31 December 2007

Monday afternoon UCSC loop

This would make my first month with over 500 miles without counting the riding to and from work. Counting to and from work, I think I may have had over 500 miles in a month in 2005. My 2007 mileage, without counting to and from work, would also be slightly more than my 2006 mileage. Counting to and from work, 2007 would probably be around 200 miles less than 2006.

It was a sunny and slightly windy day. There was a headwind in the middle parts of the climb, getting stronger at the bottom part of the climb on the last 2 times up. There was a tailwind at the very bottom of the descent. So the wind was mostly from the north-northeast. The campus was still empty due to winter break.

30 December 2007

Short solo loop

Monterey Bay from High St The sun was a welcome change to the cold, rain and clouds of the last few days. The roads were still wet, so I went out on a short loop up Hwy 9, Felton-Empire and down Empire Grade. The last 2 times I rode this loop were 6 and a half months earlier, the first 2 rides after my broken leg. This time was much faster than those 2 times.

25 December 2007

Tuesday afternoon UCSC loop

It was sunny with a slight chill in the shade. The forecast was for NW winds, but the wind was from the SW at UCSC. That made for tailwinds in the middle of the climb, and heavy headwinds, especially near the bottom, on the descent. The winds made my average time up the climb about 25 seconds faster than yesterday afternoon, and my average time down the descent about 20 seconds slower.

The campus was pretty empty for the break. There still were a few people walking and a few people bicycling around the campus. Due to the holiday, though, this was the first time I rode the loop without seeing a single bus.

22 December 2007

Solo ride

Hwy 236 I started pretty late, so I couldn't ride too long and get back before dark. It was sunny, but still cold, and it was cold all day. So it was probably very very cold in the morning, so it was a good thing that I started so late.

My first idea was to head up Hwy 9, then up Bear Creek, Skyline, then Hwy 9, Hwy 236, Jamison Creek, Empire Grade. But then I figured it would be dark before I got home, so I decided to just go up Hwy 9 to Skyline, then turn around and continue.

There was lots of traffic on Hwy 9, leading to some minor run-ins. In retrospect, with a car about 30 ft behind and not closing very quickly, I shouldn't have pulled in front of it in response to that other car threatening to pull out of a driveway in Ben Lomond. On the other hand, just before Brookdale, the motorist that had horn diarrhea when I took the lane due to the flatbed trailer occupying the right side of the road was unjustified, and I would not do anything differently should the situation arise again.

A little past Brookdale, there were traffic lights regulating a one-lane section where something was being fixed, so I had to stop there for about 3 minutes while the motorist behind me revved his engine impatiently.

After Boulder Creek, the traffic thinned considerably. I got to the top at 1:01 and turned around and headed down. It was cold, so I didn't try to go very fast. I continued onto Hwy 236. At one point, 3 motor vehicles passed me, including a U-haul truck that took almost the entire road, so I got squeezed onto the right edge of the road.

At the Big Basin Park Headquarters, the store was closed, but I wasn't planning on getting anything there anyhow. I got some water, then ate a snack in the sun, which felt good. It was cold in the shade, though. When I started off again, the cold wind was a sharp contrast to the warm sun.

A little before Little Basin, a man in his driveway told me it that it would be all downhill from just a little further. I guess I was riding a little tiredly. I thanked him and he said to enjoy.

It was 2:31 when I got to the bottom of Jamison. Again, it was a tough climb. I wanted to do better than the almost 37 minute climb of 3 weeks earlier. I didn't look at the 1.33 sign, due to being distracted by the two old guys hanging out with their pickup truck off the left of the road, so I don't know if the recent wind and rain knocked the skunk tail off of it. I gasped out a response to whatever they said. Then they said something about going downhill being easier. It was 3:01 when I got to the top, and the time for the climb was 30:40. Much better than the almost 37 minute effort.

I turned left at Empire Grade and slowly headed home. It was cold in the shaded part. There was one car carrying a tree on its roof. The 22nd is pretty late for getting a tree. In the sunny spots after Felton-Empire, it was still cold. A little after the arboretum on High St, a guy on a tiny motorcycle started off in the bike lane. I got to within about 10 ft of him, and pulled out into the traffic lane, before he took off, staying in the bike lane. He was out of sight by the time I passed Western Dr.

