As TBO & I missed the Del Puerto 200k organized by the San Francisco Randonneurs earlier this month due to the plague, we decided to ride it on our own so I could continue my quest for my first R-12. Much of this route was new to both of us, which loops from Pleasanton out east to Tracy, south to Patterson and then circles back west. The ride is bookended by about 5000 ft. of climbing; there’s a relatively short, steady climb in the beginning which rolls through the bleached winter landscapes of Livermore wine country. After miles of chugging along agricultural flatlands, there’s a series of climbs on Del Puerto Canyon and Mines Road — including a steep wall that I reckon hits at least 17% grade — that put the hurt on for at least a half a mile.

This ride was probably my slowest brevet to date, as I was beset by more fit-related issues and had to keep adjusting my saddle and pedals along the way. My knees and quads began complaining in earnest by midday as a result, and the cold, evening temperatures began to take their toll on us towards the end of the ride. But we managed to squeak in close to half an hour before the finish control closed…phew! I think for my final R-12, I’ll have to choose an even easier ride to test the next configuration of my new randonneur bike…