Wow!! Looks like a beautiful day there! Such a cool video. Thanks for the glimpse of the Prezwalski’s horses!!!
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Ouch! I’m so sorry! Wishing you a speedy recovery. So glad it wasn’t any worse.
Stopped at a traffic light on the way to start of Wed night group ride:
Nails everywhere and my rear tire is like a magnet!
Sacramento River and it’s hard to see but a few whitecaps:
Windy Wednesday!
Drove down to Cambria for tomorrow’s Nova Erioca California. Quick ride to pick up the registration packet. Staying on Moonstone beach:
Look closely and you can see the surfers 
Looking north to Big Sur and Hearst Castle:
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What’s the matter with the hair 
?
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The historic mandarin orchards of southern Jacksonville Florida
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The mandarin orchards remind you of @Aeroiseverything hair?
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Beautiful!
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Spring rain this morning, so I delayed my start a bit until the raindrops were no longer giant plops against the skylights of our apartment. There were three climbs, two on gravel/dirt and one split on pavement & gravel (but mostly the former), that I wanted to ride, which sort of aligned with the prescribed TR schedule, but honestly, it was a ride for me.
The first climb is 5.3 miles and ends after the crest where my power literally went off the chart above for about 30s because I thought I might beat my previous PR and move me up from Strava #7 to 6. Alas, I’m carrying more weight than before so while my average watts was higher, my time was also “higher.”
Loop around and descend for a gravel double-track of just under a mile at 11% for the second hill, which finishes me at the final push of the first hill. Loop around again, but this time turning off to hit the third climb, which the paved road opposite below. That goes up, levels a bit, then goes up a recently-redone gravel section behind the drooping branch, or to the right of the stand of trees on the opposite ridgeline.
On the to the third climb and looking back to where the picture above was taken, to the right of the trees going up the ridgeline. Straight ahead, obscured by the foliage is a street and to the left a roundabout that I drive daily to take the son to his high school. This is the start of “my” river valley and it’s not a bad commute.
This is what a freshly redone gravel trail looks like here. The second climb, mentioned above, was redone in 2020 to be this clean. The stand of trees mentioned above are just out of frame to the left.
But before the gravel in the pic above, while still on the pavement, here’s a trail that’s closed because they are presently resurfacing the dirt & gravel road. The angles give a sense of the incline.
Getting to the top is followed by another descent to get to another area, including a flatish gravel road…
…that has a turnoff for some singletrack.
Other pics showing that the greens get bright and varied right now. Not pictured are the yellows and whites of the wildflowers (no bluebells, though).
And, just because, one of the new benches in the local forest made from a tree naturally felled or cut down in this forest.
@windwarrior Nice pics of Cambria, thanks for the memories. I used to go there often, first with the family in the station wagon and then as a young adult before the end of the previous century. For the latter, if not staying on Moonstone, I’d stay at the Squibb House B&B back when there was a wine shop named Fermentations across the street. I got to know the (awesome) women who founded and ran the place. And there was the restaurant Brambles for some fancy dining. Enjoy and good luck!
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Bunch of firsts for 2022 today: over 50km, over 3hr and over 1000m climbing. Not bad finding legs after my low iron and overtraining debacle.
There was a surprise KOM on the way home, all on a bike with 40mm gravel tyres after 2 1/4 hours. Think I might have to pay it a visit on something light and fast!
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Great route and congrats on the KOM. In a previous job I used to travel to Plymouth to visit a small company out that way - loved it in the summer and fall, especially the fireworks show on The Hoe!
This looks lovely!
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35 miles of rocky desert MTB. Nice to get out in the sun and ride. A drama free day thankfully (last visit to these trails I broke a wheel).
I took the Colorado river road shortcut down to I-70. Very scenic route with zero traffic.
This is as far down the Horsethief Bench drop-in that I ride. From here it starts to get serious, where a fall will result in an injury of some sort.
I take this pic every time I ride this trail. Beautiful views over the Colorado river.
I’m not sure what kind of cactus/flower this is, but it’s a colorful break from greens and browns.
More Colorado river views.
I took the new camper van down for an overnight. It makes the whole process a lot more convenient - can stay on a campground close to the trails, and plenty of space for bike + gear.
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Oh man. TOTALLY jealous of your location and your van! Thanks for sharing. Beautiful.
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Perhaps a reason to buy a new bike?
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Nova Eroica California - 16 miles of gravel climbing and technical descents especially for those of us on road bikes.
Not sure where to start. 4am call from my sister, my mom couldn’t breath and went to ER. Flu (not COVID). At the same time in Arizona my sister-in-laws mom passed away suddenly from an infection. She had just moved 10 days ago, was sitting in my car two weeks ago. And while I was wide awake instead of sleeping, email blowing up about the passing of one of the nicest guys I’ve ever worked with in my long work career.
Contemplated life. Did the first climb easy. Started passing people between climbs. Missed the rest stop and started getting dehydrated on the second climb. Phil from Pasedena shared a smidge of water, and then he got a sidewall tear from the sharp gravel on his new GP5000 tires. Gave him a tire boot. Saved by the foreman on tree cutting crew - he was holding out water bottles and I grabbed it without missing a pedal stroke. At the top he handed me a frozen bottle 
Nothing like a 12-15% finish on gravel with a road bike 
Met a guy at the top from Specialized. He works on the Roval team. Got the inside story on the Rapide CLX not launching tubeless. He was riding some unannounced tires that looked like my Roubaix Pro tires, but better fit on his SL7 vs my SL7.
Last 12 miles was interesting - 3+ mile steep descent on gravel and really poor roads. Then a long downhill runout on really poor and narrow roads.
Pics in reverse order, from end to beginning.
Epic adventure! Live each day as if it were your last. 
No regrets.
Theme song:
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Beautiful day for a ride. The last 12 miles looks like fun 
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Nice!
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