Local Trails Paving the Way with Good Intentions

An old Hwy 237 frontage road between Zanker and McCarthy Blvd. has been repaved. What a difference.

If you think too much of our hard-earned money goes to government waste, you’d be right, but there are some notable exceptions, such as the local Coyote Creek and Guadalupe River trails.

I meandered out that way this morning to check out the fabulous paved Guadalupe River Trail from the airport to Montague Expressway. I haven’t ridden it yet because the entryways are still being completed at Trimble Road. It looks like they’ll be done by Thanksgiving. There’s work going on beyond Montague as well, so it won’t be long before we’ll have another paved path to Alviso. Today you can take San Tomas Aquino Creek path most of the way to Alviso.

If you’re someone who wants to know just how much use San Jose trails see, there’s a 2012 trail report just for you. They’re seeing substantial growth year to year.

While it’s only about a half-mile, the gnarly stretch between Zanker Road and McCarthy Boulevard paralleling 237 on the north side is newly paved. Now if we could see the Coyote Creek path under Hwy 237 open, there would be some nice loop rides free of traffic. One of these days.

Work continues on the 49ers stadium. Seating keeps going higher.

Finally, the 49ers stadium continues to progress. They’re working on the nose-bleed section now. Fortunately the San Tomas Aquino Creek trail is being kept open during construction. They even have traffic control, and trail traffic has priority.

Turning Over a New Leaf

Broadleaf maple hitches a ride on my handlebars.

One wonders what it is about the Broadleaf maple that makes it have such big leaves? Is it genetically gifted? Or is it just being a show-off?

This leads me to a somewhat tenuous segue into the world of legal stimulants and whether or not they’re dangerous. Maybe so. The popular 5-Hour Energy drink has come under suspicion as some 13 people have died from taking the drink and 33 were hospitalized over the last four years. It could be a statistical coincidence, or there could be some validity.

While professional athletes will stop at almost nothing to get the winning edge, even weekend warriors have a compulsion to try all kinds of energy foods and drinks. I’ve eaten a yummy and easily digested gummy with caffeine and I’ve got to say I felt a difference. I rode stronger and felt better.

I wish I could feel that way just by eating a bowl of steel-cut oats, but I can’t. I know because I eat oats all the time. You shouldn’t be worried about taking something that’s the equivalent of a cup or two of coffee, but beyond that there could be complications.

As with all quick fixes in life, there are usually negative effects in the long run or I should say, the long ride.

As you’re riding up Redwood Gulch Road, just remember this photo. It looks so flat.

Creaky Bike Seat

Creaky saddle? Oil it here with Liquid Wrench penetrant oil.

I’ve had not one but two creaky bike seats in recent weeks. They’re both Avocet, a NOS Racing II and an ancient Gelflex. It just so happened they had the same issue, common with older saddles running a lot of miles.

The seat rails just need a squirt of oil where they fit in the saddle. It dries up in there. Not just any oil. I found Liquid Wrench penetrant oil works best. Other oils may be too thick to soak in. Be sure to tip the saddle vertical as shown in the photo.

The saddle creak symptom only happens when you’re sitting in the saddle, usually while climbing. It won’t creak when you’re riding out of the saddle.

Once Upon a Ride…

Keith Vierra, center, waits for a rider to fix a flat on the single-track section of Stevens Canyon Trail, January 1982.

Stevens Canyon Stymies Vierra

November 23, 1980
Riders: Jobst Brandt, Keith Vierra, Rick Humphries, Ray Hosler, Bill Robertson, Bob ?, Matt ?
Weather: Cool, cloudy, rain
Route: Up Old La Honda Road, south on Skyline, down Page Mill Road, down Stevens Canyon, Foothill Expressway, home to Palo Alto.
Tire/Mechanical Failure: Bill – flat; Keith – slow leak; Jobst – chain clunk

After a heavy rain on Saturday, Jobst wisely tailored this ride so we could avoid muddy bikes, just dirty. When he saw a dirt path alongside Sand Hill Road he decided it wasn’t too muddy, so we could find a dirt road somewhere in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

We headed up Old La Honda Road at a rapid pace. On Skyline we rode through a chilling fog as clouds obscured the Coast, riding past Tom Ritchey’s new house, still under construction.

