The Great Pumpkin Ride

After a stressful week at work and a busy Saturday coordinating volunteers at a bike race followed by my own ride with friends, I knew I needed to give my body a rest and spend some quality time with my sweetie. The solution: renting a big Harley cruiser and taking a ride to the coast.

The only thing that compares to a bike ride over the hills to the coast is a ride on the back of a motorcycle, especially when you need to chill. So when I asked my dear husband to take me out to Half Moon Bay so I could get a pumpkin, he gladly obliged with a ride on a Hawg.

Careful to avoid the heavy traffic on Hwy 92 for the Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Festival, we took Hwy 84 up and over the hill, then turned off on Pescadero Road ’cause I was craving coastal cuisine: artichoke bread at the bakery and pepper and artichoke soup at Duarte’s Tavern. The added bonus was hanging out with bikers at Duarte’s tasting “French fries with eyes,” aka fried smelt. (They were ok, but would have been better with a Southeast Asian sauce)

With full bellies in us and half-full saddlebags on the bike, we motored north, past the San Gregorio Store up to Arata’s pumpkin patch. We passed on the corn maze, the gladiator battle, the hay ride and even the pumpkin pie. Instead, we picked out a bright orange pumpkin and a couple of little white ones, for no good reason except to make me smile. And then we hopped back on the Harley and carved our way back over the hill, which made us both smile.

Do you ever wish your bicycle had a motor so you could enjoy the scenery and just chill?

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Making the Grade the Low-Key Way

With coastal mountain ranges that ring San Francisco Bay, most Bay Area cyclists are blessed to live within 10 miles of a road that climbs to a thousand feet or more. Mt Tamalpais, Mt Diablo, Mt Hamilton. Old La Honda, Palomares, Sierra Road, Tunitas Creek, the Three Bears. There’s a tough climb within riding distance for anyone prepared to face the pain and feel the glory.

For those who crave new hills and want to go head-to-head against other climbers, the Low-Key Hill Climb series was born. The stated goal of this grassroots, volunteer-driven series of events is to “allow each cyclist, no matter what his or her level, no matter what his or her speed, to establish goals and meet them. It’s all about the hill, the rider and being at one with the bike.” Of course, for competitive cyclists, this means pushing your body and spirit to the limit to crush the field. The organization may be low-key, but the competition is not necessarily.

When Dan, the series organizer, asked me to be the coordinator for the Page Mill Low-Key Climb last Saturday, I had to chuckle a little inside. I’ve raced a few Low-Keys with friends before, but I’m not really a climber. Well, at least not in the Low-Key sense. I don’t seek out new hills with evil steep grades. I don’t track my personal best times on Strava. And I rarely find myself waiting at the top for anyone. I climb because I love riding the quiet backroads, which are all hilly. And because I love descending.

But I can appreciate the passion for the challenge and the joy within the pain as I watch these hard men, women and yes, children, busting a gut to make the grade with a peak a week. They just can’t get enough, while I’m happy to just get over it. For me, veni, vidi, ascendi will have to be another day, when I’m not volunteering.

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Roadside Attractions: The Hidden Grotto

If you’re a roadie living on the San Francisco Peninsula, I’m sure you’ve ridden over this little stone bridge and I bet never noticed anything odd about it. Like me, you were probably focused on the climb ahead, perhaps hitting the lap timer on your bike computer or heart rate monitor to record your time up the hill.

Last week, I gave the bridge an extra look and discovered that the stones were fake. Not fake like concrete-shaped-into-stone fake, which is pretty common in our landslide-prone hills, but fake as in thin-mortar-over-a-wire-mesh fake.

What’s more, under the bridge there is more fake rock, a grotto of sorts. A rider waiting for a friend encouraged us to go down and it check out. He said it was built as a movie set, but I don’t think he was right.

An Internet search led me to the story of the massive Schilling estate that included this bridge. August Schilling, best known for his spice and extract empire, was also a garden aficionado who reworked the redwood and oak forests on his estate to suit his sensibilities. That meant ponds, cascades, pergolas, manicured lawns, extensive flower gardens–and fake rocks built by master craftsmen.

Schilling employed up to 60 gardeners who made sure there wasn’t a leaf out of place on his 150 acre estate. But after Schilling died in 1934, the grand house fell into disrepair. It was torn down in 1952, but the rocks live on. And if you’re a Peninsula roadie, you’ve probably ridden through it all without realizing it.

For the locals: Have you guessed where this “stone” bridge is located? (see comments for the location)

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The Pothole that Made the New York Times

It’s not every day when someone’s ride report makes the New York Times. Some writers obviously have connections. The gist of the story: rider crashes on a technical descent, hits his head so he can’t remember what happened, and GPS data helps him piece together the scant details. In the end, he fingered a pothole.

