Tour of the Unknown Coast

Often referred to as "California's Toughest Century", the Tour of the Unknown Coast is officially a ride---not a race. But I suppose if you are a "racer" you race even the rides. 100 miles and 10,000' feet of climbing along the Northern Coast in Humbolt County---it is a beautiful and rough ride---all at the same time. From Ferndale---though the Avenue of the Giants---Over Panther Gap and onto Petrolia (an undeveloped stretch of California Coastline) and then it's onto "The wall", and onto the "Endless Hills before arriving back at Ferndale.

The folks at Adventure's Edge invited Mike to ride on their Team. There were about 10 guys from the shop also riding on the Adventure's Edge team---and Humberto (the Bike Manager at the shop) was hoping for a good result. No pressure really. Oh, did I mention that Tinker Juarez won the race last year?

It was an amazing, albeit a little coastal cool, morning. But hardly a breeze in the air. With all the different rides leaving at different hours, there were maybe 2000 people registered for one ride or another. After the big "fast" ride started, I put the Scrapper in the car, and started pedaling myself. The roads were rough, but the scenery is fabulous. Coastal farming pastures that roll along the coast. Soon we were rolling and climbing and descending our way into Rio del and then it was onto the Avenue of the Giants. These tall trees leave me speechless. I was doing a different route than Mike (I did the 100K and Mike did the 100m---I wanted to be there when he finished, and having done this ride before, I knew I would be about 2 hours slower than he).

I finally got some radio news from the racing bunch. Some guy was off the front ---rode away from the field on Panther Gap and was holding the chasers off by 5-8 minutes. The support vehicle had to stay behind the other leaders, but they let a motorcycle drive with the lead guy for any support needs. Was it Mike? No one knew. Finally, Jennifer (the owner of Adventure's Edge) called and said it was Mike and he was so far off the front that he was GONE!! Woo Hoo! I was already finished with my ride and happy to have made it back in plenty of time to relax before Mike finished.

Soon, someone called on race radio to say that the leader had finished Wildcat, so I went to the Finish to watch Mike come in. There were so many different rides finishing that it was hard to distinguish who was who. But I know my husband. And in between all the cruisers, and touring bikes and folks coming in still from my 100k ride, I see a familiar guy. "There's the lead guy!" I yelled. No one believed me. But it was Mike. He arrived about 8 minutes ahead of the next finisher---who just happened to be Henry Kramer (Cal Giant). So Mike gets his name on the plaque---right under Tinker Juarez.

If you haven't done this ride---I highly recommend it! We had the time of our lives! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!