22 March 2008

Saturday ride

UCSC road race It was cold in the morning. My fingers were cold inside my gloves. The sun glared low in the eastern sky, which bothered me going out on High and Water and Soquel, then on East Cliff and Soquel. And even a little bit on San Andreas. The pace didn't jump as much on San Andreas this time, and stayed relatively tame throughout. I still hung out at the back of the pack, though. When I got out of the draft, the wind seemed kind of strong, so that might have been part of why it was not so fast this time.

A bigger group went the Hazel Dell route than the last few times. The group split at the steep run up on Mt Madonna. I was was at the back, so I moved up to the front of the back group and then started making up a little ground on the front group. After Green Valley, people started dropping off the front group, and one guy from behind went by me. Approaching the summit, I caught the wheel of the first guy to fall off the front group and followed him down the descent. A little ways down, a group of 3 came by, and we joined them. I hung at the back, staying out of the rotation, since I was working too hard just to stay on their wheels.


UCSC road race From Corralitos, I continued on Hames, Day Valley, Valencia, and Trout Gulch, then Soquel back to town. Since there was a college road race at UCSC, I headed up to the bottom of the course and watched some of the riders go by. I got pictures of the first few who were probably off the front. I couldn't get my camera ready in time for the main pack of about 8, though.