Predictably Jobst pushed big gears going up 1.2-mile hill on Skyline, which passes the overlook parking area.

About a mile down Page Mill Road we turned right onto Stevens Canyon Road (now called Trail), passing the sag pond on our left and open fields before the plunge into the canyon. At the Indian Creek Trail junction Keith commented, “It’s the steepest road I’ve ever been up.”

Meanwhile, Jobst wheeled up to an impassible ditch. We had to walk our bikes around a narrow, steep hiking trail with a 100-foot drop on one side.

Once at the bottom of the canyon we took a narrow trail to our left and then descended to a tributary that feeds into Stevens Creek. It was here the Keith thought he could ford the creek. Jobst dismounted and walked, but Keith would have nothing of walking. “Out of my way Jobst! I’m riding through.” Keith didn’t have much speed when he hit the water. He bounced among the rocks before his front wheel wedged into a rock and he went flying!

[Keith was an elite cyclist, competing in the Coors Classic stage race. In 1973 he won the Nevada City Bicycle Classic as a junior racer.]

After another short distance riding on the narrow road we came to a huge landslide. Jobst dismounted and walked, while we followed, gingerly picking our way across the steep slope.

Before we knew it we hit pavement on Stevens Canyon Road, but the rain started before we could exit the canyon and Bill flatted. With the flat fixed, we headed home on Foothill Expressway in the rain.

Riders negotiate the massive slide in lower Stevens Canyon, 1982.

————–
Stevens Canyon 32 years later
That was then, what about now? I rarely ride in Stevens Canyon. I rode up from the bottom to check out the memorable creek crossing. It’s still there but there isn’t much water right now. The slide has been repaired and it’s now rideable — has been for years. Aging wooden bridges in Stevens Canyon are being replaced with splendiferous concrete spans.

Long ago cars drove the length of Stevens Canyon Road up to Page Mill Road. I don’t know if the road was paved all the way. I doubt it. At some point the road slid out and that was the end of it. It’s ground zero for the San Andreas Fault. When the earth moves here again the landscape will change. Enjoy it while you can.

Keith’s creek crossing. Not as easy as it looks, especially when there’s a lot of water.

Slide area. It’s rideable on a narrow single-track to the left.

Out with the old. Better capture this in a photo, because it won’t be here much longer.

In with the new. Wide bridges replace the old, narrow bridges. This section of the road is mostly used by cyclists.

Mt. Hamilton Road 2013 Calendar

Mt. Hamilton Road 2013 calendar is available now on Magcloud.

One of my favorite spring rides is Mt. Hamilton Road, where you can enjoy great views of Santa Clara Valley and wildflowers. A 2013 calendar shows the flowers and some scenic rides.

Over my 32 years riding here I’ve seen great years for flowers and mediocre years. It’s generally better when there’s a lot of rain, but not always.

San Antonio Valley offers the best viewing on the east side of the mountain. It’s one of the more remote areas in the area, even though it’s a bike ride away. Enjoy.

2013 Alpine Road Calendar Available Now

Available on Magcloud, a 2013 calendar featuring Alpine Road from the 1980s.

Back in the 1980s Alpine Road started its slow decline into oblivion as San Mateo County abandoned the road. The last maintenance occurred in December 1989 when it was graded. However, the county never cleared culverts, so around 1994 a culvert plugged and a massive slide took out the road. That’s why there’s a steep, gnarly trail that has to be negotiated.

The 2013 calendar captures what it was like in its heyday. The calendar marks major U.S. holidays and area road races, although some dates are tentative. Enjoy.

Photo of the Week

Brian Cox enjoys a secluded road in the Santa Cruz Mountains following Kings Creek. I can imagine this area saw its share of logging in the 1800s but you’d never know it today, unless you were looking for old-growth redwoods. Spectacular weather once again.

Photo of the Week

What does 23 percent look like through a camera lens? Not so steep. Approach to the Haul Road in Portola State Park.

