30 June 2012

Club ride

I headed out to Capitola and signed into the ride. I hung out at the rear of the pack, slowly going through the Capitola esplanade, Aptos village, and out on Trout Gulch, Valencia, Cox, Day Valley, and Hames into Corralitos for an extended break. Then, it was up Eureka Canyon. At around Lower Highland, I got ahead of the pack and started riding harder. There was a 15 ft patch of road that had been repaved at the Koinonia entrance. I stopped for the regroup at Buzzard Lagoon. There were some large horseflies there that bit my legs as couple of times. Then, it was down Highland all the way to the Summit Store. After a little break there, I headed down Soquel-San Jose, over Laurel Glen and Mountain View, and returning on Branciforte.

23 June 2012

Solo ride

It was partly cloudy, comfortably warm in the sun and comfortably cool in the shade, when I started. It was slightly breezy, with a tailwind as I started up Hwy 9. There was some running thing going on, as, at one point on Hwy 9, there was a table with water and signs saying runners on the road. There was something going on at Felton also, and there was more traffic than usual along Hwy 9 and maybe vending tables or something to the right. I continued on Glen Arbor to Ben Lomond, then on past Brookdale to Boulder Creek, then headed out on Hwy 236. I started up Jamison Creek at 12:44, and there was a cyclist a little ways ahead of me going somewhat slowly, so I overtook him on the early part and didn't see him again. There were also 8 or 9 cyclists descending as I went up the lower steep part. I got to the top at 1:08 for an estimated time of 24:04, my best time since last August and my 6th best time ever. I headed down Empire Grade, where the shade and the cool wind was slightly chilly. Since the university was pretty much shut down after the end of the spring term, the light at Heller was green when I first saw it, and remained green.

16 June 2012

Solo ride

I headed up Hwy 9 and Glen Arbor to Boulder Creek, then took Bear Creek Rd up to Summit Rd. It was a pretty warm day, but there was plenty of shade for the most part. Still, perhaps due to the heat, I didn't feel like I could give any really hard efforts. I headed east on Summit Rd, then headed down Soquel-San Jose, up Laurel Glen, down Mountain View, and returning on Branciforte.

9 June 2012

Solo ride

It was beautiful sunny day. I started north on Hwy 1. At first, there was no wind. Once I was past Laguna, there was a headwind, which continued getting stronger. At the bottom of the San Vicente River gulch, the speed detector registered 27-28mph. I continued in the wind to Swanton, and finally had some relief in the valley. There was some more wind just before the hill, but most of the hill was shielded from the wind until the top. The return on Hwy 1 was fast with the tailwind. I hit 47mph on the descent to Scott Creek. The speed detector to the north of Davenport was turned off, but I was going 28-29mph before slowing way down for the tracks. I turned left and headed up Bonny Doon and Pine Flat. I was getting tired and my back was sore. At the top, I turned right and headed down Empire Grade. As usual, the light at Heller turned yellow just as it first came into view and I had to stop for a while at the red.

2 June 2012

Solo ride

It was sunny and nice when I started up Hwy 9. There was a somewhat of a tailwind at first, but after Glen Arbor and Ben Lomond, it become somewhat of a headwind. At Boulder Creek, I turned left onto Hwy 236, then turned left and headed up Jamison Creek. There was a big bunch of motorcyclists descending as I went up just before 1.66 marker. There was another bunch just after the 1.33 marker, with a few more scattered motorcycles coming down after. There were also two motorcycles going up very fast after the 0.48 marker. Sweat kept dripping into my right eye. I got to the top in an estimated 24:48. I turned left and headed down Empire Grade.

28 May 2012

Solo ride

It was sunny and clear. I headed up Hwy 9 to Felton, then took a right on Graham Hill and a left on East Zayante and Quail Hollow and went over the ridge and down Glen Arbor into Ben Lomond. I started up Alba Rd at 12:41 and got to the top at 1:16 for an estimated time of 34:21 for the climb. I turned left at Empire Grade and headed down. The light at Heller was green when I first saw it and I saw a car on it approaching the intersection so I started accelerating. The light turned yellow and red just as I got to the intersection, still accelerating, so I ran the red light.

26 May 2012

Solo ride

It was overcast and cold, so I didn't get started until late and made it a short ride. I headed north on Hwy 9 into a headwind. At Felton, I turned left and headed up Felton-Empire. At the top, I turned left and headed down Empire Grade. At one point, there was a very light drizzle. Further down, the sun started coming out, but it was still cold. As usual, I had to stop for the red light at Heller.