Sunday, November 12, 2006

12 November 2006

Since it was raining Saturday morning, I decided to do my Sunday chores instead of riding. Saturday afternoon turned out to be warm and sunny. It was sunny, but cold, on Sunday morning when I started down Western and north on Hwy 1.


Ocean from Swanton
There were cool and cold spots along Hwy 1. The shaded parts tended to be colder. Being in the sun felt good. I think there was a slight tailwind. At Swanton Rd, I turned right. Just before heading down into the valley, I stopped to take a picture of the ocean. The descent into the valley was very cold. I warmed up once I crossed the bridge and started climbing.

A little before the stop sign for where a slide took out the right half of the road, three cyclists zipped by in their descent. At Last Chance Rd, there was a clear view of the deep blue ocean beneath the sky before I headed down the twisting descent back to Hwy 1.

I headed south back towards Davenport on Hwy 1. There might have been a slight headwind, but, more than that, the air felt very heavy. In the descent to the bridge over Scott Creek, I came nowhere near spinning out, and only reached 37 mph. In comparison, in the summer, though with a tailwind, I hit 49 mph there.


Self-portrait
After Davenport, I saw a club rider leading a group of 4 or 5 riders north on Hwy 1. We exchanged greetings. Soon afterwards, I turned left onto Bonny Doon Rd, and initially descended into tree-lined coldness. Once the climbing started, it was still somewhat chilly, due to the tree cover. By the Bonny Doon Winery, I turned left to stay on Bonny Doon Rd. I stopped by a mirror near the upper end of Bonny Doon Rd for a self-portrait.

I continued up Pine Flat and turned left at Empire Grade. I rarely ride this direction on Empire Grade, so I saw things I don't normally see, going slowly at places that normally go by quickly in descent. I also continued beyond Jamison Creek Rd, where I had only ridden once before.


Eagle Rock
I stopped by Eagle Rock to take a picture. I then continued up to the Lockheed gate, then turned around and headed back down. I turned right at Ice Cream Grade and took Martin Rd back to Bonny Doon Rd.

At Smith Grade, I turned left. Soon, I was heading down dark, steep, twisty descents. The road was still damp from the rains. Eventually, the trees thinned and it was warm and sunny. However, I hadn't stopped for a break at all, as the only good place for a break was Davenport, and it was too soon then, so I was getting very hungry and weak. In the middle of the final steep climb to Empire Grade, where it flattened out for a while, I stopped and downed a bar. It helped, and I rode home down Empire Grade.

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