I made it home!

1400 miles! I rode into Santa Cruz yesterday. As usual it was a beautiful ride. I missed the cool fog! It was perfect. The fog sat just off the coast and the sun shone on me. The wind was at my back and was pushing me towards home.

I rode my final 8,500 foot mountain pass up out of Tahoe. It was a crazy steep climb! I camped my last night at the lovely Silver fork of the American River and swam in the pot holes. I loved it. It was the Sierras at their best. Big granite outcroppings and amazing vistas.

Along the last leg of my bike tour I got to visit friends. The Dillingham's put me up in Placerville. Kevin met me on the American River bike path and biked me into Sacramento. He had cooked me dinner and invited friends to hang out. Then he got up at 5 am to bike with me to the west end of town. It was a gorgeous ride. Then I rode my 1st century! Carrie came and saved me from the scary Vallejo neighborhood and rove me across the bridge (no bikes on the bay bridge). Marc met me at her house.Yay reunited! After that it was a lovely ride into Santa Cruz. John met me in Daveport and rode with me home. I still can't believe I'm back.

I rode 100 miles today! Sac to S.F. I can't believe tonight is my last night of bike tour.Tommorrow I'll ride from S.F. to S.C. and be home.

Pictures from Crater Lake to Tahoe

Crater Lake was beautiful and another extremely hard climb up to 8000 feet. Here's pictures from the road.

Lake Tahoe

I rode up and over Lassen. 8,500 feet. It was a huge climb but a great break form the busy highway. The scenery was great and the cool mountain air was so refreshing after the heat of the valley. I spent two days in the park. Then I had to return to a shoulder-less narrow highway with ton of commercial truck traffic and extreme heat. Very hard and scary. I was not enjoying it. But Marc to the rescue! He came and met me on Friday night and we are now sitting on a balcony looking out over Lake Tahoe. A weekend off the bike with my honey. So sweet! Today we'll chill on the lake and swim. Next I'll be riding over another 8,500 pass, Carson Pass. Then the final descent to Placerville to visit my good friend, then to Sacremento to visit some more friends, and then out to S.F. for another visit with friends. Then the final ride home to Santa Cruz. I can't believe it's almost over.

Arrived in Ashland Oregon today. Cute town but it's almost 100 degrees. Now I have to bike up out of this valley to Mt. Shashta. Back in CA tomorrow!

made it up to Crater Lake. it was a huge climb all the up to the snow. beautiful view. and again kind people gave me food and cold drinks!