# Ride this Saturday? (7/23/2011)



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

I have a free day on Saturday for a ride, and it is forecasted for perfect riding weather - high 70s and sunny. I'm thinking of making a loop out to the coast and back, probably starting in the Portola Valley/Woodside area, but I'm open to suggestions. I think I can get out the door around 9am so that looks like a 9:30 to 10am start. The only complication is that the TdF ITT probably won't be done by then, but I'm prepared to watch that on replay later. Anyone else want to ride this Saturday?


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

I calculate that the ITT will finish by 8:15 am PDT so that should not be a constraint.


----------



## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Perfect. I was planning on doing Page Mill/Haskins/Tunitas on Saturday, but as long as the elevation gain mileage (60-80 miles) is comparable, I'm up for anything. I'll probably be a bit tired, but I'll try to keep up.


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

That sounds perfect - I can always do an extra lap if I have excess energy!

(kidding)


----------



## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

Don't suppose you guys would be interested in pushing the distance a bit? I want to up the distance and climbing a bit (3rd double coming up) and am thinking of a Page Mill - Haskins - Cloverdale - Swanton - Bonny Doon (to Smith) - Empire (down) - Soquel - Eureka Canyon - Summit/Skyline - 9 - Mt Eden loop (mapped here on bikeroutetoaster). Starting at Page Mill/I-280 it would be 137 mi, 12K'.

Or something in the 120 mile range cutting out Eureka Canyon and going down to Felton, up Zayante?

(Extra incentive - you could get top 3-5 on Strava for Swanton easily)


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Well, I'm up for the full 200 on Saturday! Kilometres that is. I would not mind doing some new hills either. However, we'd have to figure out something that will work for Dr John too. Maybe we can come up with a route with an early exit? I still remember last year's late in the day climb of Bonny Doon - that sure was an unforgettable experience!


----------



## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

Hmm.. well, here's a Page Mill - Haskins - Swanton - Bonny Doon - Felton - Zayante - Mt Eden loop of 107 miles about 10K'. 

We could potentially part ways with Dr_John at Pescadero. Some good roads on this route: Felton Empire is an awesome descent. Zayante is a long climb, like Eureka Canyon only with better pavement (only slightly .


Or.. for 118 mi/9K', Page Mill - Skyline - 9 (to Boulder Ck) - Bear Creek - Summit - Old San Jose Soquel - Eureka Canyon - Lexington.

Dr_John could skip the Eureka Canyon loop if we can't talk him into it


----------



## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

This one is a bit too easy but interesting enough to be worth it.. 100 mi/9K'

Starting at Saratoga HS - Kennedy - Hicks - Uvas - Mt Madonna (Hecker Pass + Pole Line Rd) - Hazel Dell - Eureka Canyon - Summit/Skyline - 9 (to Saratoga)

No easy early exit though, but only 100 miles


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

I don't really mind. I'm not in "training", I'm in recreational riding mode. I just want to go out and enjoy a nice ride with good company and scenery. A good lunch spot would be nice. Maybe I'll even leave the power-meter at home!


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

The plan: I will aim to leave the Page Mill Road car-pool parking lot around 9:30am. The route will start by climbing Page Mill Road and descending Alpine. Unless I hear otherwise, we'll figure out the rest on the road. Pace will be moderate.


----------



## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Very bizarre. I bruised the bottom of my foot on my way down Hamilton yesterday. No idea how - same shoes, cleats, bike, socks, etc. as always. I'm heading out for an easy ride now to see if I have any pain. If so, I'll have to cancel. I'll post back in a few hours either way. Hope I'm OK.


----------



## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

I've got sore feet from new shoes, so no excuses  

See you at 9:30am! Your recreational pace will be excellent training for me!


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Dr_John - hope your feet sort themselves out. Let us know how it goes.

ratpick - OK, see you there!


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Update - I need to be home by 6pm, so that's a hard stop at no later than 5:30. So that's an 8 hour limit for me including stops. If I miss then future weekend cycling privileges may be revoked ...