I don’t know if the typical New York Times reader found the article interesting, but as a cyclist who regularly descends this particular road I was intrigued. So on Sunday, when we headed down La Honda Road (known locally as Highway 84) I flipped on my GoPro camera and kept an eye out for the nasty pothole. I found this:

But was this the pothole? While I don’t have the author’s GPS data, the story featured a graphic showing where on the road the GPS data flatlined. And I had my video of the descent showing the road, turn by turn. After matching the turns, I think the newly repaired pothole at 1:52 in the video below is guilty as charged.

Do you think this is the pothole? If so, do you think it would have been filled so quickly if it hadn’t made the New York Times?

 

Where Buena Vista Doesn’t Mean Good View

A few weeks ago I wrote a letter complaining about “Keep Right” signs on downhill Page Mill Road near Moody Road. I had assumed the signs were prompted by drivers who wanted cyclists to “stay in their place” so they could pass more quickly, without regard for cyclist safety. The County Traffic Engineer responded that the signs were installed because residents on Buena Vista Drive complained they couldn’t see cyclists descending Page Mill when they turn left onto Buena Vista. Somehow, they believe that cyclists who keep right are more visible.

But the signs may come down soon, and not because cyclists like me complained. In their place, the residents now want a stop sign installed on Page Mill for the downhill travel lane only! Does this sound like a good idea to you? Not me. So I wrote back saying I thought a downhill only stop sign would be confusing and merely shifts the burden of safely yielding the right of way from the uphill traffic to the downhill traffic.

Today, I went up Page Mill to check the intersection out again. I took this series of photos as I walked up Page Mill Road toward the Buena Vista and Moody Rd intersections. The photos were taken from the vantage point of a car driver, at approximately 20 feet intervals.

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My take: Downhill traffic is visible to uphill traffic at the Buena Vista intersection if the uphill traffic slows to nearly a stop before turning, something I guess the residents of the eight homes on Buena Vista don’t want to do. After all, it’s far easier for them if all other traffic stops just for them. If they want a stop sign, I think it should be four-way stop, like the traffic consultants recommended in their report.

What do you think? Does a downhill-only stop sign make sense? What about a four-way stop?

If you care about this issue, let the county supervisors know about it! You can attend the meeting on Tuesday, September 27 or write a letter. Details on how are courtesy of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition.

Speaking of passing without regard for safety, while I was taking photos I also videotaped a driver passing a cyclist on this blind turn. What was the driver thinking? It’s a good thing that the white SUV that appears around 0:12 wasn’t there 10 seconds earlier!

 

Yes, I Married This Man

What can I say? I’m a sucker for a goofball with good bike handling skills. He’s goofy enough on an everyday basis, and when you pull out the camera he takes it up a notch. Like last Saturday, when my GoPro caught him flying by doing a Contador-inspired “doble pistola” maneuver at the top of the Kings descent.

He doesn’t stop at imitating pro cyclists, either. His attempts at femininity are completely unconvincing, but they still make me smile. Yes, I married this man, and I haven’t regretted it a single day.

What goofy things do you find endearing about that special person in your life?

 

Tracking Your Neighborhood Mountain Lion

This morning I read in the Mercury News that the town of Los Altos Hills activated its emergency alert system over the weekend, phoning residents that a mountain lion was seen in the open space behind Foothill College.

I’m sure the residents of the Emerald Hills area of Redwood City weren’t surprised. They’ve had numerous mountain lion sightings this year, including one closer into town near Sequoia Hospital. There have been so many sightings that the Mercury News now provides an interactive sightings map on their web site.

Are all these sightings a single cat, or are the hills full of them? That’s what scientists at Santa Cruz Puma Trackers are trying to figure out by using sophisticated gps collars to track these big cats. Their research in habitat fragmentation tells interesting stories about the lives of mountain lions.

On their web site, I found maps tracking cats in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains such as a territorial young male in the Boulder Creek area. His range is approximately 20 miles in diameter, from Big Basin to Swanton to Ben Lomand. That’s further than the distance from Emerald Hills to Los Altos Hills.

A neighboring cat is 5 year old female, possibly with cubs. Her range? Almost as large as the young male’s, and clearly overlapping. And there are at least two other cats being actively tracked in this same area.

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After watching videos on their web site, my guess is that the sightings in Emerald Hills are probably multiple cats, and it’s completely possible that the cat in Los Altos Hills is from Emerald Hills. But without a formal program tracking them, we’ll never know how many are out there or where exactly they go.

Does knowing mountain lions are out there affect whether you go out onto the backroads or on the trails? Would you be afraid or excited to see one?

