23 December 2006

Kirby Park to Monterey

Elkhorn Slough It had been cold all week, with freezing temperatures in the mornings, so I bought gloves for winter rides. The club ride this week would start from Kirby Park at 9:30. For some reason, I thought it would take over 2 hours to ride there, so I started around 7. It was cold, and, despite the gloves, my fingers were freezing. My toes also started to freeze. At a few places, patches of wetness from the rain earlier in the week that were in shade had a hint of frost. It was even colder up in the mountains, so it was a good thing that this ride was along the coast.

Along Water and on Soquel up to 41st St, numerous lights turned red just as I would have arrived at the intersection, had I not slowed when they turned yellow. The one at Harbor High was especially galling, as there was no traffic, yet the cross street got a green. Beyond downtown Soquel, the lights were no longer out to get me. However, as I approached Cabrillo, the sun, low in the sky, was shining directly in my face, which was blinding. I would be plagued by the sun in my eyes on stretches of Soquel and San Andreas. I hoped it wouldn't be a problem on the return trip, but, to a lesser degree, it would be, as the afternoon sun would be to the west, and this would be an out-and-back route. When I was in the shade, the sun would be blocked, but the flip side was that it was colder. From San Andreas, I took Thurwachter, McGowan, and Trafton, and the sun would be mostly to my right. After that it was Salinas, Hall, and Elkhorn to Kirby Park.

I arrived at Kirby Park at around 8:40, about 50 minutes early. I should have started around 7:45, and it would have been a bit warmer as well. So I waited. I took a picture of Elkhorn Slough. At least the sun was warm and there was no wind. Eventually, the other riders arrived and I got signed in. There were eight riders when we started, including two on a tandem, and a new guy who had also done the Page Mill Low-Key Hillclimb five weeks earlier. We took Elkhorn and Castroville Blvd, then Hwy 156 through Castroville to Nashua, where we stopped at Pezzini's, and we were joined by 4 or 5 more riders.


Turtle Bay Taqueria We continued along the Monterey County bike path all the way to Monterey. The group I was in missed the turn onto Figueroa at the Municipal Wharf, and, not knowing where it was, continued to the Fisherman's Wharf, where we found a map on a wall that pointed us in the right direction. We headed to the Turtle Bay Taqueria for lunch, and I took a picture. One guy didn't want to eat and took off.

After lunch, we returned the same way we came, reversing the route, with another stop a Pezzini's. At the entrance to Kirby Park, I continued along Elkhorn, riding the final 27 miles of this 100+ mile ride solo. I was starting to feel low on energy, so my pace slowed along Hall, Salinas, and Trafton to the long stretch of San Andreas. I decided to stop at Hernandez Market in Soquel for a coke. As I approached Seascape Blvd, I considered getting something at the Seascape shopping center at the other end of the road, but decided not to. Back on Soquel Dr, the afternoon sun, low in the sky, shone directly at my face at times, just as it did in the morning. At the Hernandez Market, I got a Sprite and took a break, becoming aware of the lactic acid burning in my legs for the first time. After getting back on my bike and pedaling, however, I was no longer aware of the burning in my legs. At Ocean and Water, the light was green, and I didn't have to stop. Whee! That almost never happens.