Climate Ride California (May 2013): Day 5 -- Over the Golden Gate Bridge and Back to San Francisco

If I had thought (albeit incorrectly) that Day 4 was going to be a piece of cake, surely Day 5, in going from Olema Ranch, CA to San Francisco, CA, with only about 41 miles of distance and 2260 feet of climbing, was going to be a less arduous day?

Not so fast, I'm afraid.

First, the Climate Ride organizers wanted to get us over the Golden Gate bridge, into the parking lot of Sports Basement (where we originally gathered on Day Zero to take the bus north to Fortuna), by 11:15. This was so that we could then all ride en masse to San Francisco City Hall, for scheduled speakers on environmental topics, starting at Noon. Unfortunately, this schedule meant they wanted us eating breakfast by 6 a.m. and on the road by 6:30 a.m.

Didn't quite happen. At least for me. Although I'm proud to say that I did at least pack up camp and make it out onto the road by about 7:30. Where some pretty strenuous climbs, including one Category 4 (our only non-Category 5 climb other than on Day 2) awaited. And although the total climbing for the day was "only" about 3000 feet, the gradients of the climbs were as, if not more, consistently severe -- in the 8% to 12% range -- than anything experienced to date. It was some seriously hard riding. Although with some seriously excellent payoffs in terms of views at, and descents from, the top.

It was also pretty thrilling to get over the last large climb and ride down into and through Marin County and Sausalito (where we were warned that the cops like to ticket bicyclists who go through red lights), with the knowledge that the Golden Gate Bridge, and San Francisco proper, were not too far away.

Of course, even with time being tight, I insisted on stopping and taking some pictures, and otherwise tried to enjoy the ride in my own way. Which meant that I narrowly missed the gathering at Sports Basement and had to ride directly to City Hall, arriving in the proverbial nick of time at about 11:55 a.m.!

Consistent with Climate Ride protocol, the obligatory bicycle hoisting photographs were taken, and we all collected to listen to Paul Hawken (noted environmentalist and author of numerous books, including The Ecology of Commerce) and others speak.Definitely a fine and fitting ending to the day, and the week.