Day 2

July 25, 2011

Pt Reyes Station to San Rafael via Nicasio

I opened my eyes around 6:00 a.m., feeling well-rested from a good long sleep. I saw Pia was awake too. We said good morning to each other. The next minute it was 7:08. Pia stirred, opened her eyes and said good morning again. Eleven hours of sleep. How lovely.

Our B&B served a help-yourself type of breakfast which didn't have much that appealed to us. So we packed up and headed back down the hill into town to the Pine Cone Diner. There were lots of pickup trucks parked outside, so we knew the locals liked the place. A bunch of them were sitting around a table inside, coffee cups in front of them. The waitress told us they weren't open yet; we could come inside but they wouldn't start serving until 8. Hmmm. The locals have coffee. We don't. Obviously some discrimination going on here. We have to wait 3 entire minutes. Sheesh.

While we looked over the menus, I noticed that the Pine Cone, like the Station House Cafe, is Zagat rated. For a one-horse cow-and-oyster town like Point Reyes, that's pretty amazing. But then again, they're in the midst of wonderful local and organic food sources, so maybe not so surprising.

Interesting art installation outside the Pine Cone Diner.

Hidden camera reveals locals getting preferential treatment at the Pine Cone Diner. They were let in a few minutes before open hours and served a cup of coffee. Oh. Wait. We're inside early too.

The locals discussed the burning issues of the day while Pia and I dug into our breakfasts. The owner worked outside our window booth, deadheading her potted lavender plants in the morning quiet. One thing about the marine layer, it's usually pretty still and quiet and cool when it's present. Helps you ease into the day. Great cycling weather.

Remember Black Mountain from yesterday? This is the marine layer at work.

After breakfast, it was back up that dang short steep hill again to head out. Sorry to say, but there was a gal walking up the sidewalk who passed me going up that hill. In my defense, she was very tall with long legs and was walking very fast. We chatted a bit. She told me I needed a bigger flag. I just smiled at her. I hate it when people tell me that.

Today we took the Point Reyes Petaluma Road, which winds around Black Mountain and across Nicasio Reservoir. We turned onto Nicasio Road to the wide spot known as Nicasio, then onto Lucas Valley Road back to San Rafael. Only the roads around the reservoir had any shoulders to speak of until we were nearly back in San Rafael. However, it was a Monday morning, and this route doesn't get nearly the traffic of Sir Francis Drake Blvd. But I couldn't remember how up and down the road went. I just knew there were only a couple of decent climbs. So this was going to be an adventure. I relaxed into my seat and rolled down the other side of the hill.

Of course, some big tractor trailer trucks were our first traffic, on an uphill curve with a guardrail and no shoulder. But we all survived. Since the trike sticks out further into the roadway and the narrow winding roads have no shoulders, I pull over whenever I can for the trucks. Luckily a wide spot or a driveway appeared just in time to get out of the way each time. The drivers tooted thanks as they passed.
It's fun to ride around the Nicasio Reservoir. The roads were widened a while ago, with lovely shoulders, big long curves, and not-too-steep grades. It's wide-open grassland that's the trademark California golden this time of year. There are also portapotties at a couple of spots for the fishermen. And perhaps for passing cyclists who had a big cup of coffee with breakfast.

Something that's in all the California geology textbooks: pillow basalt outcropping near Nicasio Reservoir. When hot lava bubbling out of the ocean floor hits cold seawater, it forms a "pillow." This used to be ocean floor.

It's really nice riding around the Nicasio Reservoir. Car speeds are high, but the road and the shoulders are wide with good sight lines. Not to mention great scenery.

The back side of Black Mountain from the other side of the Nicasio Reservoir.

A serendipitous stop for Pia. Nicasio Valley Cheese Co.'s cheeses are excellent. One was sporting a gold ribbon from this year's state fair.

As I approached Nicasio, I saw Pia on the other side of the road waving me down. She had stopped at the Nicasio Valley Cheese Company, which had a sign saying there were organic cheeses available for tasting. Now that's something right up Pia's alley. They were all excellent. Pia bought some of their cheese that won a gold ribbon at this year's state fair. They also have a nice clean restroom for those cyclists still dealing with that great cup of coffee with breakfast.

In Nicasio we stopped for a bit more of a snack than cheese cubes. The Rancho Nicasio store has a little bit of everything for everyone, except water. Pia went in asking where there might be a water fountain, and she got the whole lecture about how they only have well water and when that runs out they have to truck it in and and this is a dry land, and all these cyclists come in demanding water all the time. She eventually got some because she didn't demand, just wanted directions, but keep that in mind if you stop at the store. Maybe you could buy a bottle. I guess they're overrun with the weekend cyclists and getting tired of the entitlement types.

When I was riding out here 20 years ago, I saw only a few other like-minded folks. Not any more. Apparently this homeowner on Nicasio Rd. has enough of the bike traffic.

I've heard of camping out at the plate, but this is ridiculous. The Little League baseball diamond serves as Nicasio's town green.

Old St. Mary's Church has been in Nicasio since 1867.

After Nicasio we turned on to Lucas Valley Road, which was today's highlight. I thought this would be the toughest part of the day. It was, but it wasn't as nearly as tough as yesterday. It starts off with about a mile of dense redwood grove, then has gentle rollers all the way until you approach Big Rock. There are ranches and woods and meadows and wildflowers. It winds and dips and rises through some of the best of Marin County. I took my sweet time and drank it all in.

More West Marin locals: four-spot Clarkia, a late wildflower.

The grade up to Big Rock, a local landmark, is steady but not onerous, at least heading east. The westbound direction is much steeper, winding and shoulderless. Makes for a great downhill, though. I had to do my trike lean-into-the-curve riding even when I was on the brakes. Exhilarating. Again, Pia found a nice lunch stop after a decent interval for me to enjoy the downhill run-out.

Aahhhh. Big Rock. The crest of the nasty hill on Lucas Valley Road. Only the hill isn't as nasty going west to east.

Looking down from the crest of Big Rock.

Our view from our roadside lunch stop on Lucas Valley Road after our downhill run from Big Rock. Sadly, suburbia was just a turn or two away.

Pia finding out what a great place a trike is to relax. And why I stand up when I take roadside breaks. In the background, check out the Indian braves guarding the entrance to this property.

Lucas Valley Road broadened out after our lunch stop as it entered suburbia closer to Highway 101. We turned on to Las Gallinas Road, which led us to the Northgate Mall area. One last short climb up Los Ranchitos Road and we were nearly done.

Lucas Valley Road has a great bike lane from the bottom of Big Rock east to Hwy 101. And it tilts downhill. Yippee!

We enter suburbia and northern San Rafael. The idyll is over, even though the ride is not quite.

There's a new bike path right along 101 from the top of Los Ranchitos Road down to Mission Street. Very nice. We got off at Linden to cross under 101 and back to where my dear aunt and uncle live.

They weren't home when we got there -- we finished a couple of hours before I guessed we would be there. But the early finish meant we missed the stress of rush-hour traffic as we headed home over the Golden Gate Bridge and south to Silicon Valley.

It was a great little ride. Easily done in one day, but of course so much more fun taking it low and slow.

Today's ride: 25 miles (40 km)
Total: 50 miles (80 km)

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Mark BinghamAnother enjoyable journal. I lived in Marin County for 4 years in the mid 1980s, but unfortunately didn't do any cycling.... my loss. Thanks for sharing!
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