16 December 2007

Sunday afternoon UCSC loop

It was cold and overcast. Actually, it was not as cold as I thought at first. It was supposed to rain in the evening and most of the week, so this would be my last chance to ride in a while.

There was a wind from the south making for a slight tailwind on the climb, and a slight headwind on the descent. I didn't really notice any headwind on the descent, though it was reflected in the times that were about 10 seconds slower than normal.

I noticed a couple of cyclists doing the loop in the opposite direction a number of times. One had a red jersey, and the other was riding a Bianchi.

Since the fall term ended this week, the campus was pretty empty and there was much less traffic. In the mornings during the week, there had been a lot more traffic than usual, perhaps due to students preparing to leave for the winter break.

15 December 2007

Saturday harbor ride

Laurel Ext by Beach Hill It was pretty cold. But the sun was shining, and it was warmer in the sun. However, it was still early, so the sun was low in the eastern sky, making it more difficult to see when going east.

There was still work being done at Soquel and Capitola, closing the right turn lane. I turned right onto Capitola, then right onto 7th, leading to the start by the harbor. The ride started with the usual slow precession on East Cliff and Opal Cliff to Capitola, the pack growing along the way. Then it was up the little hill and out on Park and Soquel through Aptos Village to Freedom, over the freeway, then Bonita to San Andreas.

On San Andreas, the pace wasn't driven up as much as the last time I did this ride, so I was able to stay in the pack instead of falling off the back. As a comparison, last time, I went from Seascape to Buena Vista in a little over 8 minutes before falling off the back. This time, it took over 9 minutes and I didn't have to work very hard to keep up. Then, it slowed down for the approach to Watsonville. Going through Watsonville, there were lots of red lights. A substantial bunch turned off for the long ride to San Juan Bautista. Most of the rest turned off for the short ride at Holohan, leaving me in a group of 6, and one guy had a loud flat before Casserly, so it was a group of 5. All 5 of us went for Mt Madonna and Hazel Dell at the next option point.

I was anticipating falling off the back at the steep run-up to Hazel Dell on Mt Madonna, but the others were taking it easy, so I stayed with them. On Hazel Dell, we overtook a small group of cyclists and saw another few bunches coming the opposite way, including one bunch stopped at the summit. Two riders wanted to take it easy or were waiting for the guy who flatted, so they dropped back. So, eventually, I was leading the other 2 to the summit. On the descent, they went around me, so I sucked their wheels as they traded off the lead all the way to Corralitos. Then we went up and over Hames. Somewhere after Pleasant Valley, I lost the other 2 and continued solo, taking Freedom and Soquel back to town. I still had energy in my legs and sprinted at a number of stale green lights, making it through some of them, and not quite making it through some of them.

When I got to downtown, I turned left and headed to Beach Hill for a couple of times around before heading home on Bay.

9 December 2007

Sunday afternoon UCSC loop

It was a sunny day, and it was warm in the sun. It was a little chilly in the shade and the wind, though. Still, I went without my windbreaker. I headed up to UCSC to ride around the loop, which I hadn't really done since Monday, due to fog and rain.

I decided to go around 10 times. I saw 3 or 4 other cyclists multiple times also climbing the hills of UCSC. I had thought that without the windbreaker flapping around, I'd be a little faster on the descent, but I wasn't. Perhaps there was a slight headwind, but I didn't really notice any except at the bottom, where it was a little stronger than usual. But, since I'd be slowing for the turn, which tends to have car traffic, the headwind at the bottom shouldn't be a factor.

There were numerous rodents off the right side of the road spread out along the lower half of the climb.

8 December 2007

Eureka Canyon

It was a cold morning and it was cloudy. Since it had rained during the week, I figured it would be muddy on Highland, so I took my old bike and headed to Capitola and signed in. It was a smaller group, probably due to the cold.

We headed through Capitola, then out on Park and McGregor. Since the route sheet said to turn right at Mar Vista, I turned right, but everyone else went straight. So I was riding solo for a while, and headed through Aptos Village, up Trout Gulch, Valencia, Cox, Day Valley, Hames, and Corralitos to the stop at 5 Mile Market. About 5 minutes later, the trailing part of the group rolled in via Freedom. After a short break, we decided to head up to Corralitos Market and stop there instead.

