Super Sweetwater 2011

[Carl Sanders]

Levi pulled the group at a gentlemen's pace up the lower flat section of Bohemian Highway from Monte Rio. As the grade increased, so did the pace and intensity as we pulled a left in Occidental onto Graton Rd. Down the first descent, the pack began spreading out as the lead group hammered down toward Laguna Rd.

In our group of 15 or so riders, Brian kept it rolling on the only 26 bike in the peloton. Friendly Mig kept the chatter up and the chase group together, as we each pulled a tun at the front over to Eastside Rd. Levi and a few others appeared long gone by the time we reached the intersection with Sweetwater.

Light rain up and down the backside of Sweetwater made for slick roads and cautious descents. Back onto the flats out of Armstrong Redwoods, ,another pace line carried the chase group out to the river and then up to the base of the Old Cazadero climb. Jim Keen of NorCal provided a welcome water stop half way up this second beast.

Not exactly bombing down the dirt road toward Austin Creek, I dropped one of my full water bottles. Having too much fun to stop, I bounced and bumped down the gravel road to the creek below. I never saw Brian again after he gapped us on his full suspension ride down this loose dirt road.

Crossing the river gravel in road shoes was not very smart planning ahead on my part. XC shoes and cleats on the road bike would have made the crossing and re-mount on the other side that much faster. Past the creek Mig, Yuri and George also seemed to have gotten ahead of us.

The remaining group strung out on the first part of Cazadero Highway heading back toward the Russian River. I pulled a small group together, rotating through a moderate headwind out to the coast. On to the familiar pot-hole battlefield of Willow Creek Rd., I broke from this disintegrated group to give chase to a lone racer ahead. I Caught and passed Mig at the bottom gate who was apparently cramping hard after losing his water early on. Past the first rollers, I overtook George and then Yuri near the top.  Trying to keep the momentum going, I dropped into the triple ring to maintain traction on my slick road tires on the final two muddy kickers. Finishing a respectable 11th, 22 minutes behind Shane, Levi and Glenn, all coming in at 3:32. 

A fine bottle of local pinot noir pulled from the prize box atop Willow Creek would not be carried back down with me on the rainy, slick and  cold descent back down to Monte Rio.  Guess I'll have to grab that bottle on the next Hopper epic!