25 May 2013

Solo ride

It was sunny and breezy. I headed north on Hwy 9 to Felton, then up Felton-Empire. There were newly repaved portions in the middle part, just before the steepest part. At Empire Grade, I turned left and headed down. I lucked out at the lane closure, going through a green light. There was a green light at Heller as I was approaching, but there was also a car approaching from the left, so I sprinted through, the light turning yellow just as I hit the intersection.

11 May 2013

Solo ride

It was mostly sunny and warm, but somewhat chilly and foggy by the coast from around Davenport and north. I started north on Hwy 1 into a tough headwind. The speed monitor at San Vicente Creek just south of Davenport registered 28mph for a quarter second between showing that all the car traffic was going 58mph, and the posted limit was 45mph. I turned right onto Swanton for more headwinds. In the valley, the fog and the chill was replaced by warm sun, and the wind mostly eased. Descending from the summit, it again got chilly and windy. I headed back south on Hwy 1, where it got a little foggy and I had a tailwind. There was too much car traffic at the speed monitor just north of Davenport to see my speed; it continuously registered around 54-55mph, and the posted limit was 45mph. I turned left at Bonny Doon Rd and soon headed up out of the fog. I continued up Pine Flat and then headed down Empire Grade. On the descent, I had to stop at a red light for the lane closure that would last until July, and again for the light at Heller.

4 May 2013

Solo ride

It was sunny and mostly warm, with a slight chill in the wind at first. I headed up Hwy 9 through Felton, Glen Arbor to Ben Lomond and continued to Boulder Creek, then headed out on Hwy 236. Big packs of motorcycles went by. I started up Jamison Creek at 1:00. Another motorcycle pack went by. There was a peacock with its ridiculous tail on the last driveway before the steep part. Opposite the 1.66 marker, two mattresses were dumped off the side of the road. It was sunny and hot. Near the top, two more motorcycles went by. I got to the top at 1:25 for a time of approximately 25:00, my best time in 2013. I turned left and headed down Empire Grade. More motorcycle packs went by. After around Smith Grade, the air got a lot cooler. Around upper UCSC, it became overcast for the remainder the ride.