Pine Flat Ride with Santa Rosa Cycling Club

On Saturday, 8/4/07, I had the chance to ride to the infamous Pine Flat and finishing up around Healdsburg. It was going to be a 55 mile bike ride, starting from Healdsburg City Hall and proceeding up to my biggest fear. I know other veteran bikers go up this PF all the time, but for me it was a bit nerve-racking, with all the talk about it, it got built up pretty big and mighty in my mind as a newbie cyclist. So the day started at okay. First off, I should begin with I got up around 4:30 am to get ready to volunteer at the Vineman Ironman and other races that day. I marked athletes' bodies with their race number and sent them on their way. I love the conversations I have with these athletes. They are just like you and me. Grounded, happy, nervous and ready to get the race started. I stopped writing numbers around 8:15 am in Guerneville and headed to Healdsburg to meet the cycle group. I got there and my husband Steve, and brother-in-law, Mike were there with about 15 others. Didn't see many women there. Saw 2 to start and that was it. There wound up being 4 women out of the 20 or so men heading for PF.

It was a beautiful morning at City Hall. You could tell that it was going to get warm by the afternoon. We get to PF bottom and start going up the hill. On the way to PF, Steve was in the very back with me and I kept telling him to take off with Mike, his brother, as though I wasn't here. He kept saying, "I'm fine, I'm in no hurry!". I knew better! As we approached PF, some guys started to take off. Steve then said, "Okay honey, I'm going to take off now, I'll see you later". See, I knew it. I was happier, just because I could do a pace of my own and not worry about him or him worry about me. I hung out with a tandem bike couple and five other folks. It was great conversation on the way. Then I met up with my Trek buddy. I call him this, because he has a Trek bike like mine, almost identical. He's also in his 60's or 70's. Power to him. I've seen him on other rides, we always meet up somehow.

Pine Flat didn't seem so big after all. My mind had the image of being like Mt. Everest! There's zig-zagging on the way up and got a bit steeper as you get higher. I didn't think I could make 2 miles, Steve thought I could do 5 miles, I wound up doing 10 miles and started to get the shakes just before the last 2 steep hills. I guess it's about an 11-mile ride up, I was just short a mile, darn it! But I couldn't go any further. I needed to save something for the last 15-20 miles of the club ride. So I stop to reflect and feel pretty proud of what I accomplished that day. I start to head down the hill, because I knew the boys' would start to come back down and fast. I wanted to get a head start, so I wouldn't get in the way. The plan worked out well, I was almost back down the bottom of PF and Steve came up behind me, and the others as well. Steve was surprised at my ride.

We stop at the Jimtown store and talk all about PF as we watch the Vineman Ironman riders going in the other direction. It was a wonderful day so far, watching athletes go by on a glorious day. Then we start to head out to Geyserville and head up Canyon road to go back to Healdsburg through the country back roads. The fast boys' group started to head out. I was the only girl. I knew what was going to happen. The testosterone boys' would take off at a fast pace and I would be left behind. But I was okay with that, I knew where I was going and I completed PF the best I could. Nothing could ruin my day!

Like I said, the boys' dropped me, Steve held back. I told him to take off, but he said he wasn't in a hurry. He then asked me if I wanted to draft, but I didn't want to, I was pretty tired. He still wanted me to try, but I just don't like it. So he got a little irritated with me when I repeated again that I didn't want to draft. So up hill we started to go up the steep Canyon Road. No one else in sight, except one older gentleman. I was catching up to him. Just as we start to crest the hill, we see the group ahead. One of the guys gets a flat. I started to feel shakey again and then started to feel some cramping coming on. I thought oh, no, can't happen now, or I'll never make it back. We stop for a few minutes, I get to catch my breath. I start off again, and the boys' pass me up again. The cramping was coming on stronger in my left thigh and my feet. I couldn't feel my toes. This is what happens when you go on PF and try to put more miles on with it, I should have known better. But I thought the Starbucks coffee would keep me going?!! Just kidding there. I had water, energy gels and an oatmeal cookie back at Jimtown.

The last 10 miles were the most brutal. Steve stayed with me trying to keep me happy. All I could do was cuss! Everytime the slightest hill came up, I cursed it. In a funny way, but it was my way of dealing with the cramping, it was a distraction. It was kind of fun to see what I could verbally say! Steve laughed a few times, saying it's the last hill, then we're almost there! I knew better again. We finally made it back. It seemed like hours to the finish. I was done, I was toast, with lactic acid jam in my body! Steve asked if I wanted to stop while he got the car and came back for me. But my pride wanted to complete this day and bitch about it later! That was the Italian way!

We got to the parking lot and I got off the bike, and Mike was there talking with the others about the ride and what they were feeling. I couldn't say much, I felt like throwing up. I wish I could have so I could have shown everyone how I felt about the infamous Pine Flat, instead of talking about it. They probably would of thought it was cool to have a girl throw up. That means that you worked hard, right?! So I catch my breath instead and gulp down a red Accelerade drink and burp a few times. I felt much better!

Steve decides to ride back home, another 15 miles. He's a crazy man. He winds up cranking out 80 miles of cycling. I'm happy with my 55 miles. It felt like I did a marathon. I stay behind to talk with Mike about my fustrations with Steve on his pace and how I'm so unlike that pace. I'm glad my husband thinks I can ride like a man, but he married a girl! How easy they forget. Mike said the same thing. He said that's one of the reasons that he doesn't ride with Steve either is because he just wants to go at everything fast and intense. Mike doesn't like to ride that way and neither do I. I was glad to hear someone else had the same fustrations. I didn't feel alone anymore, but I was still disappointed. Anyways, we parted and I headed to the Safeway to get dinner for the evening. I wound up getting tons of food. You know what they say about shopping when you're hungry, and boy was I ever!! That's my glorious Pine Flat story and I'm sticking to it. I'd love to hear others' Pine Flat first timers. I'll be back there again. Don't know if I can make it to the top, but I know I will try. I'll also not do it on a day where I had to get up at 4:30 am in the morning. But I'll be back again definitely Pine Flat, I'll see you another day!! Good night bright stars....