Alex Broekhof // Grand Epic

I rode this year's Epic with Jan-Willem Billiet. We started from Cupertino around 6:30am in foggy conditions through Fremont Older. I chose the most dangerous way to cross Stevens Creek by climbing on a tree while carrying my bike, then going through tick-infested underbrush. Still waiting for the poison oak to appear...

Sun appeared on Page Mill and the rest of the day was beautiful weather. 

Uneventful journey through Woodside, Cañada Rd, aside from being dropped by a massive road peloton. 

Sweeney was a fun climb and descent down the other side. Met up with Lei Liu and Zhenyu Chen and played leap-frog until they flew by us on the Airport Drag strip. 

We refueled at the Press (great bagel!) and mentally prepped for the Tunitas/Skeggs onslaught. Had never ridden back by the Ritz, so that was interesting... But the further coastal sections south were really nice too, and new to me. 

Tunitas was tough, but Skeggs was brutal, as expected. Just trying to turn my smallest gear over was a struggle, but somehow managed to get it together for a single effort of the fireroad.

After that, it seemed mentally downhill from there, though there was still plenty of climbing to do. Amazing views from Russian Ridge as the sun began to set. Cruised down Page Mill and was not expecting all those extra little climbs to get into Cupertino! Rude!

Finally got back to the car after dark and had a well-earned giant sandwich.