The sun was finally shining when I woke up this morning. I decided to go for a ride finally, and unlike the past two days, everything went smoothly. I decided to do the first ride from the 51 Bay Area Bike Rides book that I tried last year and got reamed on. I was a bit apprehensive while taking the BART out to the East Bay today since I'm still not in full condition, and 50 miles is at the upper end of what I can do. But I made a list in my head of why the ride was such a disaster last year, and how those things have been remedied by now.

Last year: it was my first long ride and I had no idea what to expect. This year: I know what to expect of long rides.
Last year: it being my first ride, I hammered it from the start, feeling good. This year: I know about pacing.
Last year: no clipless shoes, no cycling shorts, yes CD player, yes camera. This year: the opposite.
Last year: not enough rests until it was too late. This year: rests every 10 miles for not being in condition.

It turned out to be a terrific, exhilarating ride, starting at Concord BART station, circling around Mt. Diablo through Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, up through Danville, and ending at Walnut Creek BART. There was a light 800ft. climb in Morgan Territory that I was still struggling with (need to work on my climbing muscles, which were obviously unaffected by training for the Bay to Breakers), followed by a five mile 1200ft. non-technical descent on which I hit 44mph (whoee!).

There is some serious gorgeous property down by Danville! Seriously rich people must live there. Texas-sized bike lanes; whole families could ride on those bike lanes. All the residences in gated communities. "Mastered" communities. Scary. I think of where my parents live in suburbia New Jersey and wonder how awful it would have been if entire sections were walled in. Scared rich people need to wall themselves in. I'm sure they don't mind. I sure didn't mind the beautiful, manicured park with a pond, fountain, sycamore trees (I think it was Sycamore Valley Park), and no people, where I took a long rest. Mind you, I hate resting. I only take rests because I have to; stopping during a ride makes me . . . restless. But I was splayed out on this park bench, in the sun by this pond with this fountain for a good 20 minutes.

From Danville to Walnut Creek, I deviated from the ride in the book and took the Iron Horse Trail, part of a system of recreational trails that the East Bay is aggressively developing. I have to admit it was quite pleasant. More perks for rich people. They should have a program where they take at-risk, inner-city kids out to Danville and Contra Costa County and show them where they could live if they stay away from drugs and gangs, get a good education, and blah, blah, blah. Of course, if that happens, where will the next white flight take the scared rich white people?

Have I mentioned the latest Supergrass CD is rocking my socks off? That guy has the coolest-ass voice.