Training Ride 8/29: Big Basin

This loop is one we do every year near the end of the training season.  Although not very long, it has a lot of climbing, (spread out into 3 sections) which is why it comes near the end.  It is also a very beautiful ride.

We started in downtown Saratoga. It was an overcast day but fairly humid day, so I took off in shorts and a light jersey.  The ride begins with a roughly 7 mile climb up highway 9 (AKA Big Basin Way and Congress Springs Rd.). 

Part way up highway 9 it started drizzling and continued all the way to the top and for some distance on Skyline.  When I got to Skyline Blvd. I had to clean the drops off my glasses because I could barely see.  

We rode for about 10 miles, basically to the end of Skyline.  Skyline didn't have too much traffic that day.  After the turn off to Los Gatos, it turns into a narrow, curving road with very little traffic.  It is a lovely and relaxing section.  I believe we saw only one car, one motorcycle, and one bike on that section.

Just before we reached the turn on to Bear Creek Road the sun came out and it was quite warm while we were there waiting for the regroup.   The ride on Bear Creek is mostly down hill for about 10 miles with a little bit of mild rolling.  The sun went behind the clouds before we reach Boulder Creek and stayed there for most of the rest of the ride.

We regrouped and had lunch in Boulder Creek. After lunch about half of us took some residential streets to get on Big Basin Way, traveling the opposite direction this time, while the others took highway 9 toward Saratoga.  Highway 9 cuts out about a thousand feet of climbing and some mileage also. 

Anyway, the group I was in continued on Big Basin Way, which is mostly moderate climbing, to Big Basin State Park. The road has a limited amount of traffic, has dappled shade and is tree-lined.  Just before arriving at the visitor's center we stopped due to a small tree down across the road.  Apparently, it had very recently happened.  The ranger who was monitoring traffic and people, said that the park had had quite a few trees coming down during the summer.  They have mostly lost Tan Oak and Douglas Fir.  She believes it is because they are stressed due to the drought.

We carried our bikes a short way over to a footpath and walked that briefly to get past the section of road where the tree had fallen.  We continued our climb up Big Basin Way thinking that there would be very little traffic since the tree was across the road.  It didn't seem to work out that way.  Either the tree was cleared very quickly, which was possible as it wasn't very big, or the traffic was people who were heading south turning around because the road was closed and going back north.  Although having continuous climbing is challenging for me, the grade is gentle and it is nice to be amongst the redwoods and ferns.  The road narrows near the top. 

It can be quite cold at the top, even on very warm days, but wasn't this time. After reaching the top, there is about 3 miles of twisting down hill road until the intersection with highway 9. We had a quick regroup there and then returned to climbing up Big Basin Way.  We stopped at view point about 2 miles below Skyline Blvd.  It was good to stretch my back.  The last two miles went by fast and then it was 7 miles of sweeping, twisting down hill into Saratoga.  This is an excellent road to go down.  We were lucky to have limited traffic sharing it with us. 

Stats:
57.17 miles 
Garmin reports 6,999 feet of elevation gain, which seems too high.  Ride with GPS reports 6,506; that's probably closer to being right.

Training Ride 8/26: Wednesday Night Ride

Mary and I took our usual Wednesday night route from Rockridge, up Old Tunnel Road and then up Grizzly Peak.  Most evenings it starts cool or turns cool and foggy by the time we reach the steam trains, if not before.  Tonight, however, it was a beautiful evening, allowing us to be out in shorts and short sleeves.  At the intersection of Grizzly Peak and Golf Cousse Rd., we regrouped and took a moment to appreciate how lovely the night was.

We continued through Tilden Park.  At the end of Wildcat Canyon Road where it intersects with San Pablo Dam Rd. I waited for Mary to catch up.  I was surprised to see two women leading horses pop out from a very small trail near the intersection.  They waited for the light to change at the corner, led the horses across the Dam Rd. and then continued on the horses on another tiny trail on the Bear Creek Road side.  Mary just missed them.

Horses crossing San Pablo Dam Road.

We continued down the Dam Rd. to the Orinda BART station and took BART back to Rockridge.  Even though the sun was all the way down and we had our lights on, it was still warm out.

Stats:
21.08 miles
2,126 feet of elevation gain

Training Ride 8/22: Deb's Ride to Pescadero

I met my friend Debra at the Park and Ride at Page Mill Rd. and Arastradero Rd, which seems to be on the border of Palo Alto and Los Gatos.  We hit the road and headed to Woodside in order to go up Kings Mountain Rd.  Debra is fitter than me and climbs more easily--climbing is not my natural state--so I am always happy when I can keep her in view and stay pretty close.  I was able to manage that this morning. The weather was cool at the start became quite nice on the way up Kings Mountain.