----------



## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

OK, not too much pain, so I'll give it a go. I doubt I'll be able to hang for 100+ miles, so whatever route, bail points for me would be greatly appreciated. Worse comes to worse, I'll head up Page Mill, down Alpine with you, then continue on my originally planned route.

See you tomorrow at 9:30. Not sure I'll watch the ITT before the ride, so NO SPOILERS!!


----------



## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Thanks guys. Nice ride. Other than Page Mill, I hadn't done any of those classics. Not sure I would ride 80+ miles on a wheel with a broken spoke, but I guess that's one of those things that makes ukbloke a much better cyclist then I am.  Let's do it again some time. Wasn't too painful, until my foot started killing on Arastredero. Had that happened on Bonny Doon...


----------



## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

So much more fun doing these longs rides with you guys.. thanks!

Got some good Strava PRs and one embarrassing one (a 3rd best on Page Mill, despite our thorough recounting of TdF on the way up - I really need to set a new PR up there!)

So hardcore that ukbloke kept riding after snapping a spoke 20ish miles in! Next time we climb Alba


----------



## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

BTW, re the TdF results that you wouldn't tell me.. big smiles from me


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Well, that was quite a bit harder than anticipated. I think it was the combination of lack of riding in the last 2 weeks, riding on a dodgy front wheel, the unfavourable winds on Highway 1, the burger indigestion, and the additional stress of the meet-the-spouse time-trial. I think the right word for my decision on the wheel is "bravado" or "hubris". Anyway, Shimano engineering got me around 80+ miles of the course with only 15 font wheel spokes and no front brakes without any major calamity. Thanks for coming out for the ride and helping to pace me back to the car!


----------



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Hilarious - today's Deal of the Day mail-out from Neuvation Cycles is "On the road spoke repair"!


----------



## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

ratpick said:


>


Hey, your route was the opposite of my group's for quite a few miles. On Saturday I was doing the worker's ride for the SC Mountains Challenge 100K. So we (after 20 miles of climbing) came down 9 west, up 236 through Big Basin, up Jamison, and down Empire Grade (before heading down Felton Emp. and back to Scotts Valley). So we may have crossed at some point; however I think my ride was done by 2:30 - you may have come through later.

Your ride was definitely longer and faster, but had a slightly lower climbing ratio (I had 7100ft in 63mi). But it was sure a good day for riding.


----------



## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

ukbloke said:


> Hilarious - today's Deal of the Day mail-out from Neuvation Cycles is "On the road spoke repair"!


Almost timely! That reminds me - need to go put some tape in my saddle bag!


----------



## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

Yeah, I went and filled my seat bag with zip ties.

I think the lunch stop did me some good. After the 'moderate pace' to Davenport, I was about ready to call the broom wagon, but after lunch I felt pretty good.


----------



## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

sometimerider said:


> Hey, your route was the opposite of my group's for quite a few miles. On Saturday I was doing the worker's ride for the SC Mountains Challenge 100K. So we (after 20 miles of climbing) came down 9 west, up 236 through Big Basin, up Jamison, and down Empire Grade (before heading down Felton Emp. and back to Scotts Valley). So we may have crossed at some point; however I think my ride was done by 2:30 - you may have come through later.
> 
> Your ride was definitely longer and faster, but had a slightly lower climbing ratio (I had 7100ft in 63mi). But it was sure a good day for riding.


Yeah, it was a beautiful day out there. Just a week prior when I rode this route, I had wet roads down W.Alpine and Haskins, but at least I had a tailwind down Hwy 1, unlike last weekend's ride!

We didn't see that many cyclists at all after Bonny Doon so must have just missed you. I'll be doing the SCMC 124 mi ride if my toe heals in time (stubbed it badly yesterday and it's very sore and bruised).

Thanks for volunteering for the ride - I'll be in Plus 3 kit for this one - maybe see you out there!


----------

