The Winter Solstice ride was originally a Double (aka 200 miler) but for the past few years most of the riders have been doing the abbreviated 110 mile version. The next incarnation of this event will be led by Deb & David Hoag from Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy on December 17, 2011, rolling at 7:30AM.
Photos from the last time I rode this are here.
This is a link to the RideWithGPS route.
This is a link to the Excel Route Sheet
This is a link to the GPX file (you may need to right-click to download the file)
If you need a TCX file let me know (lane_parker@yahoo.com)
This is an age-old ACTC route from the Almaden Coffee Roasting Company to Santa Cruz via Los Gatos and back through Scotts Valley. Jon Kaplan is leading this 100 miler on September 3rd, 2011.
This is a link to the RideWithGPS route
This is a link to the Excel Route Sheet
This is a link to the GPX file
If you need a TCX file let me know (lane_parker@yahoo.com)
One of my favorite things to do is ride up to Half Moon Bay for lunch at San Benito House. The homemade bread is mouth watering. I’m leading this ride again October 29, 2011. We roll at 7:30 AM.
Photos from the last time I led a ride to Half Moon Bay are here - the route we’re following (below) is different from the one in the pictures.
This is a link to the RideWithGPS route
This is a link to the Excel Route Sheet
This is a link to the GPX file
If you need a TCX file let me know (lane_parker@yahoo.com)
The route starts at the Los Gatos Park N Ride then up Hwy 9 to Skyline. We travel up Skyline to Alpine and down a great descent to Pescadero then over to Stage and north. There are several places to get water along the way in Pescadero and San Gregorio. We continue north up to Tunitas Creek and inland through the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve then to the coast for lunch at San Benito House. The trip back to Los Gatos takes us up Tunitas Creek and down Kings Mountain through Woodside, Redwood City, Los Altos, and others back to Hwy 9 and the Park N Ride.
Jon Kaplan is leading this ride, May 14, 2011.
This is a link to the RideWithGPS route
This is a link to the Excel Route Sheet
This is a link to the GPX file
This is a link to the TCX file
My good friend Brian Chun introduced me to this route a few years ago. His version is much more difficult than mine since his goes up a few extra steep climbs than this one. I’m leading this ride June 18, 2011.
Photos from the last time I led this ride are here
This is a link to the RideWithGPS route
This is a link to the Excel Route Sheet
This is a link to the GPX file
If you need a TCX file let me know (lane_parker@yahoo.com)
This is a great ride with a long stretch on the Sawyer Camp Recreation Trail and great views from the California Legion of Honor including the Golden Gate Bridge.
This is my favorite century route but it is a bit windy on the way home. From 1973 to 1975 I was in language school in Monterey which is why I like to visit from time to time.
Photos from the last couple of times I led this ride are here and before that here.
This is a link to the RideWithGPS route
This is a link to the Excel Route Sheet
This is a link to the GPX file
This is a link to the TCX file
I’ve biked to Monterey from Santa Cruz with friends over the years and I’ve led a ride down there several times for the ACTC bike club. The ride is primarily an out-and-back so it’s easy to cut the ride short at various points and head back to Santa Cruz but my main objective is to see Monterey again and enjoy some clam chowder on the wharf. The next ACTC ride I’m leading down there is December 3, 2011. We roll at 8AM from Natural Bridges State Park at the intersection of Natural Bridges Dr and Delaware Ave in Santa Cruz.
The map below is of the complicated section near the end of the ride. The goal is to get over to the Santa Cruz Wharf or The Dream Inn then head back up to Natural Bridges.
The complicated portion
This is an age-old route for the ACTC club. Back in the day there was a ride called the Poppy Century that’s no longer held but we re-enact the ride two or three times a year. Beautiful back country in Carmel Valley. My buddy Jon Kaplan loves to lead this ride so he’s leading it again, April 23, 2011.
This is a link to the RideWithGPS route
This is a link to the Excel Route Sheet
This is a link to the GPX file
This is a link to the TCX file
This was my first long ride since November, too much time away. This was an ACTC ride led by my good buddy Jon Kaplan. After the first few miles I realized I wasn’t going to be able to hold the pace with the folks out front so stayed in the back and did my best to keep up with Sheila and Tina who were having a leisurely ride with lots of chit and chat.
