1 August 2004

Start going north on Bay from Meder.
Turn right onto High St.
Turn right onto Storey.
Turn left onto King.
Turn left onto Mission St.
Mission becomes Water.
Turn left onto Market St.
Market becomes Branciforte.
Turn left onto Granite Creek.
Cross over 17.
Turn right onto Scotts Valley Drive.
Having never ridden this way before, miss the left onto Glenwood.
Turn left onto Vine Hill
Turn right onto Glenwood.
Pass by Scotts Valley High School for the first time.
Turn left onto Weston. The sign said it is a private road. The gate was open. The private road sign causes some apprehension, but, according to the map, this is the only way to East Zayante short of going to Summit Road, so I continue.
At first, it is ok. Then, as it descended, it got much narrower.
Riding the brakes the whole way down, I vowed to get new brake pads.
Then it became a dirt road. Get off and walk.
Then it was paved for a while. Ride for a while.
Then it was dirt again. Walk again.
Vow never to ride this way again.
Then it was paved again. Ride again.
Then it ended at another road. The map at home led me to believe that Weston ended at East Zayante. I didn't have the map with me, but the map was not detailed enough anyhow.
Turn left onto that other road. The sign said the road I was on was Weasel Way or Werewolf Way, and not Weston Road.
The other road turns out to be Lockhart Gulch.
Wind up heading back into Scotts Valley, instead of going down East Zayante and turning right onto Quail Hollow into Ben Lomond as planned. The Scotts Valley city limits sign comes up and I get myself oriented.
Turn right onto Mount Hermon, back onto a familiar road.
Turn right onto Graham Hill.
Turn right onto Highway 9, going this way for the first time.
In Ben Lomond, stop at a red light at Highway 9 and Glen Arbor.
Rejoining my planned route, continue along Highway 9.
Turn left onto Alba Road.
Turn left onto Empire Grade and stop for a minute, the first stop since the red light at Glen Arbor, over 45 minutes ago.
The sign on Alba Road says 10% grade.
Glad the first time riding Alba Road was climbing and not descending.
Decide to never descend Alba Road.
At Empire Grade and Pine Flat, back to a route ridden before.
Further down Empire Grade, front tire gets wobbly. A slow leak. Pump it up.
Decide to get a new tire and tube, as I'm already getting new brake pads. The front tire probably has about 16000 miles over 5 years, mostly due to an 8 mile commute from 1999 to 2003. The rear tire only has about 1000 miles over 1 year, as the commute since 2003 is much shorter.
Ride conservatively.
Empire Grade becomes High St.
Turn right onto Bay.
Turn right onto Meder.
The tire holds up, but goes flat by the next morning.
About 42 miles in about 3:20. Includes walking on the dirt roads.
Bike was a Trek 4000 mountain bike.