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****The Lightweight Lateweights****

Tuesday Alternate Ride Report Two FKFW rides in a row one or the other of my daughters has left her schoolbooks and lunch at home, neccessitating my return home, and putting me a solid 25 minutes off the back of the meeting time. After picking up Ryan (BTCEB Membership Coordinator), buying gasoline, and defying every motor vehicle law on the books, (Ryan commented over the blasting Hendrix CD that he had never seen a mini-van go 100 mph before) we arrived in FK at 9:27 am. Considering that we left Berkeley at 8:59 am, it was agreed that we had demonstrated extreme committment.

Danny ,Vernon and Randy had graciously waited until 9:25 am, above and beyond the call of duty,and were two minutes out of sight when we pulled in. The Mule Man, cursing a blue steak, dressed in 3 and a half minutes and said "let's ride." Professor pulled up on his road rig and, not looking fit for trail riding anyhow, mentioned that he was off to San Rafael to pick up his truck from some emergency repairs. Ryan and I rode up Arch, to the top of Green Hill. Then it was over the ridge and down into Tamarancho so that Ryan could enjoy the fruits of his new pass. The skys were perfect and air cool, sun shining, riding effortless and quick. We made one wrong decision and rode down into the center of camp into the waiting arms of Chris the Ranger. After inspecting our passes and explaining our route error (center of camp roads are for scouts, not friends of scouts) he asked us to have JJ call him about some other matter.

This routing allowed us to go up Serpentine, over Wagon Wheel and back across B-17 and back up to the ridge making our circumnavigation of the Camp complete. Over to the Old Vee, down to Kent Pump, up the BoFax to the ridge. All the views were spectacular, the weather always sunny but cool, with the downhills maxing out around 39mph. Bolinas ridge was wet and tacky as Danny described it, and we decided to run out the whole thing going down Jewell and back up the bike path, where the Vizier was doing a steady 18 mph, which for him is a bit of a triumph considering we were rolling through miles 36-42.

Back at the van in FK we discovered that the addilpated Vizier had left the 100mph + mini-van unlocked, but that mistake had netted him his returned tire and a beautiful gift of a Butt Pad from Danny who also left the note explaining their patient waiting and departure time mentioned earlier. 7 hours of a beautiful day 3 hrs 51 mins riding time 42 miles 5,510 feet elevation gain Glorious weather No nettles, thistles, thorns One pacified Ranger ,One mistake never to be repeated. One dab on Arch for Eric. One bike based somersault for Ryan (no blood, but a rock in his shoe). Zero mechanicals.Sorry about hanging you guys up, but our Moms told us to write our own notes and this will have to do.

Eric