Apparently, the leading part of the group had turned left up Eureka Canyon from Hames instead of heading down to 5 Mile. After a short break, I headed up Eureka Canyon solo, chasing the riders ahead. About 6 miles in, I overtook the slower bunch. I joined the lead group of 5 as they were waiting in the sun at the end of Buzzard Lagoon. After a break, we headed down the cold, bumpy descent of Highland. Then, Highland became a sunny climb. Around the spot where the half the road had collapsed, the road was closed for real now. There were concrete barriers on both sides. It was muddy, but passable by bicycle. On the other side, lots of cars were parked. The mountain bikers going to the Soquel Demonstration Forest had to ride from here, instead of being able to drive all the way to Camp Loma, as they normally do.

We continued all the way to the Summit Market. I got a sandwich and a 7up. It was partly sunny. When the sun was out, it felt warm, but it was mostly partly clouded over. There were also periodic gusts of wind that were cold. After lunch, we headed down Soquel-San Jose, then up Laurel Glen, down Mountain View, then Branciforte into town. On Market St, we split up to head home. I headed over to Beach Hill for a couple of times around 3rd St, then went home. It was sunny, but still a little cold.

1 December 2007

Gazos Creek/San Gregorio

Cloverdale Rd It was supposed to be cold, but it wasn't supposed to rain. I headed north on Hwy 1 and it was cold at first. It was warmer at places, and there were cold pockets. It was mostly cloudy, but the sun helped warm things up where it was sunny. There was somewhat of a headwind. The windsock near Waddell was at 40-45 degrees indicating the wind from the north to northwest. Less than a mile from Gazos Creek, I started feeling a drizzle, but it was gone by the time I got to Gazos Creek.

I turned left into the parking area and got signed in. The turnout was around 18 riders. It was warm enough that there wasn't a chill in the air. The clouds looked ominous, though. Eventually, we headed out along Gazos Creek, then Cloverdale. After the up-and-down narrow part of Cloverdale ended by the entrance to Butano and the wide Cloverdale started, I felt a drizzle again. This time, it strengthened to a light rain and the road was all wet. I saw a faint rainbow and took a picture of it. I think the rainbow was too faint to be visible in the picture. The rain stopped by the end of Cloverdale, and Pescadero Rd was not was wet.

We stopped at Arcangeli's in Pescadero. It was partly sunny and the warmth from the sun felt nice when it was there. Then we headed up Stage. The road soon dried out and it was dry all the way to San Gregorio. It was sunny there as well, and the sun felt good there too. There was live music in the general store, two guys with guitars who were pretty good. For some reason, I decided to just have a bar and a 7up.

The route sheet said to continue up Stage, then turn left on Hwy 1 and continue all the way back to Gazos Creek. I saw some just take Hwy 84 to Hwy 1. A lot of people were talking about heading back on Stage. A few were going to head up Hwy 84, then take Pescadero Rd to Pescadero. I took off by myself and headed up Hwy 84, which I had never done before. I had come the other way on Hwy 84 a few times, and there was always a headwind for the last few miles, so I enjoyed a tailwind for the first few miles this time. Hwy 84 also had been newly resurfaced. It soon became overcast, and there was very little sunshine for the rest of the ride.

I turned right on Pescadero Rd, then headed up Alpine. On the upper parts that were exposed to the north, it was windy and cold. I turned right at Skyline and headed for Hwy 9. There were a lot of cars headed into Skyline Ranch, and I wondered what that was all about. Later, I saw a number of cars with Christmas trees on their roofs, so I think that some of them got them at Skyline Ranch.

I turned right at Hwy 9, and soon I was in the rain again. It was a light rain, but the descent made the drops hit my face hard. The rain stopped by the time I reached Hwy 236, but the roads were still quite wet, and would continue to be until the bottom part of Empire Grade, much later. I continued up Hwy 236, then took the descent cautiously due to the wet road. At the park headquarters, I stopped briefly to get some water, then headed out.

