31 October 2004

Start south on Western Dr from Meder.
Turn right onto Mission St.
Turn left onto Natural Bridges Dr.
Turn left onto Delaware Ave.
Turn right onto Swanton Dr.
Turn left onto West Cliff.
West Cliff becomes Beach St.
Walk on footbridge.
Turn right onto East Cliff.
Turn left onto Seabright.
Turn right onto Murray.
Turn right onto 7th Ave.
Turn left onto East Cliff.
East Cliff becomes Portola.
Portola becomes Opal Cliff.
Turn right onto Capitola Ave.
Turn left onto Monterey.
Turn right onto Park Ave.
Turn right onto Cabrillo College Dr.
Turn right onto Soquel.
One hour.
Turn right onto Freedom Blvd.
Turn left onto Bonita.
Turn right onto San Andreas Rd.
Turn right onto Sunset Beach Rd.
Turn left onto unnamed road to Sunset Beach.
Apparent dead end at Sunset Beach.
Rather than turning back, pass through gate onto unmaintained road.
Pass through another gate back onto a maintained road, which turns out to be Shell Rd.
Turn left onto Beach St.
Turn right onto Thurwachter Rd.
Pass over Pajaro River into Monterey County.
Turn left onto Trafton Rd.
Two hours.
Turn left onto Salinas Rd.
Salinas Rd becomes Porter Dr.
Back into Santa Cruz County.
Porter Dr becomes Main St.
Turn right onto Freedom Blvd.
Turn right onto Green Valley Rd.
Turn left onto Pioneer Rd.
Turn right onto Amesti.
Amesti is closed. Turn around.
Turn right onto Varni.
Turn right onto Corralitos Rd.
Corralitos Rd becomes Eureka Canyon Rd.
Three hours.
Eureka Canyon Rd becomes Highland Way.
Four hours.
Turn left onto Skyland.
Turn right onto Miller Rd.
It descends steeply.
Turn left onto Soquel-San Jose.
Five hours.
Turn left onto Soquel.
Soquel becomes Water St.
Water St becomes Mission St.
Turn right onto Highland.
Turn left onto High St.
Turn left onto Bay St.
Turn right onto Meder.

About 79 miles in about 5:56. Bike was Trek 4000 mountain bike.

10 October 2004

Start north on Bay Street from Meder.
Turn right onto High Street.
Turn left onto bike path paralleling Highway 1.
Turn right onto Coral Street.
Turn right onto Encinal.
Turn left onto Highway 9.
Turn right onto Glen Arbor.
Turn right onto Highway 9.
About a mile before Brookdale, I heard a popping sound. Coming around a bend, I saw two county police cars stopped on the opposite side of the road. One cop had a gun pointing down at something, another was joining him from the cars. I passed by. I think I smelled gunpowder. There was another shot a few seconds later. I'll choose to believe that they were shooting an injured deer or something.
One hour.
Turn left onto Highway 236.
Turn right onto China Grade.
At the bridge where it gets steep, I reach for my water bottle. Crap. I left the water bottle at home.
Turn left onto Highway 236.
Two hours.
Stop at Big Basin Park Headquarters and buy a bottle of water from the camp store. $2.04. The same size bottle of water cost $.95 to $1.25 at other places.
Continue on Highway 236.
Turn right onto Jamison Creek Road.
See five cars wrecked off the right side of the road. I'd noticed only two of them two weeks before.
Three hours.
It took 30-31 minutes to reach Empire Grade from Highway 236.
Turn left onto Empire Grade.
Turn right onto Ice Cream Grade.
Turn left onto Martin Road.
Turn left onto Pine Flat.
Pine Flat becomes Bonny Doon Road.
Turn left onto Highway 1.
Four hours.
Turn left onto Western Drive.
Turn right onto Meder.

About 62 miles in about 4:34. Bike was Trek 4000 mountain bike.
I saw a fair number of cyclists on Empire Grade and Ice Cream Grade. Perhaps there was some group riding through that area at that time.

3 October 2004

Start south on Bay Street from Meder.
Turn left onto West Cliff Drive.
Turn left onto Front Street.
Turn left onto Pacific Avenue.
Turn right onto Soquel Avenue.
Turn left onto Ocean Street.
Turn right onto Water Street.
Turn left onto Market Street.
Turn right onto Goss Avenue.
Turn left onto Branciforte Avenue.
Turn left into De Laveaga Park.
Road forks at the north end of the park.
The right fork says it's a private road.
Try the left fork first. It's poorly maintained. It rises, then becomes a dirt road that goes nowhere.
Return and try the right fork. It's Old Pilkington Road, which, according to my map, should eventually lead to Branciforte Drive.
It dead ends at a private dirt road.
Try Maybee Lane. It dead ends at a gate.
Try going up Loma Alta Lane. It dead ends at a gate.
Return back out of De Laveaga.
Turn left onto De Laveaga Road.
It ends at a one way road going the opposite direction.
Turn right onto Elk Street.
Turn right onto Goss Avenue.
One hour.
Turn right onto Branciforte Drive.
Turn left onto Glen Canyon Road.
Turn right onto Mount Hermon Road.
Turn right onto Graham Hill Road.
Turn left onto East Zayante Road.
Turn right onto Quail Hollow Road.
Turn right onto Larita Drive.
Turn right onto Glen Arbor Road.
Two hours.
Turn right onto Highway 9.
Turn left onto Alba Road.
Turn left onto Empire Grade.
It took about 42-43 minutes from Highway 9 to Empire Grade.
Turn right onto Pine Flat Road.
Turn right onto Bonny Doon Road.
Three hours.
Turn right onto Pine Flat Road.
Turn left onto Smith Grade.
Turn right onto Empire Grade.
Turn right onto Bay Street.
Turn right onto Meder.

About 49 miles in about 3:58. Bike was Trek 4000 mountain bike.