25 August 2012

Solo ride

It was cloudy and chilly in the morning, so I delayed starting out, and when I did start out, it was still cloudy and chilly. I headed up Hwy 9. By the time I got to Felton, it was sunny. I took Glen Arbor to Ben Lomond and continued up Hwy 9 to Boulder Creek, then headed out on Hwy 236. I turned left and headed up China Grade for the first time since 2008, over 4 years ago. In 2008, I did the climb in about 21:29. This time, I did it in about 20:56, which is pretty close to the same time. The upper part of Hwy 236 had been repaved since I last rode there a month earlier, and there was residual loose gravel, but the road, though still somewhat bumpy, was much smoother than before. I headed down to Hwy 9, then up to Saratoga Gap. This would be the first time I climbed the upper part of Hwy 9 since 2010, when I did it in about 31:28; this time, I did it in about 31:38. The upper 2 and half or so miles were also newly repaved since I had descended it a month earlier, and there was more residual loose gravel. There was the hot dog stand and lots of cars at Saratoga Gap. I turned right and headed up Skyline without stopping. There were lots of cars parked around the Castle Rock entrance. At the end of Skyline, I headed left on Bear Creek, then rode the length of Summit Rd and then headed down Soquel-San Jose, which also had been repaved in places and I had to stop at one spot where only one lane was open. I was tired and hungry as I headed up Laurel Glen, so I stopped at the top after having ridden almost continuously for 4 hours and ate a snack. I headed down Mountain View and Branciforte, parts of which also had been repaved, back to town and then back home.