It was 3:19 when I got to the bottom of Jamison. I wasn't feeling that strong, and the ride was longer than I anticipated. I also hadn't expected it to be so cold in the afternoon, and I stupidly hadn't eaten more than the bar I had in San Gregorio. So once it started getting steep, I started bonking. I noticed that the pickup truck cab that was on the right side of the road the last time had been removed. The 1.33 sign still had the skunk tail straggling down it, though. I just didn't have any energy and when I struggled to the top, it was 3:55. The climb took almost 37 minutes, a horrible time. I stopped and downed a bar. From time to time, I got chilled by gusts of wind as I was damp from the earlier rain as well as the sweat from climbing. Eventually, I headed out on Empire Grade.

I took the climbs slowly. I also took the descents slowly, not just because the road was wet, but because the wind was chilling me. Lots of cars with Christmas trees passed me. Then a bunch of CDF fire trucks passed me. A little ways after Pine Flat, the CDF had flares on the road and were doing something. They soon let me through. I was too cold to look to see what was going on. After Felton-Empire, it was getting late and cars had their headlights on, another thing I hadn't anticipated. At the 8-14% grade sign marking the final descent, the road had finally dried and I was feeling better, so I went up to a normal pace despite the chill from the wind, as I was almost home.

27 November 2007

Weekday morning UCSC loop

It wasn't as cold as it had been the last few mornings, and, despite lots of clouds, it was sunny. Still, I put on leg warmers, but didn't feel any need to wear gloves, though I would have gotten them had it been cold as I went out the door. It had been six days since the last time I did this loop, and it was windy then, but this time the air was pretty still.

Just after the right-hander on the descent on the first time down, there was a sign in the bike lane saying that it was closed ahead. A little farther along, cones marked off a stretch of the bike lane as off limits. The next time around, there were more cones and a truck sitting on the side of the road. The third time around, the truck was slowing going down the bike lane, laying cones as it went. By then, the cones stretched from just before the right-hander down a ways. The last time around, there were just the cones and the sign.

24 November 2007

San Juan Bautista

It was very cold in the morning. I had leg warmers on, but wished I had gloves, which I hadn't brought from home to Soquel, where I was starting from this time. At least it was slightly warmer in the sun. At the sunny parts of San Andreas, it warmed up a little so that my hands weren't freezing. I made my way to Elkhorn Rd and Kirby Park, the start of the ride.

The ride leaders arrived late, having camped out at Sunset Beach and were carrying loads of stuff on their touring bikes. I got signed in and got a route sheet. It was sunny and cool, but quite comfortable. We set out on Elkhorn, then up and over Hidden Valley, down Strawberry. I enjoyed a nice tailwind heading north on San Miguel Canyon, then it was gone on Tarpey and San Juan Rd. Then there was the climb up, then descent down Carpenteria for a regroup at Aromas.

After a break, we headed out on Carr and Anzar. Instead of following the route sheet to take San Juan Rd into San Juan Bautista, I took San Justo and then doubled back on Hwy 156 to San Juan Bautista for lunch. It was warm in the sun, and it was nice and sunny at midday.

After lunch, a few riders headed up Fremont Peak. I felt I had to get back, so I skipped that climb and headed back to Aromas, then towards Watsonville on San Juan, Murphy Crossing, and Hwy 129. Then, I took Carlton, Casserly, Mt Madonna, Hazel Dell, and Browns Valley to Corralitos. By then, it was overcast and getting chilly. I then took Hames, Day Valley, Valencia, Trout Gulch, and Soquel back to Soquel.

22 November 2007

Thanksgiving day ride

Top of Pine Flat It was sunny and clear, but cool. I headed down to Natural Bridges and Delaware to join a group of 7 others. On the way up the coast, there were two flat tires, that eventually caused 2 riders to ride ahead due to time constraints. After the second tire was replaced, the rest of use continued on to Bonny Doon Rd and then up.

I had climbed Bonny Doon to Smith Grade 3 or so times before, but never beyond that and had never climbed Pine Flat before. I've done the descent a number of times, though. After regrouping at the top, we headed down Empire Grade, regrouping at the UCSC west entrance.

I had never ridden through the western part of the campus before. It was pretty much uphill on Heller from Empire Grade. It flattened out, then descended on McLaughlin, curving into Glen Coolidge. We stopped at the overlook to Pogonip. The view of the bay was somewhat clear, but Moss Landing to Monterey was obscured by fog. Then we coasted down to High St and I broke off to go home.