Half Sequoia 200k

Bill Bushnell – January 15, 1994

Hildy Licht, Sequoia 1994 Committee co-conspirator, and I rode the most distant half of the planned Sequoia 1994 200k route. No one else showed up, but we had a great time nonetheless.

We started at Summit and CA-17, rode southeast on Summit Rd. past the Store and onto Highland Way. At the second big slide, a new slide has covered the old bulldozed path. We got around this one with some assistance. A big tree had fallen and blocked the way, but we managed to clamber over. This will be a problem for the Sequoia if the slide is not fixed by June. The only real obstacle is the large fallen tree covering the path. Perhaps the trunk could be cut to allow easy passage. Shortly after the slide Hildy’s front tire became flat. So we delayed another 25 minutes while Hildy and I squabbled over the task of patching it.

We continued down Eureka Canyon Rd. to Corralitos and then through the backroads to Aptos. After deciding to locate the rest stop at Cabrillo College instead of Aptos Creek Park, Hildy decided to ride directly to lunch and I continued on the planned 200k route up Rodeo Gulch and down Branciforte. Hildy likes to ride leisurely, so up to now we had not been riding fast. I rode quickly up Rodeo Gulch and then down Branciforte, being passed on Rodeo Gulch by a guy out for a short training ride. I caught up to him on the rolling descent down Branciforte, and he promptly tucked in behind me. It was my one chance on the ride to “let the testosterone flow”, so to speak. It wouldn’t be polite to behave like this while riding with Hildy. I arrived at the lunch stop, Guaranga’s, an Indian/Krishna restaurant (all vegetarian), 44 minutes after I had told Hildy I’d meet her there in 45 minutes.

The buffet lunch ($6 for all you can eat) was great. The food isn’t spicy, so it’s perfect bicycling food. We both ate mounds of rice, pasta, and toppings. I avoided the salad because raw veggies give me side stitches if I exercise after eating them. There’s a bike rack and even a table out front. Guaranga’s will be a regular lunching spot for me in Santa Cruz from now on. [Unfortunately, Guaranga’s went out of business sometime in 1995 or 1996.]

The return trip took us up along CA-17 on the frontage road and through the Pasatiempo golf course/development. The road passes by some of the most expensive houses in Santa Cruz and is open to travel, though it’s private. Little gates, guard-houses, fences, speed bumps and “No Trespassing” signs discourage visits by “riff-raff” (namely, us). Even the drinking fountains at the large and very green golf course are separated from the road by little rope barricades and signs warning that only members are allowed to drink therefrom. I doubt the century will go through this way, though I plan to take it again on my own rides.

At Sims we turned left and then right on Graham Hill Rd. and then left again and rode through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park on the paved Pipeline Road. This road will be on the century. At the beginning there are a couple steep ups and downs, but after that it gets much more gradual. This one-lane road through towering redwoods is another beautiful section on the century route.

We passed through to Felton and then took busy Mt. Hermon Rd., where Hildy got her second flat, which I fixed this time,. In Scotts Valley we found ourselves on Bean Creek Rd., which we rode up to Glenwood Hwy and then took Mtn. Charlie Rd. back up to Summit Rd., arriving back at the car shortly after 18:00, and in the dark. I encouraged Hildy to draft me earlier, but she said she was having too much fun looking around and didn’t want to stare at my rear tire the whole time.

Ben Lomond Ridge set against the deep fiery orange sunset made for a picturesque and peaceful twilight scene, but Hildy’s enjoyment was reduced somewhat by her worrying that her husband was worrying about her. I had brought a light with me, and near the top of Mtn. Charlie it was the only light we had.

The car to car ride was 67.0 miles w/5370 feet of climbing, not including the 16.4 miles round-trip between my house and Hildy’s.

Ride stats:

distance: 83.4

climbing: 5630

total time: 12:00

riding time: 6:46

average speed: 12.3

maximum speed: 47.0

index: 105

irp: 8.8

mirp: 15.5

climbing density: 65

An article on indexing can be found here.

©2004, Bill Bushnell

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