Sunday, August 30, 2009

30 August 2009

Tour of the Santa Cruz Mountains

I got up at 6:30 and had to hurry, and didn't eat enough breakfast and forgot to put on sunscreen, and headed out just before 7. It was very foggy and damp. I headed north on Hwy 1 and the road was damp. The fog was thick and damp. After Davenport, the fog cleared a bit. It even became sunny briefly around Ano Neuvo, but it soon became overcast. There was very little wind until around Waddell, when a headwind started picking up. The wind got stronger approaching Costanoa. There was a relief from the wind on Gazos Creek, but it picked up again on Cloverdale. I turned right on Butano Cutoff, which I had never done before, and then headed up Pescadero Rd. I met up at the start at 9:10, even though the ride was scheduled for 9.

We headed over Haskins, then up Alpine. On the way up Alpine, I felt the onset of a bonk due to my abbreviated breakfast, so I ate a bar. At the top, I ate another. We met up with 4 others who were planning on joining us, but then decided on shorter route. Then it was up Skyline to Saratoga Gap. I stopped at the fire station, refilled my bottle, and got a Sprite, which helped in avoiding the bonk. Then, it was a quick descent down Hwy 9 and a slower climb up 236, then down to the park headquarters. I got a coke at the store and refilled my bottle. Then, we continued on 236 to Jamison Creek. I topped off my bottle at the fire station, and then came the climb up the road. It was starting to get warm, and sweat was dripping in my eyes. Various parts of the road had been repatched, and there was loose gravel. My rear wheel slipped on some gravel on the inside of the turn leading up to the 1.33 sign, which still had the skunk tail stuck on top of it. I made it to the top in about 27 minutes, which was not very good, but not very bad, considering that I already had over 75 miles and 5500 feet of climbing when I started the climb.

I then headed home on Empire Grade. It was getting pretty warm, and it was getting uncomfortable in the sunny parts, though it would have felt good on a chilly day.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

22 August 2009

Saturday harbor ride

It was foggy and chilly, but there was no smoke in the air when I started. I skipped riding last weekend due to smoke from the Lockheed fire. I encountered wrong-way cyclists in bike lanes on the way to the start and when returning home on Soquel. The pack was smaller than usual, perhaps due to a race. It was less crowded than usual on Bonita. San Andreas from Sunset to the bridge had been repaved and was a lot smoother.

After Hazel Dell, the fog had cleared and it was sunny in Corralitos and Hames. After Valencia led back to Aptos, it was overcast and a little foggy again. On Soquel, the smell of smoke was back.

Saturday, August 08, 2009

8 August 2009

Eureka Canyon

I headed to Jade St Park and got signed in. It was a nice sunny day. The ride headed out to Aptos, then along Trout Gulch, Valencia, Day Valley and Hames to Corralitos for a long break. At Corralitos, a lot of the Saturday harbor ride stopped before continuing up Hames or Eureka Canyon.

After the break, I headed up Eureka Canyon at a sustainable, but high enough, pace that got me to Buzzard Lagoon in just under 40 minutes, a new personal best. After another long break, it was off along Highland, which became a hammerfest, to the Summit Market, where the renovations were complete. I had a sandwich.

Then, it was down Soquel-San Jose. Somewhere after Stetson, a group of 3 in black jerseys came flashing by, so our group jumped on. I turned off at Laurel Glen, and headed over to Branciforte, and then back home.

Sunday, August 02, 2009

1 August 2009

Alba

It was sunny and breezy. I headed up Hwy 9 and Glen Arbor to Ben Lomond, then up Alba. In one steep part around the middle of the climb, it was curving right and a descending green car came completely over the double yellow line into my lane. I didn't see it until just before it got to me because the road was curving left just before it curved to the right, and it was climbing steeply.

I got to the top in about 33 and a half minutes, and I wasn't bothered a bit by my hip that I injured 4 weeks ago. I headed down Empire Grade back home for a relatively short, quick ride.