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Sizzler Classic, 97 |
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| DATE: Oct. 11, 1997 | WHERE: Santa Cruz Mountains |
| DISTANCE: 140miles | TIME: 2 days |
| PLACE: n/a | TEAMMATES: |
| I
did an "epic" ride on Sat, I say that because it was a cycling dream. 12:30pm.
Beautiful day, cool but bright, leave Santa Clara loaded with Cliff Bars and fluids.
Woodside, climb King's Mtn, meet a neat girl on the way up, wind down Tunitis Crk, totally
covered with beautiful fall colors, 7mi descent, no traffic, finally the sound of the
surf!. South on HWY 1, awesome view of a turbulent ocean and, get this, a steady 25mph
tailwind for 40mi! This is something you've got to experience! Riding with the wind makes
the air totally still... just me and the humming tires sailing along the coastline,
watching motionless gliding pelicans, exploding waves, and windsurfers streaking through
the chop. Farther out to see, the horizon changed color with the moving sun and an oil
tanker cruised from one end of the world to the other. Averaging 23mph while site-seeing
the coastline and still feeling fresh when I get to Santa Cruz was awesome. I finished up
in Soquel (at the house of a friend who's on vacation) at 5:20pm after 87mi. I rolled down
to Capitola to stretch and pray by the beach, then made dinner, showered, laundry, patched
tubes, slept. I could hear the fireworks celebration down by the beach. 7:15am. At daybreak I continued. The chilly morning air bit my fingers and toes on the climb up to Summit Rd. Along the top it was, again, sunny and alternating from warm and cool. Along skyline the corners are fun and the morning sun pierces through the thick fall coverage. Near Castle Rock I climb the last 2mi ascent, my average speed is going down, but soon I'm flying again, down to Saratoga Gap and then down HWY 9, carving through 20mph corners at 35 while watching a clear Silicon Valley open up down below. Although plenty of cyclists and a few cars are going up, it was totally clear sailing all the way down. The last stretch down Saratoga Ave and up Lawrence Expwy was a nice and warm with friendly lights. After 47mi, I 'm home by 10:30, in time for church! -Troy |
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