At the top of Kings Mountain, we took a left on Skyline and continued to the El Corte de Madera Preserve parking area for a restroom break. I can always count on Debra to have sufficient restroom stops so there is no need for peeing in the woods.  The weather had been beautiful but turned cold and damp we we moved along Skyline. Accumulated dew was falling from redwoods like rain. We both put on jackets for the down hill portion ahead on Syline and 84 (La Honda Rd). 

Cold and wet at El Corte de Madera.

The sun came out as we neared 84. It's a nice down hill on 84 for quite a few miles and then it changes to rolling hills.  The weather also changed.  As we approached San Gregorio some fog moved in and it became over cast, but not too cold, so it was time to take the jacket off for the hills coming up shortly on Stage Road.  From this direction, there were only two 400 foot hills to go over, so it was relatively easy to keep up with Debra.

Cows at a bend in Stage Road, near Pescadero.

Cows at a bend in Stage Road, near Pescadero.

We had lunch at Arcangeli's market in Pescadero. We shared a picnic table in the back with a couple of other women cyclists and chatted for a while. 

From our lunch stop, we headed up Pescadero Creek Rd.   I had never been on this road in this direction.  It was a nice, easy-going up hill until a little past Memorial Park (where we stopped for a water fill up). 

Once the going got tough (and warm), the tough got going and Debra was out of sight.  I was sweating a lot and had to stop at top of the climb to get the sweat away from my eyes; it was starting to sting. 

From that point, there was a down hill for a bit, some rolling, and then time to climb.  Debra went out of sight again..  There was too much accumulated climbing for me to continue to keep up with her at that point.  We went up 84 (La Honda Rd.) for about four miles and then turned off to finish the climb on Old La Honda.  Old La Honda is always quiet and often car-free, much more relaxing that all the traffic whizzing by on 84! We stopped for a short time to look at what Debra calls the Old La Honda Petroglyphs.  Not real petroglyphs, but someone with a sense of humor did create something inspired by.

The "petroglyphs."

Close up of one of the "petroglyphs."

Once we reached Skyline we went left to connect with 84 again and go down hill for a while. Unfortunately, before we could get all the way to Portola Valley we had to stop because the traffic was backed up and there wasn't a shoulder for us to continue around it.  We sat without moving for some time, not knowing what was going on.  The women we met at lunch were both in their cars ahead of us on the road, but had been stopped so long they made a turn across the road and spotted us as they were heading in the opposite direction.  They didn't know what happened, but offered us a ride.

We declined as they were going the opposite direction as we needed to go and I was on a bit of a deadline to get home and clean up before meeting a friend to go to a performance. After a while, people were able to drive through from the other direction.  They told us that there had been a crash.  Before too much longer, the traffic moved a bit and there was enough shoulder for us to continue around it to the front of the line.  Indeed there had been a motorcycle accident, but things were mostly cleared away but the time we reached that spot.  The police were alternating traffic through one lane and we were able to continue to Portola Valley. 

By the time we got to Portola Valley and were returning to the park and ride, my legs were very tired and I could feel every little rise in the road. I was glad that Debra said she was tired, too. 

Stats:
74.01 miles
6,432 feet of elevation gain 
only 3-4 stop signs or stop lights

Training Ride 8/19: Wednesday Night Ride

For this training ride, due to a slightly different schedule, I had enough time to ride from home to meet Mary in Rockridge.   We did our usual route up Old Tunnel and Grizzly Peak. 

At the intersection of Grizzly Peak and Golf Course Rd./Centennial Drive, Mary went into Tilden and I continued on Grizzly Peak to go home. To get a few extra miles in, I turned into Tilden Park when I reached Wildcat Canyon Rd. and continued as far as the turn to head toward Lake Anza and then headed back through Kensington to home.

Stats:
25.43 miles
1,977 feet of elevation gain

Training Ride 8/15: Mt. Hamilton

I joined a group of friends and friends of friends who were training for a ride up Haleakala at the end of the month.  According to Wikipedia, Haleakala is a "a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui."  It climbs 10,000 feet in 36 miles.  For those who don't know, that is way more climbing in 36 miles than exists around here and is very, very difficult, not only for the huge amount of climbing, also because of the changeable and serious weather, the elevation, and the typically cold temperatures near the top.

I wouldn't mind a trip to Maui, but not to climb that volcano.  However, I was happy to join them for the training ride.  One of the members of the group lives part way up Mt. Hamilton (San Jose), so we took advantage of the climbing opportunity it provided.  

To get in all the possible climbing, we went down hill from Keith's house to Alum Rock Avenue, which is where many people start their climb up the mountain, but we headed over to Miguelita so we wouldn't be doing a complete out and back.  We started climbing on Miguelita, then connected to Mt. Hamilton Road and continued up to the summit. It sounds easy, but it took about 2 hours and 40 minutes to go just over 17 miles for a 4,200 feet of elevation gain.  I did the last two miles in my granny gear.

