Empire Grade - Pine Flat Bike Ride
I decided to go on a more challenging bike ride today. I wanted to either take a longer ride or a more hilly ride. I figured that I would see what the weather was like this morning before deciding on my route. (My observation is that if it is cloudy, then the wind is not as strong, on the other hand, if it was sunny and clear, then the wind seems to be stronger.) The longer ride is along the coast into the wind, the hillier route is more protected from the wind. When I got ready to ride this morning, it was pretty clear and sunny, so I decided to take the hilly route.
I rode up Empire Grade for about 12 miles, then turned down Pine Flat Road and followed it to Highway 1. I continued on Highway 1 to Davenport, then turned around and came home. The route is about 30 miles long with almost 3000 feet of climbing. As an aside, when I got to Highway 1, I found that there was hardly any wind at all! So much for my theory of high winds during sunny conditions. Sigh, sometimes I think too much.
Yesterday, I was reading a little about the history of the Tour de France. There was a guy who won one of the earliest races in 1903. He was a chimney sweep and a heavy smoker. It is pretty amazing that a heavy smoker could win the Tour de France. Of course, he was disqualified the following year. He was caught riding a train for part of the race! Hmm, that may explain how he won the previous year.
I mentioned in an earlier post that the ride up Empire Grade to Pine Flat Road is the toughest climb that I have ridden. It is roughly about a 2200 foot climb over 12 miles. There are a few short downhill or flat sections, but it is pretty much a non-stop climb. It takes me roughly one and a half hours to climb. Not much fun. As I was struggling up the hill, I was thinking about how nice it would be to catch a train for part of the climb.
About 9 miles up the hill, I looked over and there was a Santa Cruz city bus! Hunh! And it has a bike rack! And there is a bus stop at the top of the hill! I could tell everyone that I am riding up Empire Grade, leave home, ride a few blocks and then catch the bus up to Pine Flat Road! I could be just like a Tour de France winner! Or maybe not.
Anyway, I made it up to the top of hill and turned down Pine Flat Road. It is a great downhill run that drops 2200 feet in about 7 miles. It is a smooth road with some long straght-aways and big sweeping turns. You barely have to pedal for the entire 7 miles. I flew down the hill. Of course, I had to go down a giant hill to reach the speed that the Tour de France sprinters ride on flat roads. The sprinters will reach 35-40 MPH at the end of a 120 mile race. Amazing!
The ride home was uneventful. As I mentioned before, this is not the longest ride I have made, but due to the climbing is probably the toughest ride. I feel pretty good. Last year, I was completely exhausted by the end of the ride. I barely made it home. Today, I felt pretty good. Don't get me wrong, I am pretty tired and I will not ride again for a few days, but I feel relatively strong.
I rode up Empire Grade for about 12 miles, then turned down Pine Flat Road and followed it to Highway 1. I continued on Highway 1 to Davenport, then turned around and came home. The route is about 30 miles long with almost 3000 feet of climbing. As an aside, when I got to Highway 1, I found that there was hardly any wind at all! So much for my theory of high winds during sunny conditions. Sigh, sometimes I think too much.
Yesterday, I was reading a little about the history of the Tour de France. There was a guy who won one of the earliest races in 1903. He was a chimney sweep and a heavy smoker. It is pretty amazing that a heavy smoker could win the Tour de France. Of course, he was disqualified the following year. He was caught riding a train for part of the race! Hmm, that may explain how he won the previous year.
I mentioned in an earlier post that the ride up Empire Grade to Pine Flat Road is the toughest climb that I have ridden. It is roughly about a 2200 foot climb over 12 miles. There are a few short downhill or flat sections, but it is pretty much a non-stop climb. It takes me roughly one and a half hours to climb. Not much fun. As I was struggling up the hill, I was thinking about how nice it would be to catch a train for part of the climb.
About 9 miles up the hill, I looked over and there was a Santa Cruz city bus! Hunh! And it has a bike rack! And there is a bus stop at the top of the hill! I could tell everyone that I am riding up Empire Grade, leave home, ride a few blocks and then catch the bus up to Pine Flat Road! I could be just like a Tour de France winner! Or maybe not.
Anyway, I made it up to the top of hill and turned down Pine Flat Road. It is a great downhill run that drops 2200 feet in about 7 miles. It is a smooth road with some long straght-aways and big sweeping turns. You barely have to pedal for the entire 7 miles. I flew down the hill. Of course, I had to go down a giant hill to reach the speed that the Tour de France sprinters ride on flat roads. The sprinters will reach 35-40 MPH at the end of a 120 mile race. Amazing!
The ride home was uneventful. As I mentioned before, this is not the longest ride I have made, but due to the climbing is probably the toughest ride. I feel pretty good. Last year, I was completely exhausted by the end of the ride. I barely made it home. Today, I felt pretty good. Don't get me wrong, I am pretty tired and I will not ride again for a few days, but I feel relatively strong.
posted by Steve @ 11:15 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home