Nov 22 - 23

We woke up Tuesday morning at around 4:45am to start perhaps the longest, most challenging day of our trip. From our cozy accommodations at the Foothills Congregational Church in Los Altos, we set off in the dark en route to Almaden Country day school, where we would be part of what some have claimed to be the largest Thanksgiving celebration west of the Mississippi. After a beautiful, albeit chilly, 22-mile sunrise ride, we were greeted at Almaden by a host of friendly, familiar faces. The student-led welcoming committee helped riders find their way around the school and in no time, sustainable living workshops were underway throughout the campus.

After a morning of bike maintenance workshops, gardening, aquaponics, and organic body care product making, the entire school quickly filed into a sunny courtyard to begin their Thanksgiving celebration. Introduced by the ever-supportive head of school, Ole Jorgenson, our bike tour band performed a couple songs for the crowd. With Danny on banjo, Ben on compost-bucket string bass, Marguerite on violin, Jacob on guitar and vocals, and Laurie and Travis on vocals, the sound filled the courtyard and brought smiles to all. After some additional songs and speeches led by staff and students, the feasting began. Six giant lines of food, 6 courses of tasty homemade Thanksgiving standards, and hundreds of people: a sight to behold. Riders were touched by the student-made letters and Almaden waterbottles marking our seating assignments. A big thank you to the students of Almaden, Cosmo and the rest of the faculty for making us a part of their Thanksgiving celebration and treating us like we were part of the community.

Well aware of the ride ahead of them, riders quickly scarfed down their meals, said a gracious thank you, changed and began their 30-mile ride over the Santa Cruz mountains and into Big Basin. The ride up Hwy 9 is known for being both gorgeous and challenging. Riders had plenty of opportunity to work off their Thanksgiving meal hauling up the continuous 11-mile uphill stretch. The hard work paid off when they reached the summit and were treated with a continuous 5-mile downhill through the redwoods. After another 6 plus miles of up and down through wooded mountains, the weary riders arrived to the chilly, remote, and majestic Big Basin campground. Hot soup, hot showers and a hot fire were well needed after an epic day of riding and teaching.

-Travis