Sunday lunchtime ride up to the top of Mount Hamilton, the tallest peak in the Bay Area. It stands almost 4,500 feet above sea level and of course in the Bay Area the baseline is sea level so total elevation change was around 5,500 feet over around 40 miles up and down.

I took a packed lunch and had a slightly late start, not getting to the top until around 2pm for a late lunch and thermos of coffee. The air was cool and the sun was warm which made the climbs hot and the descents cold, but after all the climbing the coast down the winding mountain road was satisfying.

This time of year the grass is lush and green and the wildflowers are still peaking out, it’s spring time in California and summer is coming.