Alice’s has special meaning for Kevin; it was the reward on his earliest rides up to Skyline, back in the day when he was, well, chunky. We’d ride up Old LaHonda and stop at Alice’s for a burger. As he got stronger we rode up Kings. 2007 maybe? 10 or 11 years ago, when he was about 4 or 5 inches shorter and 50 pounds heavier.

Kevin announced a month ago that this would be a breakfast ride, something we’ve done maybe once a year on our Tuesday/Thursday morning rides. Unfortunately people had places to be this morning, so it was just me, Kevin, Kevin (pilot) and Marcus riding up Kings today. Marcus nicely rode with me up the hill, while the two Kevins rode on slightly ahead. Despite not being able to get an under-30 time on Kings, I still felt pretty decent considering it was the first cold morning so my breathing was really bad. My heart rate was responding nicely, my legs felt strong, I just couldn’t get much air. Much improved over Thursday’s ride to the coast. A week back from vacation and I feel like there’s hope.

Marcus left us up on Skyline to head home, and Kevin (pilot) turned back at 84, not even heading out West Old LaHonda with us. We just rode the top part of West Old LaHonda, not realizing the road crews are gone for the moment so we could have ridden our regular loop.

So at Alice’s it was just like old times, just the two of us, only now Kevin is a whole lot faster and I’m a bit slower.