Last month I had one of those great adventures that combined many of the things I love most in life. It involved traveling with Sherry, cycling new roads and plenty of great food and wine. Who could ask for more?
It all started during the Tour of California when a commercial came on for the Fast Freddie Gran Fondo. (Freddie Rodriguez is a pro cyclist and the current U. S. champion.) After seeing the commercial numerous times Sherry asked if I was going ride it. Well, I hadn’t thought about it but now maybe I should check it out.
I discovered the ride is starting at the Claremont Hotel & Spa in Berkeley. I then discovered that the Claremont is offering some very nice discounts and I shared this with Sherry. She has always wanted to stay at the Claremont so a few clicks later I’m all registered for the ride and Sherry and I have reservations for a get-away weekend.
The plan was simple. We took Friday off so we could maximize our short get-away. We would drive down Friday afternoon and have a nice dinner watching the sun set on the bay. On Saturday, I would ride 86 miles with over 10,000 feet of climbing while she relaxed at the spa. Then another great dinner Saturday night followed by a leisurely Sunday morning before driving home. Yeah, that should work.
It actually worked perfectly. After checking in to our room we went to Paragon for drinks. It was then on to the Elmwood Shopping District for a nice walk. Dinner Friday night, which was excellent, was at Meritage, with its views of San Francisco and the bay. Finally, it was back to the room where I got the bike ready for Saturday’s adventure.
The weather Saturday morning was beautiful as I got ready. After one last kiss, I head downstairs for the start of the Fast Freddie Gran Fondo. Let me tell you right now that my ride was neither fast or gran! Because of some business travel I wasn’t able to train the way I wanted so I knew 86 miles, with all that climbing, would be tough. I also realized that I could be hanging out with Sherry at the Claremont so I opted for the 48 mile ride with its published 6,200 feet of climbing instead.
Holy shit was that the right call!!! When the ride started we roll downhill out of the parking lot for about 50 yards before making a right turn onto a hill that was between 8-15% for the next 2 miles. When I saw people walking their bikes before we covered the first mile I knew it was going to be a hard day.
After a screaming downhill it was time to climb again. Then downhill again and back up. I think you get the picture (or you can look at the profile). I was either grinding my way up a hill or flying down one with no flat roads in between. Still, it was a gorgeous route and I really enjoyed my first experience in the East Bay hills. In the end, it was 48 miles with 5,300 feet of climbing. As I rolled into the finish I felt pretty good so it was time to continue with the mini-vacation.
We spent the rest of the day shopping, eating, drinking and enjoying our time together. On Sunday we choose to sleep in, drink cappuccinos in the room and simply relax. Finally, it was time to pack up and head back home.
This was a great trip and I cannot stress the value of these mini-vacations enough. They add a sense of adventure without going too far away. I’m already watching the web site and waiting for the dates of the Fast Freddie Gran Fondo to be posted so we can do it all over again next year.
Ciao!!!
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