This was Kevin’s first post-kidney-stent-removal ride, so it couldn’t be too tough, nor could it be too easy ‘cuz he’s gotta get back in shape, right? So the usual Old LaHonda, Haskins, Pescadero & Tunitas. We knew it wasn’t going to be fast, but that doesn’t mean boring & slow.

We did start out pretty leisurely up Old LaHonda, 24-something, giving Kevin a chance to count a few banana slugs on the way up. A few more banana slugs heading up Haskins, which took about 13 minutes (10 if we’re going hard). Counting banana slugs is something Kevin started doing when he first began climbing the hills around here; it helped him pass the time when climbs seemed endless (he wasn’t always fast & fit).

Pescadero Bakery was CROWDED! First time in quite a while the line for sandwiches was so long we opted out, getting just an oversized double-chocolate cookie instead. That fueled us for the headwinds going north on Stage; you really look forward to when it starts to climb, so you can fight something real, not an invisible wind in your face.

Tunitas? Kevin was dragging a bit. It’s been a long time since I felt a lot better than him on Tunitas. Lots of time to count lots of banana slugs; the total came to 142, a new record. On the way up, we stopped to move a Newt off the road, shortly before a car coming through would have flattened it.

Descending Kings we stopped to clear some branches from the road (why not make it a bit nicer for the next bike coming down the hill?). The ride’s high point might have been the two Corgis on Olive Hill near Canada Road.

Overall a pretty nice ride, at least until Kevin decided he wanted a PR climbing up Jefferson from Canada. Where did that burst of energy come from? –Mike–