It was also a hot day.  The high in San Jose was 93. I was worried about overheating and not having enough water.  I thought carrying my usual two water bottles wouldn't be enough, so instead I brought a 100 ounce insulated hydration pack, filled to the top, partially with ice, as well as a small frozen bottle of Gatorade, and a water bottle in case I needed to open an electrolyte packet.  I also wore a very thin summer weight wool jersey.  I love the way wool breathes.

As it turned out, there were sufficient opportunities to refill water bottles along the way, especially as we go through Joseph D. Grant County Park.  We got an early start, also, to try to beat the heat.  There was more shade than I expected, especially near the top.  I also stopped three times to rest in the shad and stretch my back (which did not figure in to the total climbing time).  Prolonged climbing can bother my lower back.

At the top of Mt. Hamilton is Lick Observatory.  Lick is owned and operated by the University of California and serves all the campuses.  We took a rest at observatory.  There are several services at the observatory: visitor center, gift shop, post office and most importantly for cyclists, vending machines, water fountain, and restrooms.  Cyclists are requested to take off their shoes to go inside the building to use the services because of the cleats that most wear.

Shoes off before entering the observatory.

Cycling friends taking in the view.  Notice that I am taking the picture from the shade.  I'm not good in the heat, but they didn't seem to mind.

 The air quality started pretty good but got worse as the day went on.  Photos from the observatory showed the haze coming in.  As we headed down the mountain, we could also smell a fire, depending on which direction we were facing.  We found out that it was not due to a local fire, but blowing in from the fires around Napa.

View from observatory deck.

View from observatory deck.

It took about an hour to return down mountain as far as Keith's house where we had a BBQ and jumped in his pool.  The climb up does have some flat and down hill sections, which can be a good break, but it does mean that those down hill sections becomes up hill on the way back.  

Stats:
37.36 miles
4,813 feet of elevation gain.

 

Training Ride 8/12: Old Tunnel Rd. and Grizzly Peak

Now that I am back to work, my Wednesday rides have moved from day to evening.  I took my bike with me to work in the car.  At the end of the day, I changed at work and drove over to Rockridge Peets to meet Mary and Kim.  

It was a warm afternoon when we headed out.  We have a few routine routes that we use for these night rides.  The most common one is the one we did:  ride through Rockridge to Ashby and then continue up to Old Tunnel Road.  As always, there were plenty of other cyclists out getting in some miles before dark.  

We regrouped at the intersection with Grizzly Peak Blvd. and then went up GP.  The weather started to change while on GP and when we regrouped at the steam trains, I put on leg and arm warmers.  

From the steam trains, it is down hill to Golf Course Rd.  More down hill on Golf Course and then momentum will sweep you up most of the rest of the way up until a little past the course entrance.  There is a very short but surprisingly steep bit as the momentum is winding down.  Fortunately, it isn't long but it can catch you, if you aren't expecting it.  At the top, a left turn leads into Wildcat Canyon Rd.at the Brazilan Room  There is a little bit of rolling hills to Inspiration Point and then a great down hill to San Pablo Dam Road.  

We regrouped again at the intersection and then headed east to the Orinda BART station.  We took BART one stop to Rockridge station.  It was dark by the time we arrived in Oakland, so we switched on our lights and headed back to Peets.

Although it is not a lot of miles, for the number of miles it is, this route packs in the climbing (and fun downhill, too).

Stats:
19.34 miles
2,046 feet of elevation gain

Where do the funds raised by the Arthritis Foundation go?

The funds raised by cyclists like me who participate in the multi-day or single-day tours are used in many ways to benefit those with arthritis.  One of those was is Camp Milagros, Northern California's only summer camp for children with arthritis.  Many people think of arthritis as something that only happens to old people, but in fact two-thirds of people with arthritis are under 65-years-old.

Juvenile Arthritis camps provide education, networking and fun for kids and teens with arthritis. Campers take part in activities designed to help them increase self-confidence, improve arthritis self-management, and develop leadership and communication skills all while making new friends who share similar challenges.

In my first year of training for one of the Arthritis Foundation's bike tours, I had the opportunity to visit Camp Milgros.  It was a great experience to meet the kids and camp counselors.  Unfortunately, most of my pictures were lousy, but I have included a couple.

Art time in the camp's yurt.

The camp is set in the Livermore hills.

 You might be more interested in the following video where some of the campers tell you why the camp is so important to them. http://youtu.be/mF2d8kq2GBQ

For every $1,000 raised, a child can go to camp at no cost to the family.