Even at their casual pace I was struggling after about mile 40 but I trudged on. One of my other good friends (Kryia Adams) dropped back to shepherd me for awhile and that was great for me but a slow go for him.
It was great to see the level of the Morgan Hill reservoirs up so high. We’ve had lots of rain in the Bay Area lately so the creeks & streams are flowing well and the reservoirs are brimming which is rare.
At mile 50 Guy, Kryia, Sheila, Tina, and I stopped at the Dunneville Market for a re-fill on fluids and a bite to eat. While we were there David and Christin rolled up and then Jon, Michael, and Nick came by. The others had stopped a few miles back for a nature break and we passed them. After a short stop the group of us took off for Hollister and the climb up Lone Tree.
At the start of the climb I let everyone take off ahead of me since I still had 60 miles to get back home and didn’t think I had the legs to keep up with them and still make it back home. About three miles from the top I decided that was enough and headed back home. I should have ridden to the top but just didn’t have the motivation.
On the way back I shoveled down a burrito at the Country Market then trudged back home. It was miserable heading north to San Jose in the afternoon, as usual. The winds were typically strong so the ride home alone was a struggle but I was glad to make it back and actually felt strong the last 20 miles.
My photos from the ride are here and my GPS results are here.
My 52 centuries a year quest was stopped by an injury to my left leg so I was only able to complete 46 centuries this year. Hopefully, I’ll be back on the bike soon.
On nearly all my rides I capture the route on my GPS (currently an Edge 705) and I take pictures of the participants and a few scenery shots. Most of the albums are at my Picasa albums page but some are in the Almaden Cycle Touring club gallery on SmugMug.
Below is a brief summary of each of my 2010 centuries with the most recent ride at the top:
#46 on 14-Nov – Part of the Hollister Permanent with Ken Emerson. Photos of this 119-mile ride at this link.
#45 on 30-Oct – Old Tierra Bella – 105 miles led by yours truly. Photos at this link.
# 44 on 23-Oct – Skyline Ramble 200K – 125 miles with my good buddy, Ken Emerson. This is the 11th month in a row where Ken is riding a randonneuring event toward his R-12 Award. I’m happy I was able to accompany him on part of his journey. And this only represents about 25% of his riding for the year. This ride started in Santa Cruz went to Freedom up to Los Gatos through Corralitos then up to Skylonda for lunch followed by a screaming descent down Hwy 84 to San Gregorio. From there it rained all the way back south to Santa Cruz as we rode through Pescadero and Davenport. There weren’t many other cyclists out there but we did run into Andrea Symons as she was heading north just outside Pescadero on the Pizza Century. I only took a few photos due to all the rain.
# 43 on 16-Oct – Reverse Mt Hamilton – 123 miles led by yours truly with photos here This was one of the toughest of the year with 10,500 feet of climbing. On top of that I’ve gotten into a bad habit of not doing a lot on my bike between the centuries so conditioning is not where it should be. By the time I got to the back side of Mt Hamilton I was gassed but had to trudge my way to the top. Paul Metz had been with me for the prior 30 miles but I told him not to wait on me since my legs were feelin’ it. I was really happy to make it to the Lick Observatory at the top to take some photos and grab a candy bar and a coke.
After a great Solvang Century in 20
08 I thought I could make an even better go of it. In 2008 I completed the ride in 6 hours, 30 minutes; 5:50 in the saddle. A combination of less power in my legs this year and strong headwinds it took me over 7 hours total time and 6:18 in the saddle. Shows I need to rev up the training rides as much as I have the distance rides.
Millie and I drove to Lompoc Friday afternoon for a night’s stay in the Day’s Inn. The hotels in Solvang were nearly fully booked several months ago with the only rooms being much more expensive than they were worth. After arriving in Lompoc I drove the 20 miles to Solvang to pick up my registration packet. The crowds were huge with at least 3000 of the 4000 people arriving at about the same time. However, it was very smooth and fast. I spent a few minutes checking out all the booths of the cycle stores, health food vendors, and a variety of other interesting cycle-related businesses.