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.