Because it was Father’s Day I got to do what I wanted which was to go visit my Dad. But this time via bike, and my wife has to agree, from our home in Atherton, CA to my Dad’s in Modesto. The plan is for me to leave early (5:45 AM) and my wife and 2 sons will leave at 10:15 so we all arrive about noon. The route I picked worked out pretty well, across the Dumbarton Bridge, through Niles Canyon, Vallecitos Rd to Livermore, Patterson Pass Rd over the Altamont, then skirt Tracy and follow farm roads into Modesto. Turns out to be 87 miles and 5:10 of riding time. Because it was early on a Sunday the traffic was pretty mellow, and from Livermore to Tracy, almost nil. The climb up Patterson Pass turned out to be way shorter than anticipated with a screaming descent past a bunch of windmill to a much welcome mini-mart along I580. The rest was 100% flat, flat, flat!. But I was still pretty beat by the time I roll up to my Dad’s. After a very welcome shower I am ready to kick back on the couch with my feet up and watch some golf with my Dad. Then my phone rings! The wife has just gotten off the freeway and her car has stopped dead in the middle lane of the freeway overpass with lots of traffic and she is freaking! So much for relaxing. I have to jump in my sister’s car and race out there while calling AAA. We switch cars in the middle of the road and I somehow coast it off the road into a parking lot. Thankfully the tow truck driver was able to diagnose a missing bolt on one of the front brake calipers. After 2+ hours of going to 3 auto parts stores plus Home Depot, with no success finding a replacement, he was able to jury-rig it to get us home. We finally sit down for my wife’s fancy Father’s Day lunch about 3 PM. I think I should get a free pass for this coming weekend.