26 September 2009

Very short ride

Since I had to work this weekend, I went for a very short ride up and down UCSC. It was sunny and clear with no wind. Even though the fall session had just started, there was not much traffic, as it was still a weekend morning. But there was more traffic than there was on the weekends over the summer.

19 September 2009

Saturday harbor ride

It was foggy in the morning and some of the roads were wet. It was overcast for most of the ride, and there was fog for parts of San Andreas between Buena Vista and Sunset. The pack was very slow for much of San Andreas. There was a dead bird on the road, and it was even slower for a little while after that. This was before the foggy part. Also, with starting from East Cliff later than usual, the arrival at Watsonville was 7-8 minutes later than usual.

After Watsonville, the pace was higher than usual. But then, on the climbs of Mt Madonna and Hazel Dell, I managed to stay with the 2nd group and rolled into Corralitos with the 2nd group. There was a sudden lane closure with a big truck blocking the right lane on the Browns Valley descent. I then headed back over Hames and Day Valley solo. The sun finally came out briefly on Day Valley. It was overcast again by the time I got back to Aptos. The sun finally came out for good around 11, approaching downtown Santa Cruz.

12 September 2009

Half Moon Bay

It was foggy and, in places, drizzly. I woke up at around 6:45 and had to hurry to eat breakfast and get out on the road at around 7:15. Fortunately, there was no headwind until after Ano Nuevo. It got a little stronger by around Costanoa. Turning off as Gazos Creek got me out of the wind. I made it to Pescadero a little after 9, and got signed into the ride.

First it was up Stage Rd to a stop at San Gregorio. There was a Team In Training stop at San Gregorio, and I saw numerous Team In Training packs on the road. Since I had to hurry in the morning, I brought a banana from home and ate it there. Then it was on to a short stop at the Bike Hut. Then it was up part of Tunitas Creek, Lobitos Creek to Verde, then Purisima Creek and Higgins to Half Moon Bay, stopping at the New Leaf on Hwy 92 for lunch. It was overcast and chilly.

After lunch, I headed back on Hwy 1. At first, it was foggy and a little drizzly. After Davenport, it was sunny the rest of the way. There was a recumbent tandem headed the other way somewhere near Tunitas Creek. I sucked the wheels of a couple of fixed-gear riders up the climb after Tunitas Creek, then went by them on the descent. They came by again somewhere near Pigeon Point, so I sucked their wheels again up to the descent to Waddell, when I went by them again. I thought I might see them again, but I didn't. There wasn't any noticeable tailwind until I started approaching Pigeon Point. Just after Pigeon Point, there was a slight headwind, but, after that, it was mostly a mild tailwind.

I was kind of tired at the end, so I headed up Western pretty slowly.

5 September 2009

Alba

It was sunny and comfortable, with a light breeze. The traffic light at Encinal and Hwy 9 doesn't change for cyclists, so, after waiting through a light cycle, I waited for a break in the cross traffic, and then ran the light. As I started, a voice behind me yelled, "You fucking moron." I didn't look to see if it was directed at me.

I started up Alba at 11:53. There seemed to be a little more car traffic than usual. I even encountered a cyclist, also climbing, around the early part of the middle steep section. There two large packs of Miatas descending, with a a few strays trailing each pack. Sweat was constantly dripping into my eyes. I got to the top at 12:26.