That's former Riv employee Sean descending the Hawk Hill grade in the Marin Headlands. It's an old photo but I was reminded of it when I did the same descent last week. It's a road that's impossible to get tired of, especially if you ride it at the right time of day, either early in the morning, or like in the photo above, late afternoon.
I've been thinking lately about how the same ride has different moods depending on what time of the day you do it. Noon, although still fun, is when a bike ride feels the most like exercise. Nighttime feels a little mischievous and spooky in a fun way if you're out in nature. Early morning is great but I'm always a little keyed up by whats going on later and what needs to get done.
Late afternoon and sunset though, are when bike rides feel the most transcendent. I know that sounds eye-rollingly new age but I bet most of us who don't ride purely for exercise know the feeling I'll inadequately try to describe. It's like the whole world is quieting down and getting ready for nightfall; the light is soft and even run-of-the-mill views are so beautifully distracting that you don't even think about the effort behind pedaling. I'm convinced that climbing is at least 35% easier at 6pm (8pm in the summer) than at noon. I've never been able to sit still long enough to meditate in the usual way, but I imagine bike rides like these yield a similar effect.
If you're local and haven't done it, or have only ridden it in the morning or mid-day, try riding the Hawk Hill grade at around 5:30 - 7pm. It's at it's absolute best in October. Make sure your brakes work well, otherwise it won't be that relaxing.
I took a couple pics on my little Rollei35 that I haven't developed yet but here are some phone snaps:
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