5 November 2011

Solo ride

It was cold and overcast when I started. I started earlier than I otherwise would have because it was supposed to rain in the afternoon, and it did not rain during my ride. I headed up Hwy 9, Glen Arbor, and Hwy 9 to Boulder Creek, then up Hwy 236. I started up Jamison Creek at 11:13. There was some traffic, though no motorcycles, including at least one truck carrying mountain bikes up and down the mountain. It was 11:37 when I got to the top, and 11:38 just after I turned left onto Empire Grade. My estimated time for the climb was 24:56. After the effort of the climb, it got cold on the descent of Empire Grade.

29 October 2011

Solo ride

I headed out on Soquel to Aptos, then took Trout Gulch, Valencia , Day Valley, and Hames to Corralitos, and started up Eureka Canyon. On the lower parts, it was slightly chilly in the shade-- a reminder that Eureka Canyon is chilly in the winter, but very nice on a hot day. On the upper parts, it was warm in the sunny parts, and very nice in the shade. On parts of Highland, there was piles of dirt on the side of the road from slides earlier in the year. The road was cleared, though narrow in places. The slides were why I hadn't ridden this way in quite a while. I headed down Soquel-San Jose. There was a stink from roadkill in the middle of the road a little before Olive Springs. I turned right and headed up Laurel Glen and down Mountain View, and returned on Branciforte. It was a sunny and warm afternoon when I got back.

22 October 2011

Solo ride

It was sunny and warm. I headed up Hwy 1 with a little tailwind past Davenport to Swanton. There were many bunches of motorcycles, including on Swanton, Bonny Doon, and Pine Flat. At the north end of Swanton, I headed back on Hwy 1. There wasn't really any noticeable wind. At Bonny Doon, I turned left and headed up Bonny Doon and Pine Flat, then back down Empire Grade.