Long time no blog. 2011 has been challenging for the old bod physically. I was on a roll from last year when I completed 11 double centuries in the California Triple Crown series, including the Triple Crown stage race of 3 of the most difficult rides.
Then in early 2011 I decided it was time to try some brevets, which are mostly unsupported long distance events ranging from 100K to 1200K. Since I have done 70 double centuries, I figured I would start with a 400K (250-ish miles), which I did in April. That turned out to be a fun event for me, working under a time limit, and not so much worried about my recorded time. I tend to ride double centuries almost like a "sprint" pushing my limits more. I was able to enjoy the scenery and get a feel for the countryside, rather than just looking at the road and my computer/odometer.
Then I fulfilled one of my cycling bucket list items in May with a 600K (380 miles). One of my goals was to ride a 24 hour event, and this took care of that. I was only 1 of 4 who rode straight though the night, while most of the "huge" crowd of 30 cyclists chose to get some sleep after 250 miles. Took me 27 hours and 5 minutes.
The 600K literally changed my life. Riding through the night, and riding up the last climb as dawn awakened, I realized I in fact should take a recent job offer which I had turned down, thinking my existing job was more secure, when in fact the new job had exactly what I wanted. Doing something enjoyable is worth more than a false sense of security these days.
During April and May I was diagnosed with a ruptured disc in my lower back (lumbar, L5 disc). The thing isn't just bulging, it's pretty much exploded, surrounding my sciatic nerve. After the 600K the inflammation got to where I was in severe pain. The second attempt with an epidural injection (actually 2 the second time) helped with the pain and allowed me to get back on the bike to where I was able to complete two more double centuries this year, the last one being the Borrego Springs Double Ordeal in southern California, east of San Diego. 204 miles, with 15,000 feet of climbing.
The course is amazing, starting in the desert, climbing straight up into the surrounding mountains in the dark of pre-dawn, with near-freezing temperatures and a headwind. Then it's a long steady descent, with a steep climb in the middle, down through the rolling hills to the coast at Oceanside for lunch. Then back to the desert we head, with a beautiful, long and gradual climb up toward the mountains. After a rest stop, the gradient kicks up to 8-9% before I noticed it and all of a sudden I was grinding up a long steep climb in my smallest gear.
One more climb with false summits up to the town of Julian, above 4,000 feet, then it's the mother of all descents down Highway 89 to the S2 cutoff to Borrego Springs. There's a irritating little climb here, then the longest, straightest, smoothest descent you'll ever ride, down to the desert floor.
In July I was crying in the neurosurgeon's office, barely able to put weight on my left leg. Now I'm still a bit hobbled but able to enjoy this passion in life. I am very grateful. I will probably end up having surgery to try to correct it, as I would like to finish a 1000K this year, and currently I can't walk very far without some pain and numbness.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Lexington Reservoir to Big Basin. Santa Clara & Santa Cruz Counties
59 miles, 7,500 vertical
Map: Click here
Challenging
One of my favorite loops lately has been a loop to Big Basin and back starting at Lexington Reservoir, just west of Los Gatos. It's a challenging ride that begins immediately with a climb up to Summit Road.
A 3/4-mile stretch of Mt. Charlie (what a great name for a road, eh?) is the last steep pitch up to Summit Road, a beautiful stretch of road that follows a ridge north, through Christmas tree farms, some short, steep sections, and then a gradual climb up to Castle Peak at 3,000 feet, one of the highest points in the area.
Then the descent starts with a 500 foot drop down to Highway 9 where you turn left and head down several miles to Big Basin. This is a wonderful little climb up through majestic redwoods, past China Peak road (tough climb!) and down into the park. Here you can take advantage of the restrooms and fill your water bottles before a gradual climb up out of the park, then another fun descent down into Boulder Creek.
A left turn onto Highway 9, then a quick right onto Bear Creek Road. A few miles of small rollers takes you to a consistent and moderately difficult climb back up to Summit Road where you can turn right and retrace your route (as is shown in the map) or you can just take Bear Creek Road back down the east side, back to Lexington Reservoir.
