22 August 2009

Saturday harbor ride

It was foggy and chilly, but there was no smoke in the air when I started. I skipped riding last weekend due to smoke from the Lockheed fire. I encountered wrong-way cyclists in bike lanes on the way to the start and when returning home on Soquel. The pack was smaller than usual, perhaps due to a race. It was less crowded than usual on Bonita. San Andreas from Sunset to the bridge had been repaved and was a lot smoother.

After Hazel Dell, the fog had cleared and it was sunny in Corralitos and Hames. After Valencia led back to Aptos, it was overcast and a little foggy again. On Soquel, the smell of smoke was back.

8 August 2009

Eureka Canyon

I headed to Jade St Park and got signed in. It was a nice sunny day. The ride headed out to Aptos, then along Trout Gulch, Valencia, Day Valley and Hames to Corralitos for a long break. At Corralitos, a lot of the Saturday harbor ride stopped before continuing up Hames or Eureka Canyon.

After the break, I headed up Eureka Canyon at a sustainable, but high enough, pace that got me to Buzzard Lagoon in just under 40 minutes, a new personal best. After another long break, it was off along Highland, which became a hammerfest, to the Summit Market, where the renovations were complete. I had a sandwich.

Then, it was down Soquel-San Jose. Somewhere after Stetson, a group of 3 in black jerseys came flashing by, so our group jumped on. I turned off at Laurel Glen, and headed over to Branciforte, and then back home.

1 August 2009

Alba

It was sunny and breezy. I headed up Hwy 9 and Glen Arbor to Ben Lomond, then up Alba. In one steep part around the middle of the climb, it was curving right and a descending green car came completely over the double yellow line into my lane. I didn't see it until just before it got to me because the road was curving left just before it curved to the right, and it was climbing steeply.

I got to the top in about 33 and a half minutes, and I wasn't bothered a bit by my hip that I injured 4 weeks ago. I headed down Empire Grade back home for a relatively short, quick ride.