3 November 2007

Moss Landing

Moss Landing from Hwy 1 It was sunny and chilly as I headed to Capitola. The traffic lights were green a little more than usual, so I got there a little faster than usual. There were two different times published for the ride start, 9am and 9:30am. I got there by 9, but the ride started at 9:30. Four riders started off at around 9:15, but I waited and got signed in.

I wound up riding mostly solo to La Selva and from there to Moss Landing. I tried taking a picture of the power station on Hwy 1 just after Struve, but missed and didn't want to try again.

I had a sandwich for lunch, and it was quite big, so it made my stomach uncomfortable for first hour and half of the return ride until it got digested. After lunch, I headed out in a group. By Elkhorn, I was in a group of four, including one guy on a fixed gear bike. It was getting pretty warm in the afternoon. We stopped at Gizdich for water. By then, my lunch was almost digested, but my legs were getting sore.

We headed out to go up Hazel Dell. I felt very little motivation to ride hard. At the summit, one guy turned around to go home. The guy on the fixie was ahead and out of sight, but I overtook him on the descent and tiredly rolled into Corralitos to rest and get more water. After a long break, the remaining three of us headed to Freedom, then Soquel. At State Park, the other two turned left to return to Jade St, while I continued straight.

I took it easy the rest of the way. I noticed the welcome to Santa Cruz sign for the first time on the median just after the cross street to Harbor High. Then, I noticed the red light at the intersection with Capitola Rd and stopped in a gear that I thought would be a little too big for the upcoming little climb. I managed the climb in that gear. The road was in bad condition and the lanes were narrow. After the top of that climb, the bike lane appeared and the road was recently repaved.