 

Another Weekend, Another Coast Ride

Since Katie, Dick and I missed out on the San Gregorio coastal loop ride two weeks ago, we convinced Michelle to do the route again with us. Some rides are worth repeating, but it was far from the same ride. The coastal fog had let up and we were treated to sunshine and warmer temperatures. Today, I’ll let the photos tell the story.

Do you have a favorite route that you find yourself riding again and again?

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Slower Traffic Keep Right(s)

What’s wrong with this picture? Hint: it’s the sign.

The sign is on the descent of Page Mill Road just uphill from Moody Road. There’s nothing wrong with the top part of the sign, warning cyclists that the hill steepens ahead. At 10%+ grade on a narrow road with tight turns, it’s a problem area for less skilled cyclists. The problem is the “keep right” at the bottom. It’s unsafe advice and not consistent with the California Vehicle Code.

The CVC 21202 states: “Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at a speed less than the normal speed of traffic moving in the same direction at that time shall ride as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:

(1) When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.
(2) When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.
(3) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes) that make it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge, subject to the provisions of Section 21656. For purposes of this section, a “substandard width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.
(4) When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized.”

Take a look at the width of this lane. It’s clearly not wide enough for a “bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.” So the sign is clearly inconsistent with CVC 21202. Furthermore, on a steep descent with tight corners like Page Mill, many cyclists, like my friends and I do not “operate our bicycles at less than the normal speed of traffic.” In fact, we sometimes ride faster. Then there’s passing another bike, making left or right turns–all legitimate reasons to not keep right regardless of lane width.

But the most dangerous aspect of these signs is that they not only encourage cyclists to hug the edge of the pavement on a technical descent, increasing their chance of running off it, but they also send drivers the wrong message that cyclists don’t have the right to use the full lane, a right granted per CVC 21202.

I suggest that the transportation official replace the “bicycle keep right” signs with signs with more “vehicle neutral” language, or simply post “may use full lane” signs that reflect what cyclists are truly entitled to.

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Are there bicycle-related road signs in your area that are inconsistent with your rights as a cyclist?

 

The Ups and Downs of Hilly Rides

When I used to lead rides for Velo Girls, I would often meet enthusiastic new riders who could hang with the group overall, but would fall back on the climbs. They would ask, “How do I get better at climbing?” I’d give them the standard advice: don’t grind up the hill, spin in a lower gear, climb hills every week, and climb with people a little faster than you.

Occasionally I’d add my personal experience: don’t be surprised that after climbing improves, you don’t feel faster. The training that makes you a faster climber can make you faster overall. So you’ll ride with faster people and do steeper hills, but still lag behind on the climbs. Don’t get discouraged.

Yesterday, my friends and I rode Jill’s Ride for Hope, a hilly metric century charity ride: 62 miles, 6000+ feet of climbing. To train for it, we have been doing progressively hillier weekend rides for weeks. The day turned out to have perfect weather, the route was scenic and challenging, and we met a few interesting people along the way. But it was a day of ups and downs for me.

On a good day, I can climb alongside my friends for a while, then I drop back and finish alone. On a bad day, like yesterday, I see everyone pull away from me at the bottom of the hill. It was a long and lonely climb.

I met my friends at the top and we rolled south together on Skyline, past the summit at Castle Rock and through that secluded one lane section, so far removed from the cities below. Then we were treated to a stellar descent on Bear Creek Road with tight turns on good pavement, where I learned that Cindy C loves descending just as much as I do.

At the small mountain town of Boulder Creek it was up again–12 miles of climbing to get back up to Skyline. The first five miles were moderate, so we could ride together and chat. Then the road steepened and we strung out again. I wasn’t any faster this time, but there were other riders slogging up the hill with me so it wasn’t so lonely. We regrouped midway to use the bathroom and to stretch, which was nice too.

The sweet descent down Hwy 9 into Saratoga was a special bonus for Michelle and the two Cindys since they’d never ridden it before. The only car we encountered on the tight top section was the SAG wagon, who politely pulled over and let us pass. As we rolled into Saratoga there were “woo hoos” and “that was worth the climb!” It was a good ride. We all finished feeling good, shared a post-ride meal and headed off.

Still, when I got home I couldn’t help feeling blue. I hate that I can’t keep up on the climbs. Cindy S posted her ride stats: average speed 12.6 mph. I check mine: 12.1 mph. I’ve done enough hilly rides over the years to know that 12 mph is a good pace for me for a long ride with 100 ft/mile elevation gain. I know that I’m not a natural climber and have worked hard to be able to conquer these hills, but it’s hard to accept the advice I give to others and just be proud. Maybe tomorrow.

Do you have some advice that you freely offer to others, but is hard for you to accept for yourself?

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