Do this ride early on a weekend morning and you will barely see a car, except for the climb up Bear Creek, where caution is advised, as local residents can take the turns pretty fast.
Map: Click here
Challenging
One of my favorite loops lately has been a loop to Big Basin and back starting at Lexington Reservoir, just west of Los Gatos. It's a challenging ride that begins immediately with a climb up to Summit Road.
A 3/4-mile stretch of Mt. Charlie (what a great name for a road, eh?) is the last steep pitch up to Summit Road, a beautiful stretch of road that follows a ridge north, through Christmas tree farms, some short, steep sections, and then a gradual climb up to Castle Peak at 3,000 feet, one of the highest points in the area.
Then the descent starts with a 500 foot drop down to Highway 9 where you turn left and head down several miles to Big Basin. This is a wonderful little climb up through majestic redwoods, past China Peak road (tough climb!) and down into the park. Here you can take advantage of the restrooms and fill your water bottles before a gradual climb up out of the park, then another fun descent down into Boulder Creek.
A left turn onto Highway 9, then a quick right onto Bear Creek Road. A few miles of small rollers takes you to a consistent and moderately difficult climb back up to Summit Road where you can turn right and retrace your route (as is shown in the map) or you can just take Bear Creek Road back down the east side, back to Lexington Reservoir.
Do this ride early on a weekend morning and you will barely see a car, except for the climb up Bear Creek, where caution is advised, as local residents can take the turns pretty fast.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Kings Mtn to Coast and Back, San Mateo County
54 miles, 6,000 ft of vertical
Map: Click here
Moderate/Difficult
Every weekend the roads that snake through the coastal hills south of San Francisco become the cycling playground for hundreds of cyclists. There are many great roads that take you to Hwy 35 -- "Skyline" -- a road which runs along a ridge from Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz, with plenty of options for getting over to the coast and back. It's my backyard, and I know just about every bump and technical turn on the road.
Kings Mountain, Old La Honda, Page Mill, Highway 9, Black, Bear Creek, Montebello, and Old Santa Cruz Highway will all get you to Skyline. Black, Bear Creek and Montebello are steep, difficult climbs of nearly 2,000 vertical feet in just a few miles. The others are no picnic, but are much more accessible (and thus more crowded).
I like to avoid cars, motorcycles, and groups of cyclists as much as possible. Seems like lots of cyclists on the road just makes drivers more likely to give you a hard time or become outright hostile. Highway 35 is the favorite stretch of road for motorcylces. It's a great road, but after 9am or so you will have to put up with the noise, speed, and danger of these whizzing rockets.
One route I ride a lot has plenty of climbing, incredible scenery, and relative solitude. I start from my house, but a good place to meet up is at Hwy 280 and Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park. There's a convenient place to park just west of 280.
The route winds through the foothills, through the town of Woodside, then up to the beginning of the first climb up Kings Mtn Road. There's a "secret" way to avoid the first section of Kings Mtn, which is narrow and has the most traffic. By turning right onto Greer Road just past the old Woodside Store, you can climb up through Huddart Park. You will definitely warm up on this road, as it ends with a short, steep section. Once onto Kings Mtn it's a steady climb all the way to Skyline at 2,000 ft elevation.
Continue straight across Hwy 35 to Tunitas Creek Road for the descent down toward the coast. Up until a couple of years ago it was a descent to avoid, as the road was full of potholes. There are still a couple of sketchy parts, but much of it is very smooth (and very slick when it's wet). It's a technical descent, so don't get overly ambitious. The first two miles are a gentle down, and this is the worst part of the road, but definitely tolerable with the gentle slope. Once you hit the steep part it's mostly well paved.
You can continue on Tunitas all the way to Highway 1 on the coast, but I prefer to take Lobitos Creek Road, which takes you back up on a short climb through some amazing landscapes, then back down to Highway 1, where you can take Purissima Creek Road back inland through more great countryside, another small climb, then a quick descent and nice flat on Higgins Canyon Road, all the way to the southern edge of Half Moon Bay.
