8 July Rides

[tygab]

Took another venture into southern New Hampshire but decided to turn around as storm clouds swirled above me and the wind kicked in a bit. This time I at least brought a jacket. Started to pedal back home as far as I could until the rains and some lightening started. Darn, I got stranded at the roadside ice cream joint for about a half hour while I waited to see how violent the rains would get. Logged 38 miles.

Hey! Do you ride a specialized and were you chatting to a guy with a motorcycle at the ice cream stand? We were riding in that area today, and saw a woman with a yellow jacket leaving after the rain had stopped. We stopped at the ice cream place *after* our ride leaving from Lake Dennison. We had already ridden by the ice cream place during the downpour to get back to the car, but we decided we wanted to go for some quick food after our ride!

How ironic, if it is you! We were the two grubby cyclists sitting on the back of a Honda Element hatch.

And oh yeah our ride, hmm from Lake D to Cathedral of the Pines, back along Mononomoc lake etc. Was a blast, even in the rain. Thankfully the rain came at the end!

[jobob]

Today was a big ride for me. It was my first club ride at the "M" level (one level up from what I've been riding in the past). There were going to be some significant climbs so I was kind of nervous beforehand.

But bottom line, I kept up!! It was a huge confidence boost for me.

We started near Natural Bridges park near the north end of Santa Cruz, headed up to Empire Grade, up EG to Ice Cream Grade (no ice cream, alas), turned around and back down some of EG to Smith Grade, SG to Bonny Doon, down Bonny Doon (40+ mph descent, whee!) to Highway 1, North on Highway 1 to a bakery in Davenport. (These people have their priorities intact.)

After Davenport, the group decided to skip the "junk miles" up Hiway 1 to the Pigeon Pt Lighthouse and instead go directly up Swanton Rd. Swanton was a big U so we wound up back on Hiway 1, headed south past Davenport, then UP Bonny Doon (of the aforementioned 40+ mph descent, lots of 10% to 12%+ gradient). From Bonny Doon, we took Pine Flat to Martin to Ice Cream Grade (crappy descent on that, I'm suprised I didn't lose a filling or two), and a very fun descent back down Empire Grade back to the start.

It ended up being about 56 miles and nearly 6000 feet of climbing, with plenty of steep gradients. My overall speed was about 11.6 mph (with some parts close to 40 mph, and lots more at 4 mph or less ) and I'm pleased as punch with that.



It was a great ride, with a very nice bunch of people. They made me feel very welcome. And I felt great at the end. I'm so happy I went on this ride !

[mudmucker]

Hey! Do you ride a specialized and were you chatting to a guy with a motorcycle at the ice cream stand? We were riding in that area today, and saw a woman with a yellow jacket leaving after the rain had stopped. We stopped at the ice cream place *after* our ride leaving from Lake Dennison. We had already ridden by the ice cream place during the downpour to get back to the car, but we decided we wanted to go for some quick food after our ride!

How ironic, if it is you! We were the two grubby cyclists sitting on the back of a Honda Element hatch.

And oh yeah our ride, hmm from Lake D to Cathedral of the Pines, back along Mononomoc lake etc. Was a blast, even in the rain. Thankfully the rain came at the end!

Yes that was me ! That was my SO I was talking to on the ahem, Harley. (He would want this distinguished you see). Wow. Nobody is ever out my way. I stopped at the ice cream place before the rain and I was eating a root beer float at a table outside. Interestingly, because I rarely see any other cyclists where I am noted that there were 2 cyclists (the 5th and 6th cyclist I've seen this season) heading south towards Dennison. The bikes looked like they were like a silver color, couldn't get the make. The riders I think had white/light shirts. I particularly noted that there was a female cyclist - something I never see around here. About 5 minutes before you I actually saw a guy go by on a time trial bike, all yellow (4th cyclist). He was decked out in what looked to be LiquiGas colors. That's 3 other cyclists in one day.

I have taken some time off and have been riding every day. I got caught in rain 3 times, some with more violent winds and lightening. I was getting tired of getting caught in the rain and having my prescription glasses fog up so I waited. At least this rain was more gentle and it was warmer because of the lack of a severe draft. When you passed the ice cream place it hadn't started raining but started seconds/minutes afterwards I think.

The SO was out and about and he met me at the ice cream place. We went inside because he also didn't want to ride in the rain. Already having had the root beer float, I ordered again and (with trepidation) ordered a cheeseburger. Biking and food like that don't really get along with me. When you saw us talking I was probably remarking on the fact that if he passes me and doesn't see me, I'm probably off in the woods heaving because we left about 5 minutes after we finished the food. All was fine and I just rode a little slower. At that point, I am only about 8 miles from the house.

I do recall seeing two people eating ice cream on the tailgate of a whitish vehicle in the front with the whitish/light shirts but didn't make a connection because I don't recall seeing the bikes. However, I did not note that they/you were grubby by any means. How about those bleeping portions? A small is huge! I can't eat a small myself, which is why I get the root beer float. They make the ice cream there.

I am interested in what route you took to go to Cathedral of the Pines.

[tygab]

I am interested in what route you took to go to Cathedral of the Pines.

That is so funny! Well your SO actually talked to my husband (he asked if he had a Specialized, which he does). You didn't see the bikes because we put them directly into the Element. And yes, we were both wearing white shirts. But it was definitely raining as we passed the ice cream shop (not too hard tho, then it opened up).

Anyway I will PM you with more info on our route. We might even ride together sometime!

[mudmucker]

Anyway I will PM you with more info on our route. We might even ride together sometime!

That would be cool. Here' the deal. I commute 500 miles a week so I like leaving the car in the yard for the weekend. I do some gourmet cooking and one way I lure my friends way out here in timbuktu (which isn't too hard) so I don't have to drive, is that I provide lotta fun food and drink. Having a TE person out in my neck of the woods biking is certainly cause for celebration. Some items on previous menus include goat cheese tart with carmelized onions, bloody mary shrimp cocktail, roasted asparagus puff pastry with gruyere cheese, rib roast, popovers, butternut squash soup, asparagus crepes with hollandaise sauce, ribs with dry rub, creme brulee both standard and chocolate (yes I own a torch), chocolate volcano cakes and I do make my own ice cream and sorbet but the ice cream place is great too. I am into making mead (honey wine) but I won't have a next batch ready until October. So yes, we might ride together and I wouldn't mind preparing food because that is fun for me. By the way, the cross country skiing is fabulous out here if you like to do that.

[jobob]

That's a beautiful mixte, East Hill !

[Starfish]

Great pics, East Hill!