Friday afternoon I packed up the Burley and threw a leg over the saddle with a run on my mind. I'd been training for the following day's half marathon for a few weeks. As I pedaled north, thinking of the fig trees I was going to stop by, I had an idea: could I fuel this entire trip by fruit I forage along the way? I had brought some fruit with me, as I knew the fig crop was coming to an end.

It wouldn't be the first time I had fueled a ride or even a number of meals with foraged fruit, but I don't think I've ever powered an overnight with a race and 100k bike ride just on figs.

Before picking up my race packet, I stopped by one of my favorite green fig trees. Dinner. I pedaled down to the race hotel, picked up my packet, and pedaled back for more figs. There was still enough figs on the tree to start putting some in a bag rather than my belly, which was getting full.

The next tree was nirvana (see picture of all the figs on the ground). Why people buy figs at a store I will never understand. There thousands of abandoned fig trees all over California. Most of the fruit never gets picked. I picked about 10 pounds worth in 15 minutes.

I pedalled onwards towards Lake Sonoma, the sun setting beyond the Dry Creek Valley. I stopped at 2 more fig trees. The pickings were slim. I considered camping underneath one of them, but it was just beside the road and thought the better of it.

I camped at Warm Springs Dam Friday night where the race finished the next day. I awoke dark and early to catch a bus to the race start. It's cold that early in the morning!

I saw Andy at the start. He looked good in the OA singlet. That was two of wearing a Go Vegan message. The race started.

My goal was to run somewhere between 1:35 and 1:40. I ran without a watch, so I had no idea how fast I was going. I settled in with Suzy, a runner from Phoenix, who was setting a steady, good pace. I suffered from mile 5 to 7 but focused on my breathing to make it through a rough patch. At mile 10, I gave a kick, which lasted to mile 12. I then faded, Suzy and a couple of others caught and passed me.

I finished in 1 hour 26 minutes in 13th overall. I was stoked. Andy came in not too long after in 1 hour 40 minutes. I had to get home to go to Justin Lucke's wedding, so I didn't hang out for too long after the event. We had one other OA member, Diana, who was running too. I did not get to meet her.

I rode home, stopping to eat some figs a couple of times and thinking about how liberating and fun fruit foraging is. My how nature provides.