Slug Gulch-May 15

[SadieKate]

Oooh, Bubba loves port. What time is this shindig and where? What can we bring for the picnic?

[yellow]

As SadieKate and Bubba and aka_Kim drive back to the valley in the rain, I though I'd post this report.

Highlights:

• It didn't start raining until AFTER we were done.

• The only flat was in the parking lot before we started!

• I learned that my definition of "rollers" is way different from that of others.

• Post ride food and wine are a big, big bonus.

We met up with several of my Hangtown Velo friends at the appointed time, with one being late due to alcohol abuse the night before and another slight delay due to a flat tire. It was warmish and muggy and apparently the clouds were coming...

After a 25 yard warm up, the climbing (what I formerly described as "rollers") starts, though the actual "Slug Gulch" is a few miles in. Everyone survived the climb and the next climb and the next climb and the next climb (ad naseum...) just fine and while the cloud cover came and went, it never rained, though it was a bit muggy so we were all pretty sticky. The flowers were fabulous, to the point that at times the scent of lupines was overwhelming. The total climbing, according to the Beautiful Vista website, is 4700' (over 50 miles).

The best part...the after ride picnic complete with paired wines from my friends at Windwalker Winery (I warned them that we were coming to take over their deck). The menu:

• Baba Ganoush (sp?) with pita chips, served with a lovely Windwalker Merlot

• Smokey Black Bean Dip and "Rockin' Guacamole" with chips, served with a soft but complex Windwalker Sangiovese

• Southwestern Corn Slaw and smoked Wild Turkey (harvested by yellow's honey) served with Windwalker Barbera

• Uncompaghre Wraps (on zesty garlic black bean tortillas) complimented with a big, bold Windwalker Petite Sirah

Dessert was fresh fruit but we were too wined out to have Port with that!

We're WAY sleepy now! I imagine aka_Kim had a nice nappie on the way home.

And now, it's dumping!

y

[Bike Goddess]

The ride sounds like a climb, not a ride!!! And the Food part- ooooooh!
Down in the flats it hasn't rained yet. Just cloudy and windy.

Aptos was sunny and warm. I even got some sunburn above my biker short tan line

Wasn't that nice of Mother Nature to wait until you all had finished and even ate and drank! Such cooperation!

Now for next Sunday- the 22nd.....

[aka_kim]

It was a great ride, er climb. Wonderful food (special thanks to Yellow and SK) and good company. And I finally got to see that Slug Gulch isn't quite as intimidating as I'd been led to believe.

Thanks for organizing this Yellow!

[SadieKate]

The only flat was in the parking lot before we started

Don't you meant "the only flat part was in the parking lot?"

i learned that my definition of "rollers" is way different from that of others.

Yes, Kim and I explained that "rollers" requires involvement of momentum as in "your downhill momentum carries you at least partway up the next hill." The double freakin' hill (we were guessing at how Jo would describe it) following Slug Gulch just rolls UP and UP with a few somewhat shallower spots. It is not a roller. I particularly liked it when I turned onto SG Road, slam into a 14% grade, get over it and think "Ok, one hump down, and ? more to go" when Yellow zips by and perkily says "Here's where the REAL SG starts." There were only a few 19% spots after that. Since it does have periodic flat spots, it can be done - even after only a few miles of warm-up. Just not sure that I would want to tackle it after the first 78 miles of the Sierra Century.

As the top of Slug Gulch and the following hills wandered up a beautiful forested ridge, I decided that Yellow earned the tiara for the most wildflowers per mile. They were truly stupendous. I thoroughly enjoyed meandering along these quiet mountain roads with turkeys gobbling away. A big thank you to her fellow Hangtown Velo monsters for patiently waiting for us flatlanders at the intersections.

Post ride food and wine are a big, big bonus.

Don’t forget your yummy curried butternut squash samosas (empanadas). You must have been cooking all day and we took about 10 mins to polish it all off. Mmmm, mmmm, good!

Thanks, Yellow, for a really fun ride. We just whined to harrass you. You get a double tiara for the best post ride drinks.

Now, we're going to have to get Jo to organize a Mt. Hamilton ride and someone else to do a Mt. Tam ride so we'll get the Bay Area trifecta.

[Veronica]

Thom and I have been thinking about doing Mt. Hamiliton from Livermore as an out and back. That will be about a century I think.

V.

[yellow]

Yes, Kim and I explained that "rollers" requires involvement of momentum as in "your downhill momentum carries you at least partway up the next hill."

And Bubba (and I think SK) added that rollers shouldn't require major gear changes (e.g. switching chainrings). AND Bubba also partially explained my confusion by noting that what I think of as "rollers" is actually "rolling uphill". In paying attention to how I usually describe that part of Slug Gulch above the switchbacks but before the school...I call it "rolly". So I think "rolly" means rolling uphill!

Oh, and I think the empanadas should have been included in the Barbera menu course.

y

[SadieKate]

And Bubba (and I think SK) added that rollers shouldn't require major gear changes (e.g. switching chainrings). y

That was Miss Kim. Yes, your eyes and legs are just tuned differently to ours. At Diablo, Rod said nothing was as steep as the top of Diablo. I just need a translation device when talking to the two of you.

But you got me over a big mental obstacle and I'm feeling strong! Woohoo!

[aka_kim]

Yes, your eyes and legs are just tuned differently to ours.

And hearts, and lungs. You Hangtown Velo riders rock -- I think I said the women were all Amazons, and the men the equivalent (not sure what that would be -- bionic? Herculean?).

I didn't know the empanadas were homemade -- they were delicious! And went well with the Sangiovese too.

[SadieKate]

Yellow, just in case you and Brian forget it again look at the "little rolly hill" at the end of option one on this map. Isn't that the climb on Dorado Canyon that isn't shown on the map you originally gave us for Slug Gulch?

http://www.beautifulvista.com/Bike_R...anyon_loop.htm