So many road improvements this year. The Haul Road out of Portola State Park couldn’t be better. All that ballast dumped over the years has sunk in and now it’s fun riding.

Old La Honda Road (west) has been showing signs of wear, but now there’s a nicely done tar and gravel coating and in a few more weeks all the gravel will be gone.

Old La Honda Road (east) is looking good too. The entire length has new or fairly new pavement. That’s a big change from the 1980s.

Finally, Mt. Hamilton Road has also been receiving some attention and many bumpy parts have been resurfaced.

Work has been completed on the bridge at Sanborn Road on Hwy 9. All in all, a banner year for road maintenance.

Peter Rich Remembers the Tour of California

Peter Rich talks shop with Bud Hoffacker, left, and John Woodfill, right. Peter holds annual panel talks on cycling history to “set the record straight.” Jobst Brandt’s bike race trophies shown.

Peter Rich, a Bay Area cycling legend, stopped by to see Jobst Brandt in Palo Alto last night and share some memories among cycling friends.

Peter recently shut down his iconic bike shop Velo Sport in Berkeley, Calif., after nearly 50 years of business. In many ways, Velo Sport Bicycles and Palo Alto Bicycles, where Jobst frequently visited, have a lot in common, including both stores being located at a University Avenue address and next to famous universities!

They hosted bike racing teams and races over the decades. I asked Peter about the 1971 Tour of California, the first international stage race held in the U.S. Track racing ruled the sport leading up to the 1950s when road racing came on the scene.

Peter organized and funded the tour at a time when U.S. stage racing was still a closet sport. The Greg LeMonds and Lance Armstrongs of the world would not arrive for another 15-20 years.

First Peter had to secure permission from the California Highway Patrol (CHP). He sent seven letters to the districts that they were riding through. “I got a range of responses from ‘good luck’ to ‘you’ll be arrested,’” he said.

Bear Valley start
The racers took off on Saturday, Aug. 28, from Bear Valley, a ski resort located at 7,000 feet in the Sierra. Some 80 racers would cover 885 miles in 10 stages, which included some hard climbing over Carson, Ebbetts and Pacific Grade passes.

On stage 1 racers sped down Hwy 108 to Stockton and on the way dozens and dozens of cars piled up behind the peloton. This was an open course race with no CHP directing traffic on the two-lane road. At one point a CHP officer pulled ahead, got out of his car and started waving riders over to stop the race.

“The pack just rode around him and kept going,” Peter recalled. Fortunately, the race continued without CHP intervention. “We agreed to limit the number of follow cars,” Peter said.

The official follow cars were yellow Ford Pintos donated by the car maker. You can see them in the videos posted on YouTube.

Competitors came from all over, including Canada and Mexico. For the first time, Peter saw evidence of doping among racers. A Mexican rider who appeared to be high on speed was so disoriented he lined up at the starting line pointed in the wrong direction!

Our most notable U.S. racer, John Howard, had a rough go, crashing into a truck coming over a hill. Howard managed to continue the race.

So why wasn’t there a second Tour of California? “I lost $50,000,” Peter said. Raleigh, Ford and other sponsors failed to pay out money promised before the race. “They complained there was a recession,” Peter said.

All that’s left now is the memories and grainy video. Laurie Schmidtke gives an excellent blow-by-blow account of his Tour of California experience from the peloton. Check it out.

Cambria Bicycle Outfitter Has Halloween Spirits

Cambria, California, has a lot going for it in addition to being the closest town to Hearst Castle in beauitful Big Sur. It’s home to artists and artisans, drawn to the bohemian lifestyle the town offers.

On a recent visit in October, with Halloween just around the corner, these creative types went to work building whimsical people and creatures from paper mache and other materials.

Leave it to Cambria Bicycle Outfitter to come up with a creative display that, in my humble opinion, tops the rest. We have skeletons, Snoopy, surfers and more pedaling away under the morning sun. Enjoy.

It says “Bury me with my bike,” a sentiment shared by many a cyclist. Seen in Cambria, California.