Behold Mount Tamalpais (the lump in the distance in the middle)! I took this picture on another bike ride, and unfortunately its not very good because its too far away. Its definitely not anything like Mount Timpanogos, but its the biggest thing around, about 2000 feet from the base (sea level) to the top. I started my bike ride at about 10 feet above sea level in a town called Mill Valley. The 18-mile loop ride started on pavement, which I rode on for about 2 miles before it took off up a path that used to be a railroad that wound its way to the summit. If you've been to the Muir Woods, that is the kind of environment I was riding in for the first 5 miles or so, Redwoods everywhere! I actually had to get out my low-light sunglass lenses because the redwoods filtered out so much light! I couldn't see!
So the trail wound through the Redwoods on an easy uphill grade for a few miles when, BOOM, the trees opened up as I came around a bend. I caught this view from several perspectives as I gradually climbed higher and higher. In the foreground you see Richardson Bay, a small inlet of the San Francisco Bay, the Sausalito Harbor, and of course, the San Francisco Skyline, easily one of the most impressive city skylines you will ever see in your life. I didn't realize how hazy it was during the ride, but it really comes out in some of these pictures. At the bottom-center of the picture you can see a bridge crossing Richardson Bay -- Tamara and I live just above the right-hand foot of that bridge.
Getting higher! The road you can see running along the top of the ridge in this picture leads to the Muir Woods and is world famous for the road biking. In fact, from where I am standing to take this picture, the Muir Woods is directly below me. From the road you see in this picture, the Woods are in the valley on the right.
Higher and higher. There's the trail winding up the mountain. Across the Bay in the distance is Mount Diablo. Its got an even better trail system than Mount Tam. Its about an hour and a half away though. I'll get there eventually.
The pictures I got at the summit were terrible. This is the best one, and its half blocked out by dumb trees. Sad. The view is amazing though. On a clear day (not this day) you can see all the way to San Jose to the south (80 miles), Sacramento to the east (90 miles), the Farrallon Islands in the Pacific Ocean (way, way out there), and on rare occasions, Yosemite's Half Dome clear out in the High Sierra Nevada Mountains!
My sexy bike that brought me here!
3 comments:
Looks like fun! You always make me jealous with your outdoor adventure pictures. We've decided to make biking our family hobby, but I think we'll be stuck with paved trails for the first few years!
Ryan, I want you to know I never ignored your blog. I checked it faithfully every time you posted!
Dude, nice post. I have ridden my bike up there... My motorcycle that is. I think I would blow a gasket trying to peddle my fat keester up Mt. Tam. We should go and tackle China Camp sometime. My mountain bike is kinda a piece of junk, it doesnt even have shock, but I can jam on it.
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