. This doesn't qualify as a "Bridge of Death" (BOD) because the climb on Tunitas Creek doesn't happen for a few miles.
Tunitas Creek is like another world; a place where the houses, barns & cars look more like what you'd see in a run-down farming area than just a short distance from San Francisco.
The steep part of Tunitas begins! Predictably, the two Kevins at the front, with Karl in the middle of the photo.