Prevailing winds in this area are almost always from the North/Northwest, so once you turn south on Highway 1 you get a nice tailwind, a couple of small bumps, and a wonderful view of the ocean. On those days when the winds are from the south, you take this stretch in reverse and you get the tailwind going up Highway 1, but the roads through the hills shelter the wind enough that you don't get much of a headwind going back.
There are several ways to get back, but a good one to start is to just take Highway 1 about 10 miles back to the beginning of Tunitas Creek. The first few miles are relatively flat, plus you can stop and refuel at a cycling hut, built by a local resident. It's the only such hut I've ever seen. It's a small shelter with food, water, and an honor system of reimbursing the owner. You will definitely want to be hydrated and fueled up before you head back up Tunitas Creek.
Tunitas is a long steady climb, with a stretch of about 1.8 miles that is pretty steep. There are hardly EVER any cars or motorcycles on this road. It is by far the least traveled road in the area, perfect for cycling. OK, West Alpine is great too, but that's another post waiting to happen.
The descent down Kings Mtn is fast and fun with just a couple of technical turns. Go slow when it's wet!
Map: Click here
Moderate/Difficult
Every weekend the roads that snake through the coastal hills south of San Francisco become the cycling playground for hundreds of cyclists. There are many great roads that take you to Hwy 35 -- "Skyline" -- a road which runs along a ridge from Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz, with plenty of options for getting over to the coast and back. It's my backyard, and I know just about every bump and technical turn on the road.
Kings Mountain, Old La Honda, Page Mill, Highway 9, Black, Bear Creek, Montebello, and Old Santa Cruz Highway will all get you to Skyline. Black, Bear Creek and Montebello are steep, difficult climbs of nearly 2,000 vertical feet in just a few miles. The others are no picnic, but are much more accessible (and thus more crowded).
I like to avoid cars, motorcycles, and groups of cyclists as much as possible. Seems like lots of cyclists on the road just makes drivers more likely to give you a hard time or become outright hostile. Highway 35 is the favorite stretch of road for motorcylces. It's a great road, but after 9am or so you will have to put up with the noise, speed, and danger of these whizzing rockets.
One route I ride a lot has plenty of climbing, incredible scenery, and relative solitude. I start from my house, but a good place to meet up is at Hwy 280 and Sand Hill Road in Menlo Park. There's a convenient place to park just west of 280.
The route winds through the foothills, through the town of Woodside, then up to the beginning of the first climb up Kings Mtn Road. There's a "secret" way to avoid the first section of Kings Mtn, which is narrow and has the most traffic. By turning right onto Greer Road just past the old Woodside Store, you can climb up through Huddart Park. You will definitely warm up on this road, as it ends with a short, steep section. Once onto Kings Mtn it's a steady climb all the way to Skyline at 2,000 ft elevation.
Continue straight across Hwy 35 to Tunitas Creek Road for the descent down toward the coast. Up until a couple of years ago it was a descent to avoid, as the road was full of potholes. There are still a couple of sketchy parts, but much of it is very smooth (and very slick when it's wet). It's a technical descent, so don't get overly ambitious. The first two miles are a gentle down, and this is the worst part of the road, but definitely tolerable with the gentle slope. Once you hit the steep part it's mostly well paved.
You can continue on Tunitas all the way to Highway 1 on the coast, but I prefer to take Lobitos Creek Road, which takes you back up on a short climb through some amazing landscapes, then back down to Highway 1, where you can take Purissima Creek Road back inland through more great countryside, another small climb, then a quick descent and nice flat on Higgins Canyon Road, all the way to the southern edge of Half Moon Bay.
Prevailing winds in this area are almost always from the North/Northwest, so once you turn south on Highway 1 you get a nice tailwind, a couple of small bumps, and a wonderful view of the ocean. On those days when the winds are from the south, you take this stretch in reverse and you get the tailwind going up Highway 1, but the roads through the hills shelter the wind enough that you don't get much of a headwind going back.
There are several ways to get back, but a good one to start is to just take Highway 1 about 10 miles back to the beginning of Tunitas Creek. The first few miles are relatively flat, plus you can stop and refuel at a cycling hut, built by a local resident. It's the only such hut I've ever seen. It's a small shelter with food, water, and an honor system of reimbursing the owner. You will definitely want to be hydrated and fueled up before you head back up Tunitas Creek.
