Hi everyone!
This is Sasha reporting on our very FIRST day of SPOKES ‘25!!! Get ready for the first of many many blogs throughout this trip but I am so excited to be kicking off the start of this trip off!!
After a series of many nights of planning, Zoom calls, and meeting in the Green Library every Monday night, we are finally ready to ascend.
We first had to pack the van which took at least 5 hours on Monday night but led to very beautiful sunset pictures and Matthew standing on top of the van.
Coming to Tuesday, we initially planned a 12pm send-off but in true Spokes ‘25 fashion, we only left at 2:12pm but still had a strong start. Biking altogether, we biked as a group while Adam took the van! Starting in the treacherously hot weather and also the steep uphill climb of Sand Hills was no easy feat and proved quite difficult to the resident non-bikers! But nonetheless these non-experienced bikers (me) prevailed! Managing to finally reach a beautiful turquoise water called Crystal Springs Reservoir and we took a little pit-stop there. We had some electrolytes and snacks and then continued our bike journey.
We split up into two groups- me, Nancy, and Fenet and Puja, Daniel, and Matthew in the other group. Our group took this beautiful scenic trail from Crystal Springs to right near San Francisco and that was phenomenal. I highly enjoyed it. That’s of course when San Francisco hit- and then it was absolutely insane. I don’t know why I didn’t realize that the hills would be bad on a bike when I always thought it was bad in a car. There would be some hills that were straight uphills for ends on end and it was fine the first hill but then after 15 hills back to back, I was ready to have the van come pick me up. But! Again we prevailed! We made it through while Nancy lapped us multiple times, giving us very encouraging feedback throughout.
My highlight was biking on the beachy boardwalk at OceanGate in SF where the sun was setting and the beautiful weather and everyone was out. It was then a 10 mile ride to Will’s house which was literally the perfect way to end the night. Shoutout to Will Yu and his incredible family for the amazing bento boxes and sushi they gave us for dinner as well as the incredible warm showers, sleeping arrangements, and home cooked breakfast they treated us to in the morning. Genuinely best way to end the first day and best way to start our trip!!