Big Basin and Chalk Mountain

Bill Bushnell – Sunday, December 27, 1992

On Sunday, I drove down to Felton and met Brent and Jude whereupon we rode CA-9 north through Boulder Creek and then CA-236 and Lodge Road to Big Basin. Again the temperature was very cold. It didn’t get above 50F the whole day, and most of the time it was in the low-40’s with sprinkles and wind from the oncoming storm. From Big Basin we rode out Gazos Creek Rd. to Sandy Point. Near Sandy Point we passed Patrick Goebel and friends riding the other way on their mountain bikes.

After Sandy Point we continued on Whitehouse Canyon Rd. and then Chalks Rd. all the way to Chalk Mountain. Using the radio shed as a shelter from the fierce wind, we took a victory picture at the top and then headed down the roller-coaster road, stopping every so often to retrieve a water bottle that didn’t want to stay in its holder on the bumpy descents. The road is made of finely-broken shale, and the views are great. From Sandy Point we returned to Felton by climbing Johansen Road to China Grade Rd. We took another victory picture at the big log near China Grade Rd. and Gate 12, though we hardly looked victorious as we were very tired and hungry from all the steep climbing. From China Grade Brent and Jude returned to the Big Basin Park HQ where Jude had parked his truck, and I rode back to Felton alone (and fast as it was only 45 minutes to sunset).

Jude had driven from Felton to Big Basin earlier in the day with his mountain bike and road bike. He then rode his road bike back to Felton to meet us. Then he rode his road bike back to Big Basin and switched to his mountain bike for the dirt part. Jude has much more confidence descending fast on his mountain bike than he has on his Cannondale road bike, even on paved descents. Jude has, perhaps, a little too much confidence descending on his mountain bike as he took a spill on one of the sharp S-curves on CA-236 near the Big Basin Park HQ. Brent rode a mountain bike with very aggressive knobbies on the whole ride (including the paved 16 miles from Felton to Big Basin.)

This is a ride we’ll have to do again from Palo Alto when the days get longer and the weather gets warmer.

Ride Stats:

Distance: 54.3 miles

Climbing: 4500 feet

Total time: 7:05

Riding time: 5:20

Average Speed: 11.5 mph

Maximum speed: 35.0 mph

index: 72

irp: 10

mirp: 14

climbing ratio: 0.83

An article on indexing can be found here.

©2004, Bill Bushnell

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