Quick, Overnight Bicycle Touring |
s24o Chain ring to fire ring |
By Nick,
We violated the technical rules of S24O but expanded its heart. Don, as if to assuage the upcoming violation of our door to site biking ethics, rode his bike to arrive at my house at 7:30AM. It gave me time to at least appear to be helpful to my wife and our two young ones. We then jumped in my car to drive to Lockwood to meet Brett, a cornerstone of many of my best outdoor trips (too few, Brett, but always memorable).
Don and I made good time but gave it away in attempting to connect (Brett was coming from SF). Finally, we parked in the Lockwood post office parking lot (next door to the middle of nowhere) and launched. Brett pushed the pace early (per usual) and Don and I hung on. The sky was beautiful, the weather perfect, and the soldiers across the rode taking target practice felt like a world away.
We made it through the gates of the fort with ease, jammed down the main road, then eased off to our goal —Nacimiento Ferguson Road. Our personal soon to be Roadway to Heaven (cue the music). The last vestiges of humanity dropped away, especially the background hum of urban areas. The silence was surprising, inspiring and sweet.
Brett’s flat broke the rhythm but gave us a chance to practice team tire changing. We jumped back on the road, and before we knew it, the fort exit was upon us.
The expansiveness of the fort landscape gave way to the entrance of a narrow river valley. The road gently headed up, the Nacimeinto River hugged the left side of it, and a forest of fall trees provided a canopy. The headwaters of the river lie somewhere above us in the Ventana Wilderness
We hit the Ponderosa campsite, made a quick circuit, and got to work setting up camp. Despite the warnings of our camp host (its 7 miles and 2 to 3 thousand feet to the summit you yahoos), we set off into the fading sunlight and shadows. We were ready to head back at 5 miles, but Don said lets go and we did. Our reward, the summit silhouette photo and quiet satisfaction.
We changed attitudes and raced off (me in the rear) down the mountain to get our fire roaring before the temperature dipped to the low 30s. We feasted, fed the fire, swapped tales, sipped whiskey and wine and collapsed into a solid sleep (me first). I can’t wait for another Roadway to Heaven out here and perhaps a dip down the other side to Big Sur for a plunge in the ocean! Life is sweet.