Tunitas is a long steady climb, with a stretch of about 1.8 miles that is pretty steep. There are hardly EVER any cars or motorcycles on this road. It is by far the least traveled road in the area, perfect for cycling. OK, West Alpine is great too, but that's another post waiting to happen.
The descent down Kings Mtn is fast and fun with just a couple of technical turns. Go slow when it's wet!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Penryn, Placer County
34.5 miles, 2,850 ft vertical
Map: Click here
Easy/Moderate
OMG, I think I died and went to road cycling heaven today. I hope I wasn't dreaming.
While visiting my family in the Rocklin/Roseville area just east of Sacramento, I scoured online maps to see where I might be able to find a scenic 2 hour ride in the vicinity. Somehow I wound up in the ideal starting spot, at Trailhead Coffee & Cycling Lounge in Penryn. Unfortunately, they don't open until 8am on Sundays, so I started out heading north on Taylor Road without coffee, but still optimistic.
Just as I was approaching Hwy 80, I caught a road sign out of the corner of my eye for Ridge Rd. I made a quick turn and thus began a magical journey on such roads as Gold Hill Road, Mt Pleasant Road, and Garden Bar Road.
Suddenly I was in a pastoral wonderland of rolling hills and early winter greenery. I crossed three different streams that were all designated salmon habitats. Mountain-fed streams of fresh water would soon be homes to spawning salmon, more than 100 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Mandarin orange and persimmon orchards dot the landscape.
Ridge Road was a fun descent and a great climb to end the short out and back. Looking more closely at the terrain and roads in the surrounding area I can see there must be miles and miles of such roads in the Penryn/Auburn area. I want to investigate the hills east of Auburn, as it looks like many small roads leading to lakes and reservoirs.
Next time you are driving to Tahoe, or if you happen to be in the area, make sure you check out the quaint litle town of Penryn, and stop for a homemade trail bar at the Trailhead Coffee & Cycling Lounge. The coffee isn't very good, but it's a great place to start a ride, or to get some local knowledge from the two owners.
Map: Click here
Easy/Moderate
OMG, I think I died and went to road cycling heaven today. I hope I wasn't dreaming.
While visiting my family in the Rocklin/Roseville area just east of Sacramento, I scoured online maps to see where I might be able to find a scenic 2 hour ride in the vicinity. Somehow I wound up in the ideal starting spot, at Trailhead Coffee & Cycling Lounge in Penryn. Unfortunately, they don't open until 8am on Sundays, so I started out heading north on Taylor Road without coffee, but still optimistic.
Just as I was approaching Hwy 80, I caught a road sign out of the corner of my eye for Ridge Rd. I made a quick turn and thus began a magical journey on such roads as Gold Hill Road, Mt Pleasant Road, and Garden Bar Road.
Suddenly I was in a pastoral wonderland of rolling hills and early winter greenery. I crossed three different streams that were all designated salmon habitats. Mountain-fed streams of fresh water would soon be homes to spawning salmon, more than 100 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Mandarin orange and persimmon orchards dot the landscape.
Ridge Road was a fun descent and a great climb to end the short out and back. Looking more closely at the terrain and roads in the surrounding area I can see there must be miles and miles of such roads in the Penryn/Auburn area. I want to investigate the hills east of Auburn, as it looks like many small roads leading to lakes and reservoirs.
Next time you are driving to Tahoe, or if you happen to be in the area, make sure you check out the quaint litle town of Penryn, and stop for a homemade trail bar at the Trailhead Coffee & Cycling Lounge. The coffee isn't very good, but it's a great place to start a ride, or to get some local knowledge from the two owners.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Comptche-Ukiah Road, Mendocino County
Ride stats: 60 miles, 4,900 feet of vertical.
Map: Click here
Moderate
I'm not a big fan of out-and-back rides, but when it's my first time on a new road, the return trip still seems different and interesting. Comptche-Ukiah Road, starting at Hwy 1 just south of Mendocino, was such a fun ride I won't mind going out and back on it again someday.
The road was in perfect condition today. It must have been paved within the last 6-9 months, as it was perfectly smooth from Hwy 1 all the way to Comptche, through a dense forest of coastal redwood trees. The road climbs quickly from the coast at a 5-7% grade for about a mile, then rises gently to an elevation of 850 feet before heading down into Comptche, about 15 miles in. Here, you can turn right on Flynn Creek Road and head back toward Hwy 128, which would make a nice loop back to the start, but I knew there would be some traffic on 128, so I chose to continue on Comptche-Ukiah Road. I had 4 hours for my ride so I decided to go about 30 miles then turn around.
The perfect pavement ended shortly after climbing up through the tiny hamlet of Comptche. And so did the gentle climbing. In a 2-mile stretch the road climbs 800 vertical feet to 1,250 feet. Most of the climb is on the steep side, averaging 8-10%. A few miles of slight up and down, then steeply down into a beautiful valley and more gentle ups and downs along the river. Fortunately, this steep down section was also newly paved.
Comptche-Ukiah Road becomes Orr Springs Road at about mile 22 from Hwy 1, but there's no chance of missing a turn, because all of the roads off of the main road are dirt. At Comptche the redwoods turn into oaken woodlands and rollings pastures. I turned around just before reaching the very small town of Montgomery, where there is a state park.
I started at first light, about 7:15am, so I didn't expect to see many cars, especially during New Year's week. I saw 4 cars during the trip out and about 6 coming back. The ride was idyllic. No wind, beautiful rolling hills with some wide open spaces and secluded valleys. At this time of year it's cold and damp. The oak trees are laden with gray-green lichen, like some kind of ancient frozen silly string.
On the return trip, the only rough patch was descending down the steep pitch that climbs out of Comptche. Once back onto the perfect pavement heading back to Hwy 1, you can push a big gear for several miles up a very gentle slope. Once you reach the top of the last rise, about 7 miles from the end, it's a fun, fast, and smooth glide down to the finish.
Map: Click here
Moderate
I'm not a big fan of out-and-back rides, but when it's my first time on a new road, the return trip still seems different and interesting. Comptche-Ukiah Road, starting at Hwy 1 just south of Mendocino, was such a fun ride I won't mind going out and back on it again someday.
The road was in perfect condition today. It must have been paved within the last 6-9 months, as it was perfectly smooth from Hwy 1 all the way to Comptche, through a dense forest of coastal redwood trees. The road climbs quickly from the coast at a 5-7% grade for about a mile, then rises gently to an elevation of 850 feet before heading down into Comptche, about 15 miles in. Here, you can turn right on Flynn Creek Road and head back toward Hwy 128, which would make a nice loop back to the start, but I knew there would be some traffic on 128, so I chose to continue on Comptche-Ukiah Road. I had 4 hours for my ride so I decided to go about 30 miles then turn around.
The perfect pavement ended shortly after climbing up through the tiny hamlet of Comptche. And so did the gentle climbing. In a 2-mile stretch the road climbs 800 vertical feet to 1,250 feet. Most of the climb is on the steep side, averaging 8-10%. A few miles of slight up and down, then steeply down into a beautiful valley and more gentle ups and downs along the river. Fortunately, this steep down section was also newly paved.
Comptche-Ukiah Road becomes Orr Springs Road at about mile 22 from Hwy 1, but there's no chance of missing a turn, because all of the roads off of the main road are dirt. At Comptche the redwoods turn into oaken woodlands and rollings pastures. I turned around just before reaching the very small town of Montgomery, where there is a state park.
I started at first light, about 7:15am, so I didn't expect to see many cars, especially during New Year's week. I saw 4 cars during the trip out and about 6 coming back. The ride was idyllic. No wind, beautiful rolling hills with some wide open spaces and secluded valleys. At this time of year it's cold and damp. The oak trees are laden with gray-green lichen, like some kind of ancient frozen silly string.
On the return trip, the only rough patch was descending down the steep pitch that climbs out of Comptche. Once back onto the perfect pavement heading back to Hwy 1, you can push a big gear for several miles up a very gentle slope. Once you reach the top of the last rise, about 7 miles from the end, it's a fun, fast, and smooth glide down to the finish.
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