25 October 2008

Pescadero to Half Moon Bay

The Bike Hut It was dark in the morning, so I didn't get started until 7:30. The club ride was scheduled to start from Pescadero at 9, but I knew it'd start later than that. I wouldn't be able to get there by 9.

When I got to Hwy 1, I hit a cold pocket and my hands started getting cold. Parts of Hwy 1 were really cold, and parts were quite warm. I didn't like the cold pockets, but they weren't too big so I got past them before too long. There was no wind, and the green wind sock near Waddell hung straight down. There were lots of coastal farms selling pumpkins.

I turned right onto Gazos Creek Rd, which had a new, gravelly, surface. It was cold. It was very cold and my hands were getting numb. It was cold all the way to Cloverdale. It warmed up a little on Cloverdale. I made it to the start and got signed in at 9:15.


The Bike Hut picnic area The first part of the ride took Stage to San Gregorio, and stopped for a break. Then, up Stage and down Hwy 1, then right on Tunitas Creek. On Tunitas, we stopped at the Bike Hut, a very new development that was announced by email that was much forwarded only two days earlier. Currently, there is water and a picnic area with tables. There are more things planned for the future, such as organic energy bars for sale, and other things with cyclists passing by in mind.

Continuing, I went up Tunitas for a bit, then Lobitos Creek Rd, Verde Rd, Purisima Creek Rd, Higgins Canyon Rd, then into Half Moon Bay for lunch at the Moonside Bakery. I had a small, quick lunch, then headed back solo at around 12:30. I figured I'd get home by 3:30. At about 3 miles from home, near the entrance to Wilder Ranch, my rear tire blew with a loud pop. As I changed the tube, I realized that I hadn't eaten enough and the bonk that was lingering in the background hit me. 160 strokes on the frame pump resulted in a very soft rear tire, but it was enough to get me home.

18 October 2008

Solo ride

It was a really nice day. It was warm in the sun, but not hot, and cool in the shade, but not cold. It was a little breezy, but the wind was mostly a tailwind while starting out and was mostly gone on the return. I headed up Branciforte and Glen Canyon to Scotts Valley, then headed onto Bean Creek.

On Bean Creek, I saw the first pro-proposition 8 sign that I'd ever seen. I've seen lots of anti-proposition 8 signs before. After Bean Creek, there was a short stretch down Glenwood, then up Mountain Charlie. After the climb, I took Summit to Soquel-San Jose and headed down, then up Laurel Glen and down Mountain View, then back on Branciforte.

11 October 2008

Saturday harbor ride

It was sunny, but cold and windy. My hands were very cold at the beginning. There was also lots of debris on the road due to the wind over the last couple of days. I stayed at the back of the pack.

On San Andreas, the pace was slow. Perhaps the wind had something to do with that. At first, I didn't have to go hard as I usually do to stay with the pack before coasting. It remained pretty slow until near the end. I let a 10ft or so gap open in front of me and I knew I was going to get dropped. But then the pack slowed just before the descent to the bridge and I caught back on.

Going through Watsonville, some guys were talking about a pro who was riding without a helmet. Sure enough, there he was without a helmet. He had something around his ankles too. Weights? No. He was just in the process of removing leg warmers.

A pretty large group including the pro guy went the Hazel Dell route. The pace up Mt Madonna was pretty easy, so the group stayed together until Hazel Dell started turning up. Then the fast guys took off. I got to the summit in a group of 4 or 5 and then descended to Corralitos hanging onto the tail end of that group.

I continued over Hames, over Day Valley and Valencia. On Valencia, I was loafing along when a guy came by. After dithering for a moment, I got on his wheel, as it was windy. On Soquel, there was a headwind. After the climb out of Aptos, I pulled until Cabrillo, then drafted into Soquel where he turned off.

It was about 10:50, so, with the wind, I figured I'd be home around 11:15, which